Our Honorary President Craig Crowley MBE will be retiring from UK Deaf Sport at the end of 2022. Craig’s retirement was announced at our recent AGM. UKDS and the Board wish to thank Craig for his tremendous dedication and commitment to deaf sports for 19 years and for being our founding member and chair.
Craig has been appointed as Honorary Vice President in recognition of his years of service to UK Deaf Sport.
A personal message from Craig Crowley MBE.
Welcoming Jodie Ounsley
We are very pleased to announce that Jodie Ounsley will be replacing Craig and joining UK Deaf Sport as our new Honorary President.
Jodie is a strong role model for deaf athletes. She became the first deaf female professional rugby player to be selected for an international sevens squad, and won her first England Sevens Rugby cap in October 2019. Jodie is a former British Jiu-jitsu Champion and competed with the DeaflympicsGB Team at the Samsun 2017 Deaflympics. We look forward welcoming her to UK Deaf Sport in January 2023.
“I am delighted to be the new Honorary president of UK Deaf Sport. I’m really excited to be working alongside UK Deaf Sport to encourage more deaf people to be involved in sport and physical activities. It would be amazing to see more deaf athletes active in sport whether it be at grass roots or the world stage. Sport has had a significant positive impact on my life, well-being and confidence. It has helped me embrace and accept my deafness and believe ‘anything is possible! I am passionate that young deaf children should ‘see’ deaf role models and sports people to inspire and ignite their dreams of what is possible. With UK Deaf Sport we aim to sign post and support those journeys. I would like to thank Craig for his incredible work within UK Deaf Sport over the last 19 years. it is an absolute privilege and honour to continue this role”.
Jodie Ounsley
“I want to thank Craig Crowley for his invaluable contribution to deaf sport over the last 19 years, not only founding UK Deaf Sport but as the first Chair back in 2003. It is impossible for me to capture the significant impact that Craig has had in leading deaf sport at a local, national and international level and in championing the Deaflympics and our deaf athletes. I know Jodie Ounsley as our new Honorary President will influence more deaf people to get involved in sport and physical activity and support UK Deaf Sport to continue our journey in getting better recognition and support for our deaf athletes at all levels.”
Piers Martin, Chair of UK Deaf Sport
“I want to thank Craig Crowley for the support he has given to UK Deaf Sport over the last 19 years. He has tirelessly championed deaf sport and been truly influential in putting our deaf athletes on the world map. I am delighted that Jodie is going to be our new Honorary President. As a former Deaflympian and the first deaf female professional rugby player to play for an international rugby sevens team, I have no doubt that she will inspire more deaf people to get active and involved in sport and physical activity and support UK Deaf Sport to get more deaf athletes on the world stage.”
Joanne Cholerton CEO of UK Deaf Sport
