Van Commenee is known in the UK mainly as the former head coach of Team GB at the 2012 London Olympics, taking the athletes to outstanding and unprecedented success at the games. With years of experience teaching those around him, you are sure to be in for a surprise with the lessons he can teach.
Charles demonstrates fascinating abilities in leadership, communicating and team-building. This capable motivational speaker has more than 30 years’ experience in getting the best out of athletes and pushing them to the absolute limit. Luckily, he now shares that expertise as a motivational speaker at conferences and corporate events around the UK.
Charles Van Commenee has been involved in coaching since his youth, during this time he has headed up the Dutch javelin team and the Dutch Athletics Federation. He has also coached various individual athletes to reach significant peaks, including Lewis and China’s double world champion female shot putter Huang Zhihong.
Another key figure who has benefited from Charles Van Commenee’s leadership and coaching skills is the British heptathlete and sprinter, Kelly Sotherton. Before meeting the motivational speaker, Kelly was 57th in the world; after his coaching, she went on to win the heptathlon bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics and come fourth four years later. Kelly said of Van Commenee: “I don’t think any other coach could have got me to where he did.”
