Meet the East London Sport Talent Pathway team
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Meet the East London Sport Talent Pathway team
Louis Annan
Head of East London Sport Talent Pathway
Louis is Head of the East London Sport Talent Pathway and leads on planning and organising of the project, delivering workshops and mapping out the pathway strategy. Louis' background is in basketball. He attended Barking Abbey Basketball Academy in 2009 and studied at a prep school in the US before coming back to attend London South Bank University on a basketball scholarship. Outside of his role as Head of ELSTP he mentors and delivers skills sessions to some of the UK's top basketball players.
Louis' favourite athlete is Kyrie Irving because "he's one of the NBA's most-skilled players that isn't afraid to be himself and express his uniqueness on and off the basketball court."
Micah Watson-Gayle
East London Sport Talent Pathway Project Officer
Micah works alongside Louis to run the ELSTP. He works closely with coaches and parents, whilst assisting on the curriculum design for the programme and coaches' fora. Micah's background is in basketball. He completed his early studies in the USA before joining UEL’s High-Performance Programme for his Bachelor's and Masters in Sports Science and Sports Management. Outside of the ELSTP, he is a skill development coach for professional athletes and a FIBA Agent.
Micah’s favourite athlete is Kevin Durant. "He is the best scorer in the NBA, watching Kevin play basketball is like poetry in motion. I just find it amazing that a 7-footer can move like a guard. He is also unapologetically himself; he loves and focuses on the game."
Richard Avery
Applied Sport and Exercise Scientist
Richard is an Applied Sport and Exercise Scientist at UEL and an Accredited Sport and Exercise Scientist with the British Association of Sport & Exercise Sciences. Richard leads the athlete testing within the Applied Sport & Exercise Science laboratories, which includes a range of health, fitness and performance tests tailored to individual athletes.
His favourite athlete is Michael Jordan. “He acknowledged how important failure is and how we should all learn from our mistakes, in his quote: "I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."
Heaven Bowman
Heaven Bowman is a Project Officer for the East London Sport Talent Pathway, where she leads parent engagement initiatives, manages events and drives the girls and sport campaign. A graduate of Pennsylvania State University, she earned her degree in 2022 before relocating to London to pursue her master’s studies and compete as a volleyball athlete. In addition to her role as Project Officer, Heaven serves as the lead strength and conditioning coach for the pathway, supporting young athletes in reaching their full potential. Passionate about creating lasting change, she is dedicated to making the sports sector more inclusive for all, regardless of social class or background.
Heaven’s favourite athlete is Simone Biles, a trailblazer who has redefined excellence in gymnastics. As one of the few Black women in the sport—making up less than 10 per cent of its athletes—Biles has broken barriers with her unmatched skill, resilience, and ability to inspire millions around the world.
Kara-Aretha Graham
Applied Sport and Exercise Science Lecturer
Kara is a Foundation Year Course Leader for Applied Sport and Exercise Science and a former NCAA track and field athlete with an impressive record including:
- 2 time All-Big Ten athlete
- MVC Team Champion
- NCAA first-round qualifier
- Former NCAA Assistant track and field coach
Kara will be leading Sport Psychology coaching and support for the athletes on the ELSTP. Her favourite athlete is Scottie Pippen – the unsung hero of the Chicago Bulls during Jordan's era. "He was instrumental in the success of the Bulls, was underpaid and kept showing up, wasn't respected and kept showing up."
Duncan Ogilvie
Strength and Conditioning Coach
Coach Duncan is a UKSCA and NSCA-qualified strength and conditioning specialist with an MSc in Sports and Exercise Science. He's a former England International and professional Basketball player with over 12 years of experience coaching high-performance athletes, including multiple Olympians. Our ELSTP athletes are in safe hands when it comes to their strength and conditioning training which will be led by Duncan. Duncan says his favourite athletes are "the ones I work directly with, who have the hunger to be the best versions of themselves."
Enitan Shofolahan
Athlete Lifestyle Support Services
Eni is a former Thai boxer who has competed at amateur and professional levels. Eni's role involves supporting the athletes' mental well-being, listening to their concerns both in and out of their sport, and providing them with advice and support. Athletes will have the chance to book 1:1 slots with Eni as part of their Talent Pathway package.
Eni's favourite athlete is Floyd Mayweather. "He achieved multiple successes in the ring by skilfully and tactically outboxing serious contenders. He has continued to impress me over the years by connecting with a younger audience and having a positive impact on the number of young athletes taking up boxing for fitness and competitively."
