James Hatcher

Experience

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  Royal Yachting Association (RYA)

  Sept 2010 - Aug 2016

  Athlete

  Throughout my time studying in school and sixth-form, I maintained a youth career in windsurfing in the Olympic pathway squads. First being selected into the County team in 2010 and progressing into the UK National Junior Squad by 2012, I began competing on the international circuit as a selected member of the British team, competing in my first World Championships in Medemblik, The Netherlands in August 2012 (Age 13). I finished my first year of international competition placing 21st U15 in both the World Championships and European Championships later that year in Murcia, Spain.Competing abroad as a part of the British Team at such a young age, with only other team members and coaches for support and guidance, allowed me to really develop both my independence and team collaboration skills in a highly pressured environment. It allowed me to develop an ability to think clearly and perform under these conditions, and come up with a strategy efficiently, both on and off the race course.After 4 years representing the British junior squad internationally, I progressed into the U18 British Youth Squad, and attained further selection into the British Youth Squad ‘A’. During my period in this squad I won 2 silver medals at the UK youth National Championships, and attained one of two selection spots for the 2015 EuroSAFs (Brest, France) where I went on to finish 8th. Throughout this period I also represented Great Britain competing on the rest of the U18 international circuit, with highlights including coming 1st place in Silver fleet at the 2016 European Championships in Helsinki, Finland. Show less

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  Burges Salmon LLP

  May 2013 - May 2014

  Brand Representative

  Supported by the company and represented them as part of an Athlete sponsorship deal, through the South West Springboard programme and SportsAid. Attended a networking event at their Bristol offices where I met the managers and some of the company’s staff and spoke to them about my training and aspirations, as well as sharing some of their experiences in sport and advice for the future.It was a really valuable experience at that age to be supported by, and to represent, a set of really high performing individuals who were intensely successful in a corporate sense, yet had a lot of the experiences in sport that I did growing up. To see the level of sport some of them were able to maintain alongside impressive careers was very eye-opening as to what is achievable with a good work ethic. I think the role of mentors and role-models is immensely important in personal development and growth, and I was extremely lucky to get such exposure at a young age. Show less

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  British Sailing Team

  Aug 2016 - Jul 2017

  Athlete

  After a successful youth career, in 2016 I was selected to become a member of the Senior British Sailing Team, moving from the youth programme to the Olympic Development Squads.Gaining full senior international representation was a massive honour, and I learnt a huge amount from the professional training and competition structure in place. The integral goal-setting basis for all training and competition developed the way I look at how to work towards a target.This year culminated in the Senior World Championships, at the soon to be Olympic Venue in Tokyo, Japan. Rubbing shoulders with and competing against Olympic medalists who I had idolised and watched on screen since the age of 12 was a humbling experience. At the end of my first year of University, having trialled balancing my degree and professional sport for a year, I made the decision that I would step back from competing to focus on my engineering studies until graduation. Show less

• 

  Harken Inc.

  Aug 2016 - Jul 2017

  Brand Representative

  Promoting the brand through an athlete sponsorship deal.

• 

  University of Exeter

  Sept 2016 - Sept 2020

  4 year undergraduate Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering, accredited by the Institute of Mechanical Engineers.Around the core modules required for the accreditation, I focussed heavily on optional modules based around product design, development and optimisation, with particular attention paid to those which operate in a fluid environment (water sports, drones, etc). Gained significant experience in the fields of 3D modelling and computational testing of products, through both stress simulations (FEA) and fluid simulations (CFD).In my final year I have built upon these skills, acquiring proficiency in multiple programming languages, including Python, Matlab, and adaptations of C+ (both OpenFOAM and Arduino IDE). This has given me the ability to not only write my own programs (Python) and simulations (Matlab & simulink), but to also use complex software without a Graphical User Interface (GUI), such as the Open-Source CFD software OpenFOAM. I have also developed skills in mechatronics using this ability, combining the mechanical skills learnt in the previous three years with programmable electronics using the Arduino IDE interface.During my time here I have also regularly attended entrepreneurial talks and workshops hosted by the entrepreneurs society, the student start-ups programme, and others. The industry surrounding the core process of product design fascinates me, and I feel that over the course of my degree I have made a significant effort to not just learn new skills and techniques, but also figure out how they fit into business and society, even starting my own limited company in my final year. Show less Whilst at University:-Represented the University Nationally in BUCS Windsurfing, winning a total of 3 Gold and 2 Silver medals.-Represented the University regionally in BUCS Rowing, competing in both the Dartmouth Regatta and two South West Indoor Championships. Finishing the first indoors as 4th Novice Man in the SW and the second as 62nd Heavyweight Man Nationally in a competitive field of around 200, which included some GB trialists.-Represented the University regionally in BUCS Rugby League, playing for the Exeter Men’s 2nd team.-Competed in the University “Fight Night”, involving a 10 week intense training camp, followed by a boxing match in front of a paying audience of 1000 people.-Was an active member of the Men’s Hockey Club, volunteering to help at both match days and charity events held by the club, and even playing for one BUCS fixture. Show less

  • Mechanical Engineering Student

    Sept 2016 - Sept 2020

  • Sports representation

    Sept 2016 - Sept 2020
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  4Play Events

  Sept 2016 - Sept 2017

  Student Representative

  Promoting events through the student community. Generating interest in the events and following up to make ticket sales. Organising group ticket sales and collection/payment.

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  Royal Yachting Association (RYA)

  Oct 2018 - now

  Coach

  National level Youth and Junior sports coaching for both the RYA and UK RS:X windsurfing Class.Working with groups of youth athletes in the Olympic Pathway Squads, including the UK National Junior Squad, as well as those starting the transition into the Youth programme and attempting to gain selection for the National Youth Squad (U18s). Working briefly with the National Youth Squad.Responsibilities & challenges include...-Preparing and delivering advanced technical content for land-based theory sessions.-Delivering highly technical content in a way that is easily digestible by the varying ability of the audiences.-Working with sub-groups of the kids to help them develop their own personal goals within an area. Helping them inadvertently to take ownership of their learning & development, as this is when learning is most engaging and therefore most effective. Guiding them to finding the correct answer for themselves rather than lecturing from the front and letting them take your word for it.-Developing sessions for your group to work towards their chosen goals, developing boundaries for the athletes to work within for them to best learn and develop. -Constant and spontaneous feedback, with good insight, technical knowledge and analytical skills. Re-evaluation of goals on the fly whilst out at sea.-Leadership skills. Developing a culture of professionalism, focus and respect whilst maintaining engagement and fun.-Presentation skills and public speaking.-Dynamically assessing risk whilst out on the water in potentially hazardous conditions.-Group organisation of kids, especially in cases of training sessions far out at sea, or when immediately pre-occupied rescuing other kids who have had kit breakages in dangerous conditions.-Liaising with parents. Keeping them in the loop on their child’s development, and giving them feedback from experience on how they can best help their kid to learn and grow. A high level of interpersonal skills. Show less

• 

  British Sailing Team

  Oct 2020 - now

  Professional Athlete