Mentorship for True Athletes, by True Athletes
The right person, at the right moment, can change everything
The journey of a young athlete is inevitably a tumultuous one, full of high peaks but also great challenge, and significant low points. But there is no reason why they must navigate this journey alone, falling into all the same pitfalls as those that came before them. A mentor is someone has has stood in the same shoes, lived similar experiences and now wants to support others to get the absolute most out of their lives.
Mentoring is proven to be among the most effective tools for enabling transformational growth and development in people, and the dynamic is perfectly designed for sport. Since we brought together our first ever mentoring pair, back in 2016, our programme has grown into the most established, most pioneering athlete mentoring programme, worldwide.
Through witnessing now hundreds of mentoring relationships, we have seen the incredible, transformational impact that mentoring has for mentee, mentor and sport.
"This was a truly transformative and life changing year both professionally and personally"
Mackenzie Griffith
Para Skiier and TV Producer
Over 500 inspiring athletes commiting a year of their lives
Since we ran our first small pilot cohort group in 2016
Participants come from across sport, from Archery to Goalball
Many Mentees describe it as the support they have needed all along
Mentoring at The True Athlete Project
What would you like to explore?
Why Mentor?
Our mentors are current or former elite athletes, who want to share their experiences and give back to the next generation.
Becoming a mentor means joining a community of inspiring, determined and compassionate peers and supporting a young athlete as they navigate the complicated, challenging and ever-changing spectrum of life, family, performance and who they want to become.
Mentoring is not easy, but it is incredibly rewarding, Mentors often come out believing that they have grown as much, if not more, than the mentee.
You will also not be alone. We put tremendous thought and care into the support, community and training we offer. We do not only support your development as a Mentor, but also as a human and a professional so that you can also thrive during and after your sporting career.
In addition, mentors are eligible for a professional mentoring and coaching accreditation (in partnership with the EMCC).
For these reasons, many of our mentors come back again and again, learning and growing more each time.
"Being a mentor has brought me so much more confidence in myself as a leader. It even swayed my decision to go back into rowing professionally, this time with a whole new attitude and with the TAP community behind me for support.
Claire Burley
Rower & TAP Mentor
The Mentor Experience
Over 180 mentors have given one year of their time to support the growth of a young athlete. Many have done this more than once.
Rather than tell you what being a mentor is like from our perspective, we thought you might prefer to hear from those who have lived it directly.
The curriculum and conversations have genuinely changed my life and improved my performances inside my sport. I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to understand my identity as more than that of just an athlete.
Hattie Taylor
Rower
TAP and the GMP came at a really cool period in my life, it helped me to find my passion and purpose outside of Judo... a purpose I intend to continue to pursue beyond my career as an athlete.
Chris Skelley
Judo
Mentoring was really eye opening for me on my journey, not just as an athlete, but as a person too.
Carl Wheatle
Basketballer
In every way I WON. I gained a new friend, a new way to see things.
Milka Kraljev
Rower
I initially volunteered to try and make a difference. I didn't expect the GMP to help me as much as it did. It has made me a better individual, both personally and professionally.
Cristina Bigica
Basketball Player
It makes me think back to when I was a young, aspiring athlete. If I would have had this kind of proximity to an experienced athlete, who knows what impact it would have had on my career and life experiences.
Hubert Register
Basktetball Player
"I've been challenged and put out of my comfort zone which has undoubtedly helped me develop as a sportsperson but more importantly as a human being."
Heather Fell
Modern Pentathlon
I was not expecting having the impact I had on my mentee. The TAP slogan is 'one athlete at a time', mine became 'one gesture at time'.
Federica Franchi
Sport & Exercise Psychologist
For once the focus is on developing the whole person rather than just the athlete. Plus, I've had a chance to meet and work with some amazing and inspiring people from different sports and from around the globe.
Victoria Kingstone
Para Archer
I don't earn millions of pounds or dollars from what I do, but I'm rich in so many other ways, and I think being part of this mentoring programme has made me very appreciative of that.
Tyler Mutemasango
Baskteball Player
I really know the importance of having someone there, just for you as a person, not depending on how you perform. It felt so meaningful to be able to be of a support like I would have needed when I was younger.
Kaiza Karlen
Long Jumper
How it Works
Eligibility
If you currently compete or have competed at a professional level in your sport, want to give back to the younger generation and are willing to volunteer 4-6 hours of your time every month for a year, you are eligible to apply.
