Meet Ashleigh

Ashleigh started coaching at the age of 14 and founded her business, Active Attitude in 2007 at the age of 18.  Since then, she has acquired qualifications and training relating to working with children, sport, fitness and business.  She also had experience working for a National Sports organisation and a regional sports trust, prior to establishing Active Attitude as a youth physical activity provider and setting up Active Attitude’s Gymnastics and Youth Physical Activity Centre in her home town (Whangārei, New Zealand).

The journey of establishing a business in the “youth sports/physical activity" industry which has not been well supported or advocated for in New Zealand, has had it’s ups and downs.  The hurdles were real, the battle of challenging the status quo was evident; and it would be a lie to say there wasn’t a lot of heartache throughout the process.

However, the passion has remained and there is still nothing else that Ashleigh would rather do in this world, than be an advocate for children’s physical activity opportunities and assist more coaches and youth sports organisations to accept that there is nothing wrong with the “B” word (business) or with being an entrepreneur. 

Instead of joining the crowd of gatekeepers in the sports world that want to keep doing things the “way it’s always been done”, Ashleigh aspires to give those that have the passion and entrepreneurial spirit a voice and the opportunity to be part of a network of people who are also open-minded to how we can deliver physical activity opportunities to meet the needs of young people and their educators/parents.

In Ashleigh’s words:

“I want youth sports coaching to be seen as a respected profession in New Zealand. There are many qualified, caring and highly experienced coaches out there, that deserve to be seen and respected as the educators they are. Equally there are those out there that have tried to go down the traditional pathway of making positive change in youth sports only to be kicked back by the politics or the old school sports mentality of continuing the way things have always been done.

Sometimes it takes an entrepreneur to take that leap of faith and show that things can be done an alternative way, and to show others that they can take a different path as well.

Why not let the people decide on the services they engage with? Instead of tearing down innovators and collaborators, we need to be lifting these people up and allowing moulds to be broken. Keeping people confined to a mould means barriers can’t be broken for those that need what we have to offer the most – the youth of today and tomorrow. 

We know we have ability to make a positive impact on young people, so let’s choose to celebrate entrepreneurism in our industry and the difference it can make and let’s contribute to making this seen as a viable career path for others to enter into.”