A graduate who turned his life around is honoured at Sport Gives Back Awards
Dan Ley, a graduate of BA Sports Recreational Management, is a prime example of how education and sports can change lives by helping individuals conquer personal challenges and attain professional success.
Graduating from UWTSD’s Swansea campus in 2012, Dan’s journey has been transformative.
From overcoming barriers throughout his upbringing, with his degree, Dan’s resilience and determination has led him to coaching and mentoring youth facing their own personal battles through work that has recently earned him recognition at the Sport Gives Back Awards 2024.
Diagnosed with ADHD and Tourette’s syndrome at a young age, Dan faced a series of hurdles throughout his childhood and youth including expulsion from school, brushes with the law, homelessness, and redundancy at his workplace at age 20.
Despite these setbacks, his life took a positive turn when his aunt, Katherine Thomas who lectured at the University’s Swansea campus, encouraged him to pursue a degree believing it would be Dan’s route to success.
Dan said:
“With no idea of what I wanted to do, my aunty Kath was a great support to me and had been throughout my life. She floated the idea of applying to university and sat down with me to go through a prospectus.
“Before then, I didn’t think university was a realistic option for me but with her help, I settled on a course and applied through Clearing. The course was a way of reinventing myself and leaving the past behind.”
Enrolling through Clearing, Dan initially pursued a Leisure Management course until he rediscovered his passion for sports by studying overlapping modules in the Sports Management program. This led him to switch his degree, envisioning a future where he could utilise sport for positive change.
Dan’s time at the University was marked by both challenges and highlights. Tragically, he faced the loss of his aunt, a pivotal source of support, yet found inspiration through dedicated lecturers whose passion for sport sparked his interest in using it as a means of enriching lives, laying the foundation for his future career.
Reflecting on his university experience, Dan acknowledges its profound impact on his life.
Dan said:
“Going to university raised my hopes and aspirations. It opened my eyes to different career routes and eventually led me to my role now where I’ve gained a number of promotions and responsibilities since starting, none of which would have been possible if the University hadn’t taken a chance on me.
“The course reignited my love for sport, encouraging me to start up touch rugby which has been pivotal in helping me channel my energy and emotions positively, and it also helped me with my social skills which had dipped massively prior to going.”
In 2018, Dan gained a role at Dallaglio Rugby Works, a charity founded by England rugby legend Lawrence Dallaglio, which mentors and coaches children and young people excluded from education.
Through his role as Programme Manager for the charity’s branches across Wales, Dan has found a platform to utilise his personal, professional, and academic knowledge to make a difference in the lives of marginalised youth. His personal experiences drive his dedication and enable him to empathise deeply with those he mentors, offering them hope and guidance for a brighter future.
In recognition of his dedication and transformative impact, Dan was presented with the Transforming Lives: Empowering Excluded Youth Award by Lawrence Dallaglio at the Sport Gives Back Awards 2024 which was recently broadcast on ITV.
His story serves as an inspiration highlighting the power of perseverance, mentorship, and the life-changing potential of education.
As he continues to inspire others, Dan’s story proves that with determination and support, anything is possible.
Further Information
Mared Anthony
Communications and PR Officer: Alumni Relations
Corporate Communications and PR
Email: mared.anthony@uwtsd.ac.uk
Phone: +447482256996