Those selected will be those we feel are most dedicated and motivated by the right reasons. All our mentors are required to complete safeguarding checks, give references and sign up to a code of conduct.
Applying
You can register your interest in mentoring using the button below.
This will help us ascertain your general eligibility for the programme.
When applications windows are open, those who have completed the expression of interest form will be the first to know.
The most suitable applicants will be invited for a conversation with members of the TAP Team to get to know you better, before final decisions are made.
Matching
Successful applicants will be carefully matched to a mentee. There is a lot of thought that goes behind this, based on what we have seen from application forms and the conversations we have subsequently.
We tend to match across different sports. We have found this to be especially powerful, as it helps free the conversation up and focus more on the values and aspects of identity that sit beneath the challenges being faced.
Mentoring
We carefully onboard mentors and mentees before the mentoring officially begins, and remain closely connected throughout to support their journeys.
The mentor experience on this programme with us does not solely consist of having conversations with your mentee. We also provide a range of workshops and extra support, including providing smaller pods, supported by a more experienced mentor liaison, to allow you to reflect on your experience with others walking the same path.
In addition, we support mentors to complete mentoring certification with the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC).
Continue to Grow
After mentoring with TAP, many mentors continue with the programme. Some go on to become mentor liaisons, to support the growth and development of new mentors. Others become TAP Practitioners, helping us to deliver programmes, workshops and camps across the world of sport.
All can become members of our growing TAP community on Circle, and will be considered a part of the TAP family for life.
Powerful Pairings
Frequently Asked Questions: Mentors
I'm not the best at my sport - is TAP still for me?
Absolutely! TAP isn’t about your ranking – it’s about being your best self through sport. Many of our participants are exploring sport, playing recreationally, or just starting their journey.
Do I need to be competing to join?
No! Whether you play sport for fun, for fitness, for your team, or in high level competition, TAP is here for you, so you have some extra support.
I can't afford the programmes [US: programs] - what are my options?
TAP provides scholarships for those who need financial support. We never want cost to be a barrier. Please contact us to discuss options.
What if I'm thinking about quitting my sport?
Can I be both a mentee and mentor?
What makes a good mentor?
Good mentors are athletes with experience (not necessarily elite level) who are good listeners, committed to the year-long journey, and genuinely passionate about supporting another person’s growth.
Do I need to be an Olympic athlete to mentor?
What training do mentors receive?
All mentors complete comprehensive training in the TAP curriculum – as well as safeguarding, mentoring and listening skills – before being matched with a mentee, receive ongoing support throughout the year, and earn EMCC certification upon completion.
Why Sign Up?
Mentees are young aspiring athletes (between 15-24), who are committed to developing through sport. They are not necessarily on a talent pathway, but do spend a significant amount of time playing sport competitively and see it as a massive part of their life.
TAP mentees gain personalised, caring and unbiased support from a current or former elite athlete who has experienced many of the highs and lows that sport has to offer, and is committed to helping you navigate these while achieving your goals.
Many mentees tell us that mentoring provides the kind of support that is hard to find in their current environments, especially because it is focused on them as a person and not on their performance.
Being a mentee is not easy, just as being an athlete is not easy. Showing up as a mentee requires a degree of openness and self-reflection that might not always be comfortable, but it is incredibly powerful and rewarding.
In addition, you will not be alone. We put tremendous thought and care into the support, community and training we offer not just you, but your Mentor as well. Throughout the year, you will be supported in workshops facilitated by us, to think in new ways about your performance, identity, values, community and ways of approaching challenges.
"It seriously changed my life. And I am not just saying this without thinking, I truly mean it"
Eli Ludwig
Kickboxer
TAP Mentee 2023 & TAP Mentor 2024
The Mentee Experience
Over 200 mentees have been through this journey before you.
Rather than tell you what being a mentee is like from our perspective, we thought you might prefer to hear from those who have lived it directly.
Such a unique opportunity! You have someone you can talk to, for you as a player but also as a whole athlete, who understands being an athlete but doesn't understand your sport, which is crazy.
Chelsea Hudson
Blind Football
I'm a different person to who I was when I started the programme, not just within sport but also outside the pitch, and learning who I am outside of sport.
Freya Donaghey
Handball
I wore my TAP t-shirt to classification, to give me strength and remind me that I have value beyond being a fencer.
Susie Seddon-Cowell
GB Para Fencer
TAP has been a safe haven for me, a place where I could let my guard down. It made me realise that I am right, just as I am, and enough, just as I am.
