https://www.gusballantineportfolio.comRSS Feed for Gus BallantineenFri, 06 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0100https://jusmedia.co.uk/sidelines/2025/06/06/documentary-sports-oscar-winner/Sports documentaries have transformed the way fans connect with their favourite sports. Sidelines speaks to film producer James Gay-Rees, the man at the forefront of the sports documentary revolution. James Gay-Rees with his Oscar, photo courtesy of Alexandra Allan James Gay-Rees, co-founder of Box-to-Box Films, is the mind behind the fan-favourite sports docs and series such as Drive to Survive, Senna, Break Point, Full Swing, Make Us Dream and many more.  “We offer the reality of...Fri, 06 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0100https://jusmedia.co.uk/sidelines/2025/06/06/documentary-sports-oscar-winner/https://jusmedia.co.uk/sidelines/2025/06/04/the-virtual-advantage-how-vr-is-revolutionising-sports-training/How is virtual reality (VR) influencing the way athletes train and level up their game? Sidelines dives into the future of sports training to find out more.  Andy Etches, co-founder of Rezzil, photo courtesy of Andy Etches In the world of sports technology, few things are as exciting as using virtual reality to level up athlete performance.  Rezzil, whose name comes from ‘mental resilience’, is leading the charge in this space. They transform the way athletes train, recover and mak...Wed, 04 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0100https://jusmedia.co.uk/sidelines/2025/06/04/the-virtual-advantage-how-vr-is-revolutionising-sports-training/https://jusmedia.co.uk/sidelines/2025/06/03/cricket-bat-innovation/Making a cricket bat is no easy task. This is how Wombat Cricket crafts the perfect bats… Harry Solomon, photo courtesy of Harry Solomon We often buy cricket bats without a second thought, but at Wombat Cricket, there’s a whole lot more consideration to it. From growing the willow to shaping the perfect bat, it’s all do...Tue, 03 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0100https://jusmedia.co.uk/sidelines/2025/06/03/cricket-bat-innovation/https://jusmedia.co.uk/sidelines/2025/06/03/womens-rugby-england-world-cup/Ahead of the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup in England, England U18s Head Coach James Cooper tells Sidelines how he develops players for international glory. James Cooper, photo courtesy of RFU Collection via JMP UK What do you enjoy most about your role as Head Coach of the Women’s U18s? I love seeing development within the players. There’s a couple girls that have been in the programme for two years now who have written cards and said, ‘Thank you for believing in me and seeing some...Tue, 03 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0100https://jusmedia.co.uk/sidelines/2025/06/03/womens-rugby-england-world-cup/https://jusmedia.co.uk/sidelines/2025/06/02/volunteers-are-the-lifeblood-of-sport/For Volunteers’ Week, hear from three women who help bring some of the world’s biggest sporting events to life. Karolyn Gaston, photo courtesy of Karolyn Gaston Karolyn Gaston Karolyn Gaston, 53, has been volunteering for 36 years, including three Olympics, the Invictus Games and the Commonwealth Games. Gifting your time is relatively free to give, but it’s priceless to receive – it’s the most precious gift you can give anyone.  If I could bottle and sell the impact of volunte...Mon, 02 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0100https://jusmedia.co.uk/sidelines/2025/06/02/volunteers-are-the-lifeblood-of-sport/https://jusmedia.co.uk/sidelines/2025/05/28/from-pitch-to-press-the-media-training-mastermind/After winning the Rugby World Cup in 2003, England’s fight wasn’t over yet with the storm of the press still waiting. Sidelines speaks to the man who helped them navigate the media frenzy and ensure their victory was celebrated both on and off the field. For many athletes or those involved in sport, the word “media” might send shivers down their spine, with visions of hundreds of journalists scrambling for answers.  Enter the media liaison officer, who has to control the chaos and make sur...Wed, 28 May 2025 00:00:00 +0100https://jusmedia.co.uk/sidelines/2025/05/28/from-pitch-to-press-the-media-training-mastermind/https://jusmedia.co.uk/sidelines/2025/05/23/cheese-rolling/Each year, the world’s wildest community sport takes place on Cooper’s Hill: cheese rolling. Sidelines uncovers more. The small village of Brockworth in Gloucester has come into the spotlight once again. Their annual cheese-rolling event involves participants chasing an 8-9 lbs roll of double Gloucester cheese down an almost vertical hill. For something that attracts widespread attention from thousands of people all over the globe, its preparation is the hands of a small team.  Chris...Fri, 23 May 2025 00:00:00 +0100https://jusmedia.co.uk/sidelines/2025/05/23/cheese-rolling/https://jusmedia.co.uk/sidelines/2025/05/23/football-meets-moneyball/In 2020, Kevin De Bruyne became the first player to turn to data and analytics to negotiate his contract renewal with Manchester City. Sidelines meets the consultancy behind the move that introduced data-driven decisions to some of football’s biggest contracts.  The role of data and analytics in football has grown exponentially in recent years, with the industry’s decision-makers increasingly turning to numbers to advise their choices.  If ‘Moneyball’ has taught us anything, it’s tha...Fri, 23 May 2025 00:00:00 +0100https://jusmedia.co.uk/sidelines/2025/05/23/football-meets-moneyball/https://jusmedia.co.uk/sidelines/2025/05/22/tomorrows-red-roses/With standout talents like Fin Smith and Henry Pollock recently named in the Lions squad, the future of England men’s rugby team looks bright – but who’s building it? Sidelines explores the groundwork being laid for World Cup success. The road to World Cup glory doesn’t start on the pitch at Twickenham. It starts in schools, local clubs and academies up and down the country, where the foundations are laid for success.  