John Forman

Indoor Performance Director (Talent Pathway) @Volleyball England

Loughborough, GB

As a member of Volleyball England’s Senior Leadership Team, I lead the national indoor team system from youth to senior. I joined as Strategic Manager (Talent) to deliver a 5-year Talent plan; after Board sign-off I also served as acting Indoor Performance Director. In 2025 the IPD remit was formalized as my primary role, with day-to-day Talent admin transitioning to other staff.Scope:~250 athletes;~40 coaches/managers; £650k+ annual budget; cross-functional delivery with Competitions, Comms, Membership, Workforce and Finance; coordination with the Beach Performance Director; international representation; member of the Performance Management Group.Key responsibilities- Set vision and operating model for the Talent Pathway- Translate strategy into SOPs, KPIs and reporting- Build and manage coaching workforce- Align selection, season architecture and performance tracking- Drive cross-functional initiatives and resource planning- Course-correct against planProjects and initiatives include- Implementing a new athlete management system - Aimed at improving tracking, supporting holistic development, and facilitating better communication- UK Volleyball Coaches Symposium (2025) – Organized and delivered a coach-education event for UK/Ireland with the intent of establishing a rotating annual cadence- Talent Zones (sub-U18) – Designed and now rolling out a regional model preparing athletes for England U18 entry with standardized selection, curriculum, and evaluation- Residential National Academy (target 2027) – Leading options appraisal, budget scenarios, partner/facility shortlist and governance- Pathway operating model refresh – Clarifying intent, philosophy and framework, aligning calendars, selection and support and integrating coaching across age groups- Senior Teams integration – Bringing previously disconnected Senior teams into VE governance and improved linkage with the Talent Pathway, with a funding line for the first time since 2012.

University of Exeter

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

University of Maryland College Park

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

University of Rhode Island - College of Business Administration

Bachelor of Science (BS)