Elisabeth "Eli" Ludwig
German Kickboxer
It sometimes feels like I've landed in this crazy world of elite sport almost overnight. Having someone able to pass on their experiences from years at such a high level is a seriously cool opportunity.
Immy Macdonald
Rower
It was great to be where the focus was purely on wellbeing and not results. I learnt a lot of unexpected things about myself. Through the amazing relationship I made with my mentor, I have a more positive and healthy relationship with my sport.
Isabelle Howell
GB Hockey
With no idea of what to expect, I came ready to give everything a shot, even if I had no idea what I was doing or felt silly in the process. I committed to the GMP and my mentor and I am so thankful for the journey.
Lily Soloman
Mounted Games Rider
Life has many twists and turns but being part of the programme made me feel as if I had a cushion of comfort for when it got bumpy.
Henry Sterling
Fencing
The True Athlete Project was a truly unique experience that left a profound impact on me as a person and an athlete… I could not be more proud to now be a part of the project as a mentor
Phoebe Newton-Hughes
Fencer
A year after joining the GMP, I fenced at a national comp. where my previous coach told me she noticed a change: I was extremely calm and focused, two things I wanted to achieve when I first started working with my mentor.
Raiyan Moradi
Fencer
Carl Smeaton
Fencer
After this year I have found my passion and love for sport again. There was always someone I could reach out to in the highs and lows of my year, and I have truly found myself and the athlete and person I want to be.
How it Works
Eligibility
If you are aged between 15-24 and are committed to developing through sport, you are eligible to apply.
You do not need to be on a talent pathway to be eligible, but sport should be something that is a significant part of your life and identity. Those selected will be those we feel are most dedicated and motivated by the right reasons.
The cost to mentees for one year of mentoring and training is £950 / $1200.
We aim to fundraise for scholarships in order to reduce costs and make our programme as accessible to young people from all backgrounds. Therefore, whatever your financial situation, it should not hold you back from applying. We will not reject an application based on ability to pay.
Applying
You can register your interest in mentoring using the button below.
This will help us ascertain your general eligibility for the programme.
When applications windows are open, those who have completed the expression of interest form will be the first to know.
The most suitable applicants will be invited for a conversation with members of the TAP Team to get to know you better, before final decisions are made.
Matching
Successful applicants will be carefully matched to a mentor. There is a lot of thought that goes behind this, based on what we have seen from application forms and the conversations we have subsequently.
We tend to match across different sports. We have found this to be especially powerful, as it helps free the conversation up and focus more on the values and aspects of identity that sit beneath the challenges being faced.
Mentee Journey
After becoming a mentee with TAP, we are always keen to follow and support your progress.
Over time, some mentees go on to become mentors. Others become TAP Practitioners, helping us to deliver programmes, workshops and camps across the world of sport, or TAP Ambassadors, helping to spread the word to others.
All can become members of our growing TAP community on Circle, and will be part of the TAP family for life.
Continue to Grow
After mentoring with TAP, many mentors continue with the programme. Some go on to become mentor liaisons, to support the growth and development of new mentors. Others become TAP Practitioners, helping us to deliver programmes, workshops and camps across the world of sport.
All can become members of our growing TAP community on Circle, and will be considered a part of the TAP family for life.
Example Pairings
Frequently Asked Questions: Mentors
I'm not the best at my sport - is TAP still for me?
Absolutely! TAP isn’t about your ranking – it’s about being your best self through sport. Many of our participants are exploring sport, playing recreationally, or just starting their journey.
Do I need to be competing to join?
No! Whether you play sport for fun, for fitness, for your team, or in high level competition, TAP is here for you, so you have some extra support.
I can't afford the programmes [US: programs] - what are my options?
TAP provides scholarships for those who need financial support. We never want cost to be a barrier. Please contact us to discuss options.
What if I'm thinking about quitting my sport?
Can I be both a mentee and mentor?
What makes a good mentor?
Good mentors are athletes with experience (not necessarily elite level) who are good listeners, committed to the year-long journey, and genuinely passionate about supporting another person’s growth.
Do I need to be an Olympic athlete to mentor?
What training do mentors receive?
All mentors complete comprehensive training in the TAP curriculum – as well as safeguarding, mentoring and listening skills – before being matched with a mentee, receive ongoing support throughout the year, and earn EMCC certification upon completion.
Benefits for young athletes
We think mentoring is the missing link in the support network of most young athletes. TAP mentees gain personalised, caring and unbiased support from a current or former elite athlete who has experienced many of the highs and lows that sport has to offer, and is committed to helping the next generation navigate these while achieving their goals.
