The Young Player Wellbeing Podcast (Care Visions)

Our latest episode is with Dr Paul Mansell. Paul is an expert on the psychology of stress in sport, having conducted a PhD focused on just that. Since then, Paul has taken up a role as a lecturer in sport and exercise psychology at Staffordshire University. Interestingly, Paul is also a podcast host, heading up ‘The Performing Under Pressure Podcast’. On the pod Paul chats to former professional footballers and other high-level performers about how they view and cope with pressure in their field. 

 

On this episode we talk about stress, nerves, and pressure. We share our opinions on how we view these feeling and how we may support athletes to understand them better, to benefit both wellbeing and performance.

 

Other highlights include learning more about Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT), Paul’s current and future research projects and the future of ‘The Performing Under Pressure Podcast’.

 

Learn more about Paul and his pod by visiting the links below.

 

The Performing Under Pressure Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/2UVgbxrwlSJKHax8CmsDOc?si=6aaaf927663343c2

 

Paul on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-paul-mansell-94ab9113b/

 

 Talking Points

1. Intro and welcome to the pod (00:00)

2. Paul’s experience in sport growing up (3:35)

3. First interests in psychology of stress (5:10)

4. Is being stressed a bad thing? (10:30)

5. ‘Stress Mindset’ (14:40)

6. Challenge vs Threat Mindset (22:49)

7. Wellbeing and Performing Under Pressure (31:02)

8. REBT to support athletes with stress (39:00)

9. Personal strategies to cope with stress (52:30)

10. The ‘Performing Under Pressure Podcast’ (59:48) 

11. Closing thoughts (1:07:55)

On this episode we get the opportunity to talk to the legendary 'elite sport sleep coach' Nick Littlehales. Nick is a #1 international best selling author with his book 'Sleep' and has worked with some of the top performing athletes, clubs and coaches in the world, including Manchester United and Alex Ferguson; heard of them? He is the creator of the R90 Technique which has revolutionised the way so many look at sleep. This technique helps individuals to optimise recovery to maximise wellbeing and performance by breaking down their 24 hour day into cycles. On the episode Nick breaks down this cycle and offers practical tips which can be immediately applied.

We have wanted to dedicate an episode on sleep since starting the podcast and have managed to secure the best guest to do this. It was a privilege to have a guest of Nick's calibre on the podcast and we encourage you to try to take as much from this as possible - it could help you redefine the meaning of 'sleep'! The episode was mind - blowing to be a part of. When you have an expert like this on, you let him do his thing. We hope when you tune in you feel the same way we do!

Nicks socials below

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_sportsleepcoach/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicklittlehales/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sportsleepcoach⁠

Website: https://sportsleepcoach.com/

Talking Points

 

1. Intro and welcome to episode (00:00)

2. Nick’s experience in sport growing up (3:45)

3. Experiences of wellbeing / psychology as an athlete (6:31)

4. Early interests in sleep (8:22)

5. Impact of sleep on wellbeing and performance (20:05)

6. The R90 Technique (34:10)

7. Summarising (1:15:40)

8. Our key take aways (1:22:51)

9. Closing thoughts (1:27:52)

An opportunity to learn more about your hosts Brad and Toni, the creation and development of the Young Player Wellbeing Academy / Podcast and some key experiences that have shaped them as practitioners. The pair are interviewed by Dr Richard Simpson in the podcast studio at Leeds Trinity University.

