League Ahead is delighted to announce that our very own General Manager Wellbeing & Systems, Cliff Thompson, will be presenting ‘The Culture of Hope in Sport’ session at the upcoming conference, The Culture of Wellbeing in Sport taking place on October 13 at Allianz Stadium.
Cliff Thompson
General Manager Wellbeing & Systems, League Ahead
Cliff Thompson is the General Manager Wellbeing and Systems at League Ahead, where he helps lead wellbeing strategy, systems, programs and support for Wellbeing practitioners across the NRL and NRLW landscape.
With more than two decades of experience across leadership, chaplaincy, athlete wellbeing, community care, and high-performance sport, Cliff brings a deeply human and culturally grounded approach to player development.
He has previously served in wellbeing roles with New Zealand Rugby League and the One NZ Warriors, supporting athletes, families, staff, clubs, and communities through education, transition, mental wellbeing, identity development, cultural support, and crisis care.
Cliff is also the Lead Pastor of The Render Gathering in South Auckland and digital creator featuring photography, videography and podcasts such as host of Find Your Front, a rugby league wellbeing podcast that explores identity, resilience, pressure, faith, family, leadership, and life beyond the game.
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The Culture of Hope in Sport session, presented by Cliff Thompson, will challenge us to think beyond wellbeing as a program or policy, and instead consider how hope can be intentionally built into the culture, language, leadership, relationships, and systems of sport.
Cliff speaks with warmth, humour, honesty, and conviction, calling leaders to see athletes as people first and to build environments where they are seen, supported, challenged, and believed in.