ETKO Sports Academy

A Message from Lord Pickles and Lord Blunkett, followed by ETKO Sports Academy's best practice article

The ability to listen and learn from one another has always been vital in parliament, in business and in most aspects of daily life. But at this particular moment in time, as national and global events continue to reiterate, it is uncommonly crucial that we forge new channels of communication and reinforce existing ones. The following article from ETKO Sports Academy is an attempt to do just that. We would welcome your thoughts on this or any other Parliamentary Review article.

Rt Hon The Lord David Blunkett, MP

Rt Hon The Lord Eric Pickles, MP

www.etkosportsacademy.co.uk

1ETKO SPORTS ACADEMY |

BEST PRACTICE REPRESENTATIVE

Founders Laura and Vio Etko

with son Leon

Over 1,000 members pass

through the doors each week

As of 2019, ETKO Sports Academy has been in business for

over ten years. Reaching the decade mark in 2018 provided

a fitting point to reflect on the company’s success, as

well as acting as a catalyst for future planning. The organisation

started life as Laura’s Gym in 2008, offering only a small number of

classes for preschool children. Today, however, its team members

welcome over 1,000 members of all ages through their doors every

week – the youngest of whom are baby gym-goers; the oldest

are retirees attending their “Exercise for All” sessions. Over the

next few years, new developments will arrive. Directors Laura

and Viorel Etko – both distinguished athletes – outline the

company’s foundations, future and place in the fitness industry.

We both come from an enthusiastic sporting background. I (Laura) am a former

international gymnast who competed for Scotland. Co-director Viorel – known

as Vio, also my husband – is an eight-times British Wrestling champion, a

Commonwealth bronze medallist and, at the time of writing, a world veteran

wrestling champion. We are both passionate about fostering a lifelong love of

exercise in others – and, indeed, ETKO Sports Academy’s activities are structured

around the three pillars of fun, fitness and family.

Foundations and fundamentals

Exemplifying this passion is the company’s focus on offering a strong programme

of activities for preschool children. Our comprehensive preschool programme

REPORT CARD

ETKO SPORTS ACADEMY

»Directors: Laura and Viorel Etko

»Founded in 2008

»Located in Oldmeldrum,

Aberdeenshire

»Services: Fitness instruction,

exercise classes and sporting

activities

»No. of employees: 30

»Our motto: Believe You Can

Achieve

»Caters for all ages, from

babies to retirees

»www.etkosportsacademy.co.uk

ETKO Sports Academy

THE PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW

Highlighting best practice

2| ETKO SPORTS ACADEMY

is divided into three distinct areas:

ETKO Gym Babies (three to 18

months), ETKO Gym Tots (18 months

to three years) and ETKO Gym Kids

(three to five years). These preschool

sessions gently introduce youngsters

to ETKO Sports Academy’s unique

Fundamental Movement and Basic Sport

Skills Programme©. Progress is then

consolidated and built on as children

move on to school-age classes, which are

offered in disciplines such as gymnastics,

wrestling, running and physical fitness.

One might ask why we focus on

fundamental skills at such an early

stage. All too often, we come across

older children who have never

properly learnt how to perform core

movements, such as jumping or

hopping, which prevents them from

participating effectively in a variety

of sports. This gap was highlighted

in a statement in early 2019 from

sports minister Mims Davies, who

called for children to be given the

“fundamental” skills needed to build

“a sporting habit for life”. While her

call was directed at schools – and

followed a study conducted among

130,000 children aged five to 16 – we

believe that early engagement, ideally

at preschool stage, is crucial. This is

evidenced by the difference in ability

between children who have followed

our preschool programme and those

who join at school-age level.

Energised expansion

October 2016 saw the opening of

our national-standard 1,092-square-

metre gymnastics centre, which is

fully equipped with a sprung floor,

integrated trampolines and a foam

pit, plus beams, bars and vault

apparatus. Our former facility, based

on the same site, was refurbished to

create a larger fitness suite for teen

and adult training plus a dedicated

studio for exercise classes. This major

expansion of our facilities coincided

with a significant rebranding exercise,

including our name change from

Laura’s Gym to ETKO Sports Academy

and our transition from sole trader to

limitedcompany.

Such a substantial increase in our

space has enabled us to grow the

size, volume and variety of classes and

coached sessions we offer. Our junior

wrestling programme, spearheaded by

Vio and Nico Cojocaru – both reigning

British champions at their respective

weights – is among the foremost

in the country, with over 80 active

youngmembers.

Our ETKO Runners programme has

also expanded to accommodate

new sessions for both beginners

and secondary-school-age children.

Recognising that there are key points

when young people tend to disengage

from sports, we have worked hard

to develop training sessions and

membership packages for teens. We

are keen to bridge the fitness gap for

this important group, who often have

limited options when they finish junior

activities but are not of an age to

access adult gym facilities or clubs.

