November 8th, 2023 | NEWS
Sport Changes Life Foundation (SCLF) has announced the official appointment of Alan Teggart as Chief Executive.
Alan takes on the mantle of our co-founder Gareth Maguire who devoted 16 years of his life to the establishment and growth of SCLF, one of the most respected and successful sports foundations both throughout Ireland and in the US.
A graduate in Sports and Exercise Science from Ulster University, Alan Teggart has almost 15 years’ experience in sports related community outreach and mentoring young people, including six years as Programme Manager with SCLF, latterly as Acting Chief Executive. Supported by the existing excellent team, the NI and US Boards and Victory Scholar (VS) Alumni, Alan plans to build upon Gareth’s legacy in helping young people and others reach their potential through sporting interventions as well as working to transform lives and shape futures.
“Since its formation in 2007, SCLF has supported more than half a million young people through the support of international student-athlete role models on the Victory Scholar Programme,” says Alan. “None of this would have been possible without the vision and determination of Gareth who created the many sport-led programmes that we operate today. This includes our flagship and reputable cross community eHoops programme, our school-based Honour Roll programme and educational hubs, a bespoke one to one mentoring initiative, inspiring new programmes for older adults as well as our new corporate partnerships that we are building upon.
“I am both humbled and proud to be taking on this role with such an illustrious charity and look forward to working closely with our boards, both locally and in the US alongside our Victory Scholar Alumni network to elevate SCLF to the next level using the transformative power of sport. I am not just embracing a new role but also embracing the mission of the foundation.”
Commenting on Alan’s appointment as Chief Executive, Suresh Tharma, Chair of the SCLF Board said,
“We have ambitious plans for the future of SCLF and Alan is the right person to lead the team in achieving the goals we have set ourselves. His grassroots experience and inspirational approach to engaging and motivating both the staff, our Victory Scholars, the board members locally and in the US, has shown that he is more than just a ‘safe pair of hands’.
“On behalf of the Board, I want to thank Gareth for working tirelessly for nearly two decades to help bring SCLF to where it is today. His vision, courage and hard work as a co-founder has delivered a brighter future for many in our local communities. He will always be a Sport Changes Life Ambassador who will continue to bang that SCLF drum for us, wherever he goes, and we wish him well in his new ventures.”
Alan’s appointment comes after the establishment of a US Board, comprising American and Northern Irish leaders from across industry and former Victory Scholars Darryl Shazier and Caroline Stewart, who are both based in the US. The 7-strong team is tasked with making effective new connections in the US that will deliver even greater mutual benefits for US graduates and SCL programme participants.
Alan Gibson, Chair of the US Board explains,
“The US Board mission is to promote the purpose of SCLF across corporate, private and alumni networks to build awareness, engagement and impact, unlocking new revenue streams that will fund the work of Sport Changes Life across its various programmes.
“This in turn will support the primary goal of the Foundation which is to provide an opportunity for raising the aspirations of young people on both sides of the Atlantic so that they can achieve their dreams through the guidance of sport, which can effectively change their lives. These goals are based on our five core values which are hope, resilience, positivity, empathy, and respect.
“Our Board and Alumni in the US, under the fantastic leadership of Darryl Shazier (Class of 2012) and Caroline Stewart (Class of 2013), are totally committed to working with Alan and his dedicated and experienced team to promote the SCLF brand and programmes. Through the connections we have made here in the States we aim to deliver an even greater mutual benefit for both our programme participants and graduates over the next year and for many years to come, to contribute to long term support of SCLF and its programme sustainability.”
If you would like to find out more about what we do or how you can get involved, please go to Sport Changes Life Foundation.
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