Marc Troman - Owner/Manager

Marc is the dedicated owner of Primary Sports and the company are into their 11th year of trading. Over the last decade he has progressed the company into one of the leading sports providers in the South West and has built an outstanding reputation in all of his schools. Marc is a self confessed workaholic and this shows with the outstanding growth the company has achieved in recent years. 

Marc graduated in 2009 with a Sports Coaching and conditioning degree from Hartpury College (University West of England). He is UKCC Level 2 qualified in Football, Cricket and Dodgeball and is the designated safeguarding lead for Primary Sports after completing his Level 3 safeguarding qualification in 2015. He has taught a wide range of other sports and activities to all age ranges and abilities including children with special needs. His strengths are his behaviour and classroom management strategies as well as his excellent work ethic and organisation. Marc has had experience of being involved in a professional environment with Plymouth Argyle where he represented them at youth level and is now a keen runner and completed the London Marathon in 2016 running for the Children Trust Charity. He also ran the Edinburgh Marathon in 2017 raising funds for The Beacon Primary School in Exmouth. 

Nathan Keast - Assistant Manager

Nathan is the assistant manager of the company and the longest serving member of the team entering his 11th academic year with the company. Nathan is currently head of coach development for Primary Sports. This role entails assisting, supporting and mentoring new and experience coaches with how they can become outstanding coaches. New coaches are put on shadow programmes with Nathan to help them with their initial development and transition into their schools. Nathan works all over the mid & east devon region developing high quality term time PE provision. Nathan also runs the hugely popular and well attended holiday camps at Landscore Primary School in Crediton. Nathan is an upbeat positive coach who aims to instil a life long love of PE into all the children he teaches.

Lee Evans - Director

Lee has worked for Primary Sports since 2019 and has become an integral part of the team. Lee has recently taken over the South Devon franchise which he will make a massive success. Alongside Nathan, Lee is also head of coach development for the company using his vast knowledge to help upskill the fellow coaches in the company. Lee is a Level 2 Football coach with several years of experience and has a passion for sport and improving children’s achievements. Lee has cemented himself within his schools as a valuable and key member of the team, taking on many roles in both planning and delivering high quality curriculums for the academic year. Lee has an excellent behaviour management approach to maintain a positive learning culture within all of his PE lessons.

Ed Doble - Director

Ed has  taken over the Somerset Franchise of the company and is starting to build an excellent reputation in the area. Ed has worked for Primary Sports over the past 3 years and has developed an excellent reputation due to his ability to create positive rapports with staff, children and parents alike. Ed bases his PE sessions on a positive and upbeat outlook, allowing the pupils to thrive in a confident setting. Ed has built an excellent holiday camp structure down in Lympstone and gets fantastic numbers for all of his holiday camps. Ed is level 2 qualified as a cricket coach and is also able to deliver an excellent birthday party service.

Tia Sloman - Director

Tia has worked for the company for 5 years now and alongside her sister runs the successful North Devon Franchise for the company. Tia has a degree in Sport Development and Coaching at the University of St Mark and St. John, in which she achieved a 2.1. During her degree she completed modules in coaching children in sport, sport health fitness and coaching for children.  She has represented Devon in tennis and has completed her level 3 tennis coaching qualification. Tia runs a development programme at Tarka Tennis centre in Barnstaple as well as leading a number of programmes in schools in North Devon for the company. Tia has a great work ethic and her enthusiasm towards the development of children is superb. Tia enjoys all areas of the role and is fantastic at helping children fulfill their sporting potential.

Jemma Sloman - Director

Jemma is entering her 7th academic year with Primary Sports and has developed into an outstanding coach. Alongside her sister, Jemma runs the succesful North Devon fraanchise of the company. Jemma is a Level 2 Tennis coach and has represented Devon in all age groups as well as South West of England at the British College Finals.  Jemma delivers a whole range of programmes to schools in North Devon. Jemma has spent time in Romania coaching tag-rugby to children in different primary schools for the Tag Rugby Trust and has a desire to develop and progress children in a wide range of sports! Jemma is able to successfully differentiate all lessons to meet the needs of all her pupils.

