ALEX MANOS
About Me
As a self-confessed high performer, perfectionist, bad loser and constant learner, I understand the demands and challenges of trying to keep calm, balanced and composed whilst still setting audacious dreams and having high aspirations.
I grew up as the youngest of three boys, continuously playing catch up and always wanting to be better, feel bigger, smarter, sportier and just overall out perform my two brothers. Whilst this mindset helped me develop certain character traits such as dedication, commitment, ambition and drive, it also led to me never quite feeling good enough and stuck in a world of comparison to others and also in a mentality that external validation was key to feeling good.
I won the awards, got the grades, attended the best University, got the coolest job with the most prestige (some would say), had the biggest salary and yet it was never enough. When it all came crashing down and I lost my job, my home, my partner, my salary I turned inwards and started a journey of self awareness and personal growth. I was 36.
But if I think back to when I was young, maybe 8 or 9, I always liked being around adult conversations, listening and learning things that were perhaps beyond my years.
Fast forward 15 years and I had finished my degree and landed my first job at a Professional football club, Crystal Palace where I spent 3 years, initially with the academy and then the first team. I then went on to do a Masters and returned from Australia to work in a Physiotherapy clinic in London. 4 years later I got the opportunity to return to Crystal Palace as the Head of the Medical department for 6 years. I then worked with a professional tennis player for a year before returning to private practice.
In 2017, when I was going through my challenges I invested time, energy and money in therapy and self development, I trained to be a Yoga teacher and then started training to be a Personal Performance Coach. It was during Covid where I began to take time away from Physiotherapy and focus on coaching. I now split my time between the two. I have spent the last few years focusing on helping other healthcare professionals with coaching but now have shifted my attention to the elite performer and athletic population.
Having spent the best part of 25 years in high performance sport at the very highest level, I understand that world, I’ve lived it, breathed it and come out of it with a new perspective and a healthier, more grounded view of what it takes to be an elite athlete.
The current models of athlete support focus heavily on performance outcomes. And while performance matters, it's not the full story. What's missing is a space where athletes can explore who they are beyond the game—a space to process the internal battles, develop emotional resilience, build healthy relationships, and make sense of life outside the sport.
This isn’t about walking away from the game—it’s about learning how to live well within it.
Athlete Life Coaching exists to help elite performers thrive not just on the field, but in every area of life. Because when the human is grounded, the athlete performs better. And more importantly—the person feels whole.
My "why" is simple: I’ve seen too many athletes break under the weight of a system that values output over wellbeing. I started this work because I believe you deserve more than just a career—you deserve a life that feels like yours.
Why I set up A.L.C.
As someone who has worked closely with elite athletes, I’ve seen the toll high performance can take—not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. Behind every game, every training session, every contract, is a human being trying to hold it all together.
What most people don’t see is the pressure—constant, unrelenting. The expectation to perform, to compete, to represent, to win. The spotlight can be thrilling, but it can also be isolating. And too often, when athletes are struggling, the systems around them don’t ask: How are you really doing? They ask: Can you still deliver?
That’s why I created Athlete Life Coaching—to support the whole person, not just the performer.
How A.L.C. works
It’s holistic.
It’s tailored.
And it’s built around one goal:
Helping you live well, while you compete at the highest level.
Athlete Life Coaching is, first and foremost, a life coaching service designed specifically for elite athletes. Our focus is on you—the person behind the performance. Through structured, confidential one-on-one coaching, we explore the areas of your life that often get neglected in high-performance environments: identity, relationships, purpose, mental wellbeing, and life outside the sport.
We don’t just talk about the game. We talk about what’s real. What’s heavy? What’s next?
But this isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach.
When needed, Athlete Life Coaching extends beyond coaching conversations. We work with a trusted network of allied health professionals. Including sport psychologists, physiotherapists, nutritionists, medical experts, and mental health specialists. These professionals are available on a bespoke, as-needed basis, ensuring you get the right support at the right time.
This means you’re never left trying to figure it out on your own. Whether you’re facing burnout, identity struggles, off-field stress, or just want someone in your corner who gets it—we’ve got the team to support you, without overwhelming you.
