Dai Watts shortlisted for TASS S&C Coach of the Year

Cardiff Met’s Head of Strength and Conditioning, Dai Watts, has been shortlisted for the TASS Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year award for 2026.

Dai is one of three practitioners named on the national shortlist, alongside Max Honigsbaum and Sam Millard, following a nomination process that received more than 100 submissions from across the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme network. The winners will be announced at the TASS Conference 2026, which takes place at Northumbria University on 7 and 8 July.

The latest recognition follows Dai’s success at the 2025 TASS Practitioner Awards, where he was named S&C Coach of the Year. That award recognised his dedication, outstanding contribution and the positive impact he has had on the athletes supported through TASS and Cardiff Met’s wider performance environment.

Now in his 26th year at Cardiff Met, Dai leads Strength and Conditioning within the University’s Performance Services Programme, supporting student-athletes, professional players and coaches across a wide range of sports. His work plays a key role in helping athletes develop physically while also balancing the demands of education, performance and personal development. Michael Peacock, Head of Performance Services at Cardiff Met, said: “Dai’s commitment to improving athletes is second to none. The time he takes to get to know each individual and help them along their journey is unrivalled. He is an asset to us and the home nation athletes he supports in his work at Cardiff Met.”

Cardiff Met is an accredited TASS centre, delivering support for dual-career athletes through Cardiff Met Performance Services. The programme brings together expertise across Athlete Lifestyle and Education, Physiotherapy and Strength and Conditioning, helping talented athletes pursue their sporting ambitions alongside academic qualifications.

For Dai, the recognition reflects both individual excellence and the wider team approach behind Cardiff Met’s performance environment. Across TASS and the University’s high-performance network, the Strength and Conditioning team continues to support athletes with the preparation, education and physical development needed to perform at their best.

Llongyfarchiadau, Dai, on another well-deserved national recognition.