Impact are proud of our history working alongside successful sporting teams. Here Andy Dickson from Impact reflects on our work with the British and Irish Lions and the English Cricket Board.

'As the 2009 British Lions get ready to take on the South Africa and the England cricket team prepare to battle the Ashes it seemed a good time to share my exciting memories of when Impact worked with both squads in the not too distant history to help bring British sporting success.

British and Irish Lions

Impact is best known for our work with corporations and government departments but in 1997 we engaged for the first time with a sporting team – the 1997 British and Irish Lions. We spent five days with the squad and their management preparing them for the tour. Impact helped to:

•    Galvanise the squad
•    Develop the Lions laws
•    Set up a high performing team
•    Prepare them for battle!

The Lions famously won the series 2-1. When the tour manager, Fran Cotton was asked during an interview on the BBC programme 'Sports Personality of the Year' how he had developed such a winning team, he replied ‘we worked with Impact from the Lake District!'. View a film of our work with the 1997 team here.

English Cricket Board

After our success with the Lions we were engaged by the English Cricket Board to help develop their young cricketers. Impact worked with the under 18s and A-squad. These relatively young and uncapped players included names such as Michael Vaughan, Andrew Flintoff, Ian Bell, Steve Harmisson and many more. Over a three year period Impact worked with the team to:

•    Help develop confidence in young players
•    Developed a touring team code of conduct
•    Developed a one team vision
•    Prepared young cricketers as ambassadors

Many of these players went on to win the Ashes in 2004. I was very proud of the contribution Impact played to the success of both of these teams.'

If you would like more information on the above or are interested in how Impact can work with you to develop High Performing Teams in your organisation please contact us. Photo above shows Andy Dickson (far left) with the English Cricket Team Under 18's in Zimbabwe in 1999.