Athlete Now – The Platform Changing the Game for Athletes & Practitioners

In sport, the right people around you can completely transform your journey - the coach who gets you, the practitioner who knows exactly what your body needs, the expert who guides you through both progress and setbacks. But finding those people hasn’t always been easy. That’s why Athlete Now was created: a platform designed to connect athletes with verified, highly qualified practitioners, and to lift standards across the entire sporting landscape.

What makes Athlete Now different is simple: it was founded by people who live sport. People who understand its challenges, its gaps, and its realities - because they’ve experienced them firsthand.

Where It All Started: A Conversation in the Car

Athlete Now didn’t begin as a business plan. It started with a cancelled train, a lift from a friend, and a conversation - quite literally - in the car. Holly and Nicole were travelling together when the topic came up: “Why is it so hard for athletes to find good, trusted support?”

Between them, they had years of experience as an athlete, coach, practitioner, and educator - and yet they both kept seeing the same issues:

●      Athletes unsure who to trust

 

●      Brilliant practitioners struggling for visibility

 

●      A lack of transparency around qualifications

 

●      A sports industry full of noise, but not enough quality

 

That car journey became the spark. What started as a simple conversation became the concept that now drives Athlete Now: a platform built on trust, quality, and genuine connection.

The Founders: Experience That Matters

Holly Calvert – Co-Founder & Director

Holly’s experience is uniquely dual-sided. As a former professional golfer competing on the LET Access Series and a qualified sports massage therapist, she understands the athlete’s viewpoint and the practitioner’s responsibilities.

Her work extends beyond performance, too - from supporting players as a Player Care Officer at Blackburn Rovers to guiding young talents as the current Performance Lifestyle Lead for TASS at the University of Central Lancashire. Holly has seen the realities of athlete development, welfare, and personal pressures up close.

Her passion is clear: creating a space where athletes can find the support she knows is essential, and where practitioners receive the recognition, they deserve.

Nicole Booth – Co-Founder & Director

Nicole brings a performance science backbone to Athlete Now. As a UKSCA-accredited Strength & Conditioning Coach and ISPAS-accredited performance analyst, she has worked across national governing bodies, university programmes, and grassroots environments.

Her roles with British Weightlifting, GB Climbing, Paddle UK, and various rugby organisations reflect her breadth of experience. She also lectures in Sports Science and led S&C delivery for TASS athletes at UCLan

Nicole’s drive is rooted in quality. She knows that excellence in coaching and support comes from proper training, evidence-based practice, and high professional standards - exactly what Athlete Now is designed to showcase.

Dr. Steve Ingham – Director

When it comes to high-performance leadership, few names carry as much respect as Dr. Steve Ingham. With decades of experience in elite sport, Steve has led performance teams, developed world-class practitioners, and built systems that support athletes at the highest level.

As Director of Supporting Champions, he is deeply committed to practitioner development - making him the perfect person to help shape Athlete Now’s quality assurance and standards.

Steve ensures that the practitioners listed on Athlete Now are the kind of professionals he would trust to support athletes himself.

Why Their Backgrounds Matter

Together, Holly, Nicole, and Steve bring a rare combination:

●      Holly’s athlete-first mindset

 

●      Nicole’s high-performance and scientific expertise

 

●      Steve’s leadership and quality standards

 

Their shared experiences - from the car conversation to the platform’s launch - have shaped Athlete Now into something meaningful: a trusted ecosystem built by people who genuinely understand both sides of the athlete–practitioner relationship.

They’ve all witnessed athletes receiving poor advice, being misled, or struggling to find reliable help. They’ve seen exceptional practitioners overlooked simply because they weren’t “loud” online. And they knew something had to change.

Athlete Now is their solution.

The Mission: Raising Standards in Sport

Athlete Now exists to make the sports industry better - for everyone.

●      For athletes: a safe, trusted way to discover verified, qualified practitioners across S&C, nutrition, therapy, psychology, performance analysis, and more.

 

●      For practitioners: a respected platform to showcase expertise, grow their client base, and join a community that values professional development.

 

●      For the industry: transparency, integrity, and long-term athlete welfare.

 

Memberships Designed for Real Support

Athlete Now offers options for both athletes and practitioners:

Athlete Membership - Free

●      Search Our Directory Of Verified Sports Practitioners

●      Exclusive Industry Discounts for Member

●      Make A Support Request

●      Join the Athlete Forum

     Foundation Membership (Practitioners)

●      Verified practitioner profile

 

●      Visibility to athletes

 

●      Access To Exclusive Member Discounts Page

●      List Up To 2 Support Services

Professional Membership (Practitioners)

●      List up to 10 services

 

●      Social and newsletter promotion & higher visibility

 

●      Access to Athlete Requests

 

●      Access to Supporting Champions Community and further exclusive discounts.

 

The Future of Athlete Support

From a conversation in the car to a platform reshaping how athletes access support - Athlete Now is built on experience, passion, and a commitment to doing things properly.