Mentoring can help your child navigate challenges that you and their coach might not even be aware of, but that might be impacting the behaviours you are seeing.
We have spoken to many parents who are aware of the limits in their own ability to support their children. While you often see the same challenges and know the best course of action, parental advice, for whatever reason, just might not land, and might end up having the opposite effect. A mentor is able to guide from a position of neutrality and experience.
Many mentees tell us that mentoring provides the kind of support that is hard to find in their current environments, especially because it is focused on them as a person and not on their performance.
We put tremendous thought and care into the support, community and training we offer both mentees and mentors. Throughout the year, both will be supported in workshops facilitated by us, to think in new ways about performance, identity, values, community and resilience.
"You were there when nobody was, at a time when I was not able to reach her soul."
Parent of TAP Mentee
Anonymised
The Mentee Experience
Over 200 mentees have been through this journey beforehand.
Rather than tell you what being a mentee is like from our perspective, we thought you might prefer to hear from others (and some of their parents) who have lived it directly.
Anonymous
Parent of US Mentee
I am really grateful that my daughter gets to be part of this program, especially during this particular time in her life. We're just smiling that she gets to be around everyone in this ecosystem.
Such a unique opportunity! You have someone you can talk to, for you as a player but also as a whole athlete, who understands being an athlete but doesn't understand your sport, which is crazy.
Chelsea Hudson
Blind Football
I knew that even if I didn't want to talk to anyone else in my life, there was always someone, somewhere else, that would listen to my problems and give it to me straight."
Adekunle Taiwo
Fencer
It sometimes feels like I've landed in this crazy world of elite sport almost overnight. Having someone able to pass on their experiences from years at such a high level is a seriously cool opportunity.
Immy Macdonald
Rower
TAP has been a safe haven for me, a place where I could let my guard down. It made me realise that I am right, just as I am, and enough, just as I am.
Elisabeth "Eli" Ludwig
German Kickboxer
It was great to be where the focus was purely on wellbeing and not results. I learnt a lot of unexpected things about myself. Through the amazing relationship I made with my mentor, I have a more positive and healthy relationship with my sport.
Isabelle Howell
GB Hockey
I grew as a person, learning how I can better deal with stress, learn how to work with others and being resilient.
Nilavan Tamijmarane
Basketballer
I truly think this programme has prevented me falling into some unhelpful and potentially unhealthy mindsets and habits, which I have been able to apply to life outside of sport as well.
Yasmin Tyson
Rower
"The Global Mentoring Programme provided the kind of support that I had been missing for most of my sporting life… I could not be more proud to now be a part of the project as a mentor
Phoebe Newton-Hughes
Fencer
The skills you gain are not only valid for competing. Whether you're doing your exams, or suddenly unwell as she is now, they're for life. To be given that set of tools at the age of 16 is amazing.
Anonymous
Parent of 2025 Mentee
Raiyan Moradi
Fencer
A year after joining the GMP, I fenced at a national comp. where my previous coach told me she noticed a change: I was extremely calm and focused, two things I wanted to achieve when I first started working with my mentor.
Not only has TAP coached me into performing better at my tournaments, but also guided me to become an emotionally and mentally mature teenager. Before, I was overwhelmed with issues regarding absent coaches, stress management, and balancing time for my academics and sport.
Anonymous
TAP Mentee
Example Pairings
Frequently Asked Questions: Parents
I'm not the best at my sport - is TAP still for me?
Absolutely! TAP isn’t about your ranking – it’s about being your best self through sport. Many of our participants are exploring sport, playing recreationally, or just starting their journey.
Do I need to be competing to join?
No! Whether you play sport for fun, for fitness, for your team, or in high level competition, TAP is here for you, so you have some extra support.
I can't afford the programmes [US: programs] - what are my options?
TAP provides scholarships for those who need financial support. We never want cost to be a barrier. Please contact us to discuss options.
What if I'm thinking about quitting my sport?
Can I be both a mentee and mentor?
What makes a good mentor?
Good mentors are athletes with experience (not necessarily elite level) who are good listeners, committed to the year-long journey, and genuinely passionate about supporting another person’s growth.
Do I need to be an Olympic athlete to mentor?
What training do mentors receive?
All mentors complete comprehensive training in the TAP curriculum – as well as safeguarding, mentoring and listening skills – before being matched with a mentee, receive ongoing support throughout the year, and earn EMCC certification upon completion.