This approach links with one of our

core company values: inclusion. It is

further reflected in the specialist classes

and membership packages that we

have developed to suit mature adults

who may be retired, plus individuals

who work offshore.

Classes are offered in

various disciplines

October 2016

saw the

opening of

our national-

standard

1,092-square-

metre

gymnastics

centre

“

3ETKO SPORTS ACADEMY |

BEST PRACTICE REPRESENTATIVE

Fighting fit

Our operating model – initially as a

sole trader and more recently as a

limited company – means that we are

in an unusual, and often challenging,

position when it comes to applying for

funding and partnering with others.

Our expansion programme of 2016

was entirely self-funded, despite there

being an acknowledgement of the

need for such a facility in northeast

Scotland, as well as our stated

willingness to share it with other clubs

in the area. It was disappointing to be

declined for funding on the basis that

our activities would be detrimental

to other clubs in the area, given that

we are open to working with others.

Our ultimate goal was, quite simply,

to create a centre that would benefit

many young people in the locality. We

are delighted to have achieved this,

albeit independently.

Our business status also tends to

complicate our interactions with

sporting governing bodies, schools

and local authorities: our involvement

is frequently restricted because

we are not a club. This is a missed

opportunity, as the feedback from

schools we have worked with indicates

that their staff and pupils require

our blend of instruction, experience

andsupport.

We firmly believe that working in

partnership with others is the way

forward and hope very much that

there will be greater openness and co-

operation between private and public

operators in the future. By sharing

knowledge and resources, we have a

better chance of improving the overall

quality of coaching and services we

deliver throughout the sporting sector.

Mims Davies has issued her call to

action for all organisations, big and

small, across the sport and physical

activity sector to ensure that children

are “physically literate”. While

individual efforts are commendable,

a positive and united approach will

surely increase our chances of success.

Above all, though, we must not

lose sight of our common goal: to

encourage others to develop positive

sporting habits for life.

We have

worked hard to

develop training

sessions and

membership

packages for

teens

“

The thriving junior

wrestling programme is

one of the foremost in

the country

www.etkosportsacademy.co.uk

The Parliamentary Review Publication, in which this article originally appeared, contained the following foreword from Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss.

Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss's Foreword For The Parliamentary Review

By Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss

Even by the standards of the day –this has been one of the most exciting and unpredictable years in British politics.

The leadership election we’ve just seen marks a huge moment in our country’s history. This government is taking a decisive new direction, embracing the opportunities of Brexit and preparing our country to flourish outside the EU.

As international trade secretary, I’ll be driving forward work on the free trade agreements that are going to be a priority for the government. Free trade isn’t just an abstract concept bandied around by technocrats. It is crucial for a strong economy and for the ability of families to make ends meet. Free trade benefits people in every part of our country, as British firms export to new markets and people doing the weekly shop have access to a wider choice of goods at lower prices.

The essence of free trade is in the title: freedom. It’s about giving people the power to exchange their goods without heavy government taxation or interference. Commerce and free exchange are the engine room of prosperity and social mobility. I’m determined to tackle the forces who want to hold that back.

One of my priorities is agreeing an exciting new free trade deal with the US, building on the great relationship between our two countries and the Prime Minister and US President. But I’ll also be talking to other partners including New Zealand, Australia and fast-growing Asian markets.

And with the EU too, we want a friendly and constructive relationship, as constitutional equals, and as friends and partners in facing the challenges that lie ahead – a relationship based on a deep free trade agreement. Our country produces some of the world’s most successful exports, and the opportunity to bring these to the rest of the world should make us all excited about the future. It is this excitement, optimism and ambition which I believe will come to define this government.

For too long now, we have been told Britain isn’t big or important enough to survive outside the EU – that we have to accept a deal that reflects our reduced circumstances. I say that’s rubbish. With the right policies in place, we can be the most competitive, free-thinking, prosperous nation on Earth exporting to the world and leading in new developments like AI. To do that, we’ll give the brilliant next generation of entrepreneurs the tools they need to succeed. Since 2015, there has been a staggering 85 per cent rise in the number of businesses set up by 18 to 24 year olds – twice the level set up by the same age group in France and Germany. We’ll help them flourish by championing enterprise, cutting taxes and making regulation flexible and responsive to their needs.

As we do that, we’ll level up and unite all parts of the UK with great transport links, fibre broadband in every home and proper school funding, so everyone shares in our country’s success.

2019 has been the year of brewing economic and political revolution. 2020 will be the year when a revitalised Conservative government turbo charges the economy, boosts prospects for people across the country, and catapults Britain back to the forefront of the world stage.

Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss
Secretary of State for International Development