We are delighted to welcome Matt Chilvers to Special Olympics GB who has joined the team as the organisation’s very first Athlete Leadership Development Officer.
Matt is a Special Olympics GB athlete who will work alongside Tom Casson, Business Development Manager (Enterprise and Leadership) two days a week to look at what Special Olympics GB can do to strengthen and develop our Athlete Leadership Team, both now and in the future.
He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to this position as a huge sports fan who has been a Special Olympics GB athlete since 2011. During this time Matt has represented the East Midlands in two Special Olympics National Summer Games, in Bath in 2013 and Sheffield in 2017 and he currently trains and competes in tennis with Special Olympics Leicestershire and Rutland.
Matt has a degree in Sport Management and is a qualified coach with Tennis Teacher in Market Harborough Lawn Tennis Club. He also coaches the relaxed, inclusive autism friendly sessions and the inclusive club for people with learning disabilities at Desford Lawn Tennis Club. Additionally, he works for North West Leicestershire District Council as a casual sports coach and Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council as an event assistant.
As a member of the national sports youth panels, Sport and Recreation Alliance Youth Advisory Panel and National Youth Sport Forum, Matt was named Volunteer of the Year 2020 by Tennis Leicestershire and he was awarded a Diana Award at the House of Parliament in 2019, for young people who are making a difference, for changing perceptions of disability sport. In 2018 he was selected as the BBC Sports Personality of the year Unsung Hero for the East Midlands and took part in the national event with other finalist from across the county.
"He's a proper unsung hero"
— BBC East Midlands (@bbcemt) November 27, 2018
Meet Matthew Chilvers, an autistic tennis coach making a difference through sport. 👏🎾 pic.twitter.com/7kBYfeSSjP
Matt said: “I’ve been a member of the East Midlands Special Olympics tennis team for over 11 years and get so much out of sport and Special Olympics. I’m thrilled to be given this opportunity to join Special Olympics GB and I’m excited to be working with different people, raising awareness and supporting athletes on their leadership journey.”
Matt will be a huge asset to Special Olympics GB and we are all looking forward to working with him and learning from him.
Welcome to the team Matt!