Ellen Blackwood - Director

Ellen has graduated with a Sport, Physical Activity and Exercise degree from Durham University and is now studying for a Masters at Exeter University. Ellen runs part of the Dorset franchise and has now started our newest venture, Primary Forest Schools & Sports Education. She is a Level 2 qualified Basketball Coach, Level 1 Netball and Volleyball, and also a fully qualified sailing instructor as well as holding the Forest Schools qualification. Ellen has several years of coaching experience and led sessions in a variety of sports including multi-skills, athletics, dodgeball and rocket ball. She has spent 6 weeks in Zambia coaching netball, basketball and volleyball and 2 months in America working in an underprivileged camp as a lifeguard and swim teacher. Her strengths are being adaptable within her sessions and ensuring the participants are having fun whilst learning. Ellen’s own sporting background consists of playing National League basketball, and playing locally in netball and basketball whilst taking a leisurely approach to sail when she can.

Fay Nelmes - Director/Deputy Safeguarding Lead

Fay is the Director of Primary Music & Education (www.primary-music.co.uk), our sister company which provides specialist whole-class music provision in primary schools across the region. Fay graduated from The University of Liverpool with a BA(Hons) in Music and a PGCE in Primary Education with Music specialism from Exeter University, and has been a primary school teacher for over 20 years. She has worked as a peripatetic music teacher since 1997. She provides valuable mentoring and support to our newer coaches to aid their development in both an educational and pastoral sense. She also has developed our online assessments and delivers training to coaches. As a cellist, Fay's main specialism is strings but she also is a highly trained classical singer, formerly singing with the New Chamber Singers in Rome, and other instruments include piano, guitar, bass guitar and drumkit. She also specialises in composition.

Fay is the Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead for Primary Sports.

Adam Bilcock - Lead Coach

Adam joined the company in September 2016 and has made massive progress during this time to become one of the best performing coaches in Primary Sports. Adam is currently based in the Honiton area and delivers a diverse range of programmes to his school. He is currently delivering whole class, G&T, interventions and school team based sessions on a daily basis. Adam is a gifted sportsman having played football at youth level for Exeter City & mens football for both Tiverton Town & Robina City in Australia. Adam models his teaching on an encouraging and guided discovery approach which allows the pupils to enjoy their sessions whilst making excellent progress in the process.

James Jarad - Lead Coach/Cover Coach

James has been working for Primary Sports for 7 years in total and has developed his coaching skills in the process. James graduated from the University of Gloucestershire in 2011 with a degree in Applied Sport and Exercise studies and runs the Dorset Franchise of Primary Sports and Education. James has been working in Primary schools since he graduated, initially working as a TA before moving into sports coaching in 2013. James is UKCC Level 2 qualified in Football and Dodgeball as well as being a fully qualified rounders umpire. He has a passion for working with children in Sport and has run several multi sports holiday clubs with great success. James specialises in the organisation of sports tournaments within the company and has organised several tournaments and school inter-house competitions with precision. In addition, James is qualified as a designated safeguarding lead having completed the level 3 safeguarding course in March 2018. James is also an experienced football referee having officiated up to semi-professional standard and is currently officiating on the National Futsal League and the newly formed National Futsal Series. This year sees James acting as the cover coach for the company when he is not delivering provision inside his own schools.

Greg Hooper - Lead Coach

Greg has worked for Primary Sports for nearly 5 years and has taken his coaching abilities to the next level which is great to see.  Greg gained valuable experience working in different primary schools across Exeter and East Devon. Greg is a qualified tennis and football coach and has a BSc (hons) in Sports Studies along with a PGCE in Primary Education. Greg has a passion for all sports but particularly excels in coaching football, cricket, tennis and basketball. Greg enjoys working with children of a primary school age as he believes pupils are enthusiastic and competitive which reminds him of what he was like at school. 

Greg is currently undertaking his football level 2 coaching licence. To coincide with this, Greg has taken up a role with Moors FC under 7's. Greg values the opportunity of working in the community and hopes to inspire the next generation of budding footballers. He believes in installing the right attitude and mindset to develop children into becoming well rounded people alongside the main focus of developing their sporting ability.

