I’m now 36, I trained as a physiotherapist and specialised in the sports industry working with Saracens (part time) onto Watford FC, then moved north to Leicester Tigers where I’m entering my 10th season now working with the 1st XV. I’m incredibly lucky and have worked incredibly hard to achieve what I’ve achieved in sport. With elite sporting environments you never see the work that goes in to making those moments, standing in the rain covering Hertfordshire age group training sessions with a bag of tape wondering where it would all end up. In 2013 Leicester Tigers won the Premiership and the photo of me holding the trophy is one very proud and special moment which reminds me of why all the sacrifices are worth it.
I arrived to Leicester in 2010 a single man, fast forward to the present day and I’m married to my beautiful wife Gemma and we have two amazing kids, Freddie and Harry and Murphy the springer spaniel. Weekend working has always been the norm for myself and Gemma has always been incredibly supportive in this and my career.
Gemma’s career has continued to develop, progress and thrive in the time we have been together. Working within motor sport she decided (and I supported) to take the plunge and become self employed and set up a marketing agency from home with a friend and pick up some work along the way.
Mocha is now over 5 years old and has 10 staff members. Seeing Gemma’s success and wanting to help and be involved built my interest in business. The growth and development of Mocha under her expert guidance presented an opportunity. For about 3 years now we have toyed with the idea of myself becoming more involved in a structured position (mainly gin fuelled discussions from the outset) but this notion of us professionally working together wasn’t going away.
Just after Christmas I plucked up the courage to speak to my boss at Leicester Tigers and start exploring the option of going part time. Leicester Tigers were very receptive to my wishes wanting to have more flexibility and less weekend work around Gemma and the kids. This moved forward and from July 2019 I started my revised part time contract at Leicester Tigers and began my official business position as Client Director (part time) with Mocha.
I have to say that two months in, the balance seems perfect, I love being a senior physiotherapist in an elite environment working towards winning games and winning trophies while helping athletes achieve things on and off the field. In the same breath I love working with Gemma at Mocha and starting to forge new working relationships with the Mocha team and clients old and new. I’ve lots to learn but really wanted to chart my journey to date.
Surround yourself in good people and good things will happen. Hard work is an absolute essential and doesn’t ever need questioning if you want to achieve things in sport and/or business. This link has often been documented but I’m currently living out my dreams and adding to them along the way. I’ve been blown away by the support and positive feedback from players, staff members and supporters at Leicester Tigers, my family across Cornwall and the Midlands and also my new Business family and community at Mocha and associated business people.
This was a huge step for me but I’m incredibly thankful for all involved. This has made me become more focussed around planning and organisation week to week and the crossover between the two is huge.
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading a tale of a Physiotherapist from Cornwall and where I’m up to at the ripe old age of 36!
If you fancy a coffee anytime to discuss any of the above please get in touch
[email protected]Dave Orton