Bespoke mentoring
We think mentoring is the missing link in the support network of most young athletes.
Pairing young athletes with current and firmer elite athletes that have seen many of the highs and lows that sport has to offer, supported by a team of experts in creating safe, reflective and transformative spaces, produces incredible impact time and time and again – for Mentees and Mentors alike.
While our Global Mentoring Programme may be able to take some of your athletes, a bespoke programme ensures that all of the athletes and coaches who need it will be able to benefit from the powerful impact that mentoring has to offer, while walking the journey together and also growing as a team.
We have run bespoke programmes for British Fencing, Team Denmark and Edinburgh University, and our involvement can run from supervisory or having full operational responsibility, including matching, safeguarding, sourcing or training mentors and measuring impact.
If you agree with us that mentoring might just be the thing to connect your organisations and unlock new momentum, we would love to hear your story.
"We are all humans. We all need that mentor in our lives"
Kaiza Karlén
Long Jumper & TAP Mentor
The Mentorship Experience
We have paired over 250 mentors and mentees.
Rather than hear about the power of these relationships from us, we thought you might prefer to hear from them .
Such a unique opportunity! You have someone you can talk to, for you as a player but also as a whole athlete, who understands being an athlete but doesn't understand your sport, which is crazy.
Chelsea Hudson
Blind Football | Mentee
The skills you gain are not only valid for competing. Whether you're doing your exams, or suddenly unwell as she is now, they're for life. To be given that set of tools at the age of 16 is amazing.
Anonymous
Parent of 2025 Mentee
The curriculum and conversations have genuinely changed my life and improved my performances inside my sport. I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to understand my identity as more than that of just an athlete.
Hattie Taylor
Fencer | Mentor
TAP has been a safe haven for me, a place where I could let my guard down. It made me realise that I am right, just as I am, and enough, just as I am.
Elisabeth "Eli" Ludwig
Kickboxer | Mentee
It sometimes feels like I've landed in this crazy world of elite sport almost overnight. Having someone able to pass on their experiences from years at such a high level is a seriously cool opportunity.
Immy Macdonald
Rower | Mentee
I initially volunteered to try and make a difference. I didn't expect the GMP to help me as much as it did. It has made me a better individual, both personally and professionally.
Cristina Bigica
Basketball | Mentor
I truly think this programme has prevented me falling into some unhelpful and potentially unhealthy mindsets and habits, which I have been able to apply to life outside of sport as well.
Yasmin Tyson
Rower | Mentee
It makes me think back to when I was a young, aspiring athlete. If I would have had this kind of proximity to an experienced athlete, who knows what impact it would have had on my career and life experiences.
Hubert Register
Basketball | Mentor
"The Global Mentoring Programme provided the kind of support that I had been missing for most of my sporting life… I could not be more proud to now be a part of the project as a mentor
Phoebe Newton-Hughes
Fencer | Mentee/Mentor
A year after joining the GMP, I fenced at a national comp. where my previous coach told me she noticed a change: I was extremely calm and focused, two things I wanted to achieve when I first started working with my mentor.
Raiyan Moradi
Fencer | Mentee
Anonymous
Parent of US Mentee
I am really grateful that my daughter gets to be part of this program, especially during this particular time in her life. We're just smiling that she gets to be around everyone in this ecosystem.
Frequently Asked Questions: Mentors
I'm not the best at my sport - is TAP still for me?
Absolutely! TAP isn’t about your ranking – it’s about being your best self through sport. Many of our participants are exploring sport, playing recreationally, or just starting their journey.
Do I need to be competing to join?
No! Whether you play sport for fun, for fitness, for your team, or in high level competition, TAP is here for you, so you have some extra support.
I can't afford the programmes [US: programs] - what are my options?
TAP provides scholarships for those who need financial support. We never want cost to be a barrier. Please contact us to discuss options.
What if I'm thinking about quitting my sport?
Can I be both a mentee and mentor?
What makes a good mentor?
Good mentors are athletes with experience (not necessarily elite level) who are good listeners, committed to the year-long journey, and genuinely passionate about supporting another person’s growth.
Do I need to be an Olympic athlete to mentor?
What training do mentors receive?
All mentors complete comprehensive training in the TAP curriculum – as well as safeguarding, mentoring and listening skills – before being matched with a mentee, receive ongoing support throughout the year, and earn EMCC certification upon completion.
Let's Get the Ball Rolling
We would love to have the opportunity to learn about what you are seeing on a dily basis in your organisation, and where you feel we might be able to support.