Ross Emery - Lead Coach

Ross has been coaching within a grassroots environment for the past 8 years working with boys girls and a womens team, whilst currently coaching an under 14s team at Twyford Spartans. Ross has previously worked in primary schools running lunchtime, after school clubs and holiday camps whilst studying at college. Whilst coaching football, Ross decided to complete the level 2 coaching qualification in fooball to further his knowledge and skills within coaching. During the pandemic Ross decided to deliver one to one football sessions to keep the local children busy and active during the summer of 2020. During the past year Ross has been working in Primary Schools and SEN schools which has been invaluable experience before joining Primary Sports for the 2023 academic year. We are delighted to have Ross on board and we know he will have a bright future with the company.

Tom Poole - Lead Coach

Tom has worked for the company since September of 2021, in his first year he’s been working within a number of north devon schools coaching everything from Cricket to Gymnastics. Tom is a level 3 tennis coach and level 2 badminton coach. Tom spent 4 years coaching at a tennis centre in bideford where he found his passion for coaching and inspiring people to become the best sportsperson possible, this has translated well into his ability to inspire and engage children within north devon schools. Tom looks forward to his future within primary sports as he’s looking to always improve his coaching ability to make sure the children are getting the best session possible.

James Doble - Lead Coach

James has recently joined the Primary Sports team having graduated from Cardiff metropolitan university with a 2:1 degree in sports coaching. James currently works in the East Devon area of the company delivering a range of wrap around care, intervention and clubs. James has already displayed his strengths of being able to work effectively with small groups of pupils and build a positive rapport. James also assists with the smooth running of the Lynpstone holiday camps out of school time. James is a flexible coach who is showing an interest in a number of different sports and actively looking to recruit more sports coaching qualifications into his CV. 

Hayley Moxom - Lead Coach

Hayley joined the company in 2022 and is based at Seaton Primary School. She graduated from the University of Lincoln in 2019 with a degree in Sports Coaching and Development. While at University she undertook modules which included sports coaching, primary development and fitness testing and training. Hayley has her Level 1 football coaching and Level 2 dodgeball qualifications. She also coaches at Seaton Town Football Club where she is the U6’s coach and Ladies manager.

Reece Kelly

Reece joined the company in 2022, initially shadowing within our holiday camps alongside studying for a BSc sport and exercise science degree from Bournemouth University.Since then, he has graduated with a 2:1, completing nutrition and coaching qualifications throughout and specialising in talent development and nutrition within sport. As a result he joined the lead coaching team in the Mid Devon area, delivering primary school PE education and clubs.Reece has a keen interest in football & basketball, playing both at university and locally. Darts and golf are other hobbies he regularly plays. With prior experience coaching both youth football and basketball, he models his sessions on being fun, energetic & encouraging to all students with a firm belief that all children have the potential to excel at various areas of PE.

Charlie Dyke - Lead Coach

Charlie has completed 3 years of university at Cardiff metropolitan university, studying bcs honours in sports coaching and achieving a 2:1 degree. Charlie has gained his level 2 qualification in football. Charlie has a passion for coaching having run football teams throughout his school life and most recently taking a team while at university. Having played sports since a young age, has allowed me to understand the importance of children having the chance to undertake sports and challenge themselves to be the best they can be

Joel Ashworth

Joel is currently undertaking a shadow programme with one of our lead coaches whilst doing an apprenticeship course in sports coaching at Ivybridge College. He gained his BTEC National Diploma in Sports Development and Coaching last summer. Joel has coached a range of invasion sports to children with a vast range of abilities and thoroughly enjoyed the challenge. He will be studying for his Cricket Level 2 Coaching Award during the winter. Whilst at college he played Rugby for the Ivybridge Academy and has represented Exeter Chiefs in the AASE league. Joel currently plays Rugby for Torquay and Cricket for Paignton. 

Bess Ashworth

Bess is currently studying her Level 2 rowing coach qualification and brings experience of working in school environment from her previous role as a sports coach. During her youth she represented Devon u18 at county level as well as representing her club at the World pilot gig rowing championships for the last two years. She has studied Sport Science at South Devon College as will be working part time for Primary Sports whilst studying at Marjons university in Plymouth. Bess will be used a shadow and holiday camp coach whilst working alongside our lead coaches.