Sophie Bennett
Athlete Support Executive
Sophie brings over 20 years of experience in professional and high-performance sport, having worked extensively in rugby across the UK and internationally. Throughout her career, she has held a variety of coaching, operational and management roles, working closely with athletes, coaches and support staff.
Prior to joining the Federation of Irish Sport, Sophie was Rugby Operations Manager at Newstar International, having previously spent seven years as Team Manager at Bath Rugby. She also held several roles within the Welsh Rugby Union, including Women’s Performance Manager and National Programme Coordinator. During this time, she managed a number of representative teams, including Wales Men’s U16s, Great Britain Student Sevens and Cardiff Blues age-grade teams. Most recently, she was Team Manager for the Atlantic Novas during the inaugural Ultimate 7s competition.
Having spent much of her career working directly with athletes, Sophie understands the demands and challenges of high-performance sport and is passionate about athlete welfare, building relationships and supporting athletes both on and off the field.
Sport has always been a huge part of Sophie’s life. A former representative rugby player, she has gone on to complete numerous marathons, mountain ultramarathons and HYROX events. She is happiest in the mountains and believes her own sporting experiences give her a valuable perspective on the dedication, resilience and challenges that come with pursuing sporting goals.