Talking Points

1. Intro and welcome to episode (00:00)

2. Why do we work in psychology / wellbeing? (2:48)

3. What is the Young Player Wellbeing Academy? (10:50)

4. What wellbeing means to us (15:35)

5. Main areas we support academy players with (20:35)

6. Importance of player - led approach (26:30)

7. Key skills developed as Wellbeing Coach's (31:10)

8. Key learnings from hosting the pod (38:34)

9. A letter to our future selves (47:25)

10. Closing thoughts (52:04)

Do not worry, I (brad obviously) have returned from Vietnam to facilitate all of your wellbeing podcast needs. In this episode, we provide an overview of our first season working in Scottish football as part of the young player wellbeing academy (formally programme) designed by Care Visions. We share our thoughts on what we thought the programme would involve before the season started, as well as our first thoughts on how wellbeing and sport psychology were viewed in Scottish football (before starting work with the clubs). We go over some key experiences throughout the season which have ultimately shaped the way that we view the YPW Academy and Scottish footballs attitudes towards wellbeing and sport psychology today.

Football is a difficult industry to break into, especially if you haven't played the game professionally like any of the wellbeing coaches. Reflecting on this season left us feeling privileged to be able to work in this enivornment and we hope to pick up where we left off for the 23/24 season. We'd encourage anybody out there who has had similar experiences to get in touch!

Talking Points

Podcast intro (00:00 - 00:53)

Welcome and episode overview (00:53 - 3:06)

Thoughts before starting work on programme (3:06 - 8:53)

Initial perception of wellbeing support in professional football (8:53 - 19:31)

First hand experiences in football (19:31 - 29:27)

How our initial perceptions of wellbeing in football have changed (29:27 - 36:47)

What could we have done better (36:47 - 43:49)

Potential next steps (43:49 - 50:23)

Closing thoughts (50:23 - 54:36)

This week Antonio had the pleasure of being joined by Natascia Bernardi. Natascia is the current Girls Academy Manager at Kinetic Foundation, U12 Head Coach for QPR and U16 Assistant coach for London Football Talent Centre. She has been on a journey of her own that started from Bologna, Italy where she was born and fell in love with football. Her experience includes Regional Referee for 12 years in Italy, BA in Psychology at The University of Bologna, an MSc in Sport Psychology at Lund University, Welfare and Educational Liaison for the NFL Academy and Academy Head of Player Care for MK Dons.

Passionate about women’s football, coaching for 6 years within the women’s game, Natascia joined Kinetic this summer where she is the Head Coach of their new U16 Girls Academy project at Harris Academy Bromley. Her main aim is to support them in having football as part of their career ambitions. This episode provides amazing insight into supporting elite youth athletes and the importance of growing the person as well as the player.

You can follow Natascia's journey on Twitter @NatasciaB_76 and on Linkedin: Natascia Bernardi

Talking Points:

1. Intro and welcome to pod (00:00 - 3:24)

2. Natascia's experience in sport growing up (3:24 - 7:30)

3. Pursuing a career in sport (7:30 - 11:56)

4. Cultural differences in supporting players (11:56 - 16:23)

5. Supporting young (American) footballers (16:23 - 30:50)

6. Head of Academy Player Care at MK Dons (30:50 - 47:00)

7. Life skills development support (47:00 - 49:52)

8. The growth of Women's football and Kinetic Academy (49:52 - 59:07)

9. Differences in supporting young female vs male athletes (59:07 - 1:06:01)

10. Barriers teenage girls face with sport participation (1:06:01 - 1:10:05)

11. Advice for young players (1:10:05 - 1:11:10)

12. Closing thoughts (1:11:10 - 1:12:44)

13. Reflection (1:12:44 - End)

On today's episode Brad gets the chance to speak to expert in mental health in women's football, Carly Perry. Carly grew up in the States and comes in with a different past experience of sport psychology / wellbeing growing up as an athlete than most guests we speak to on the podcast. This is largely due to cultural difference between the US and UK, which is a recurring theme throughout this episode. We also get the chance to go into detail on Carly's PhD project which was extremely useful for us and will help to inform the work we do with young female academy players in Scotland in the coming weeks. Other interesting discussion focuses on ACL injury in female footballers, moving to the UK to study at Loughborough, differences in UK uni sport vs US college sport, improving sport psych in the UK and of course tips for young athletes. Another great episode in which we learned loads, we hope you enjoy! Twitter: