Sophie Mitton
Job title Site Manager
Employer Fit For Sport
What drove you to develop a career in sports and physical activity?
Sport really helped me develop as a child. I was not very academic and didn’t take too much of an interest in academic subjects at school like Maths, English and Science. PE was always my favourite subject in school, and I didn’t really know what else there was out there for me, so I decided to look for a job in the sports industry when I finished school.
So, why did you choose Fit For Sport as the place to begin your journey?
I didn’t leave school with many qualifications and Fit For Sport have a great apprenticeship programme which helps young people from all walks of life become qualified Activity Leaders whilst gaining on the job, paid working experience. I had started noticing the impact sport and activity can have on children’s overall development and learning; so the apprenticeship with Fit For Sport was the perfect starting point for me.
So, you started as an Apprentice, how did you end up in the position of Site Manager?
I completed my apprenticeship after 12 months and I had the opportunity to go to university, but I would have missed the routine, the regular income, and most importantly the children I work with far too much. I was offered an Activity Leader position and continued to work in primary schools and holiday camps. The more experience I gained, the more my responsibilities increased, moving up to Deputy Site Manager and now Site Manager at one of our flagship sites.
So, what exactly is a Site Manager at Fit For Sport doing on an average day?
It does really vary day to day. We are responsible for ensuring the health and safety of everyone on site, including staff is upkept at all times; as this makes for a greater experience for all involved in a Fit For Sport. There is of course a lot more paperwork, as you are responsible for all registers, accident and incident forms, sign in and sign out processes and on-sire Ofsted paperwork. It can be quite a tiring role, as you ae constantly juggling multiple tasks – but you still get to join in all the fun and lead sessions, which makes it all worth it.
How do you think Fit For Sport differentiates itself from other Sport and Activity Childcare providers?
I think what sets us apart is our reputation and that even after 27 years, we are always trying to improve our programmes and the services on offer. Just this summer we launched our new partnership with the NFL Team, the Jacksonville Jaguars, which is all about introducing kids in the UK to American Football through their very own flag football programme, JagTag. How many other providers can say they have an NFL partner?!
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