Jonathan Pendlebury plays a vital role in this process. As Head Coach o...Thu, 22 May 2025 00:00:00 +0100https://jusmedia.co.uk/sidelines/2025/05/22/tomorrows-red-roses/https://jusmedia.co.uk/sidelines/2025/04/23/the-cutman-in-the-corner/When Anthony Joshua takes a seat in his corner between the rounds of a fight, there’s someone leaning in who isn’t throwing punches but could be the reason the contest continues. His name is Dr Ian Gatt, aka, ‘The Boxing Physio’, and he’s one of the most trusted cutmen in the game. Never heard of a cutman? Don’t worry, many people haven’t. Gus Ballantine explains everything you need to know.   In boxing, the title of a cutman might conjure up gritty movie images – bloodied towels, screamin...Wed, 23 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0100https://jusmedia.co.uk/sidelines/2025/04/23/the-cutman-in-the-corner/https://jusmedia.co.uk/sidelines/2025/04/16/sports-storytellers-commentator-nicole-brown-peter-drury-matt-chilton/Iconic sporting moments don’t just live in our memories because of what we see – they’re shaped by the voices we hear. Sidelines delves into the lives of three TV commentators who reveal how commentary brings the sporting experience to life. Peter Drury commentating, photo courtesy of Peter Drury Peter Drury Peter Drury, 57, has been a football commentator for over three decades. He has worked for BBC Radio Leeds, ITV, BT Sport, Amazon Prime Video, and is now the lead Premier league...Wed, 16 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0100https://jusmedia.co.uk/sidelines/2025/04/16/sports-storytellers-commentator-nicole-brown-peter-drury-matt-chilton/https://jusmedia.co.uk/sidelines/2025/04/16/groundwork-story-3/When people think of boxing promoters, names like Eddie Hearn at Matchroom Boxing and Frank Warren at Queensberry Promotions dominate the spotlight. But outside the televised limelight, there are promoters building fighters from the ground up. Boxing promoters are the engines behind fight nights – responsible for organising events, matching opponents, arranging officials and marketing the show. The list goes on. However, not all promoters operate under the dazzling lights of Sky Sports or...Wed, 16 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0100https://jusmedia.co.uk/sidelines/2025/04/16/groundwork-story-3/https://shefnews.co.uk/index.php/2024/04/26/watch-sheffield-young-artist-exhibition-celebrates-its-20th-anniversary-in-style/The Sheffield Young Artists exhibition celebrates its 20th anniversary this week with a mission to showcase the incredible talents of Sheffield’s youth. Children aged five to 18 from 50 schools across the city have contributed to the exhibition, displaying approximately 850 pieces of artwork at the Central United Reform Church on Norfolk Street.  Ken Marshall, who organises Sheffield Young Artists on behalf of Sheffield Abbeydale Rotary, said: “We try to show off their remarkable talents a...Fri, 26 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0100https://shefnews.co.uk/index.php/2024/04/26/watch-sheffield-young-artist-exhibition-celebrates-its-20th-anniversary-in-style/https://shefnews.co.uk/index.php/2024/03/08/sheffields-inclusive-cycling-project-celebrates-national-lottery-week/Sheffield Cycling 4 All, a project run by Disability Sheffield, is marking National Lottery week with a celebration of inclusivity. The project offers 12 sessions a week at Hillsborough Park, Monday to Thursday, tailored for adults with disabilities or long-term health conditions who cannot ride a two wheel cycle.  These sessions will be free from March 11 – 14, to thank the National Lottery for being their majority funder for the last 4 years. Rosemary Hill, one of the project coordina...Fri, 08 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000https://shefnews.co.uk/index.php/2024/03/08/sheffields-inclusive-cycling-project-celebrates-national-lottery-week/https://shefnews.co.uk/index.php/2024/02/09/sheffield-student-takes-stride-for-testicular-cancer-awareness/A University of Sheffield student is set to hit the pavement in a bid to raise both funds and awareness for the battle against testicular cancer. Donovan Rodgers, 21, has recently announced his plans for a fundraising run in support of the Oddballs Foundation Charity.   He will be completing a 4x4x48 run, coined the ‘David Goggins challenge’, on March 21 and 22. This will involve running four miles, every four hours, over a 48-hour period. Each leg will be run with a different society f...Fri, 09 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000https://shefnews.co.uk/index.php/2024/02/09/sheffield-student-takes-stride-for-testicular-cancer-awareness/https://shefnews.co.uk/index.php/2024/02/09/sheffield-prepares-for-largest-lunar-new-year-celebration-yet/Sheffield is set to host its largest Lunar New Year celebration ever, with a five-day festival around the city running from today until February 13.  The festival aims to unite communities in a spirit of harmony and celebration as the city welcomes the Year of the Dragon. Sarah Ng, Chair of the Sheffield Chinese Community Centre, said: “The event is a celebration of Sheffield’s wonderful diverse cultures.  “The lunar Chinese new year is about family, friends and sharing. This year’s fes...Fri, 09 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000https://shefnews.co.uk/index.php/2024/02/09/sheffield-prepares-for-largest-lunar-new-year-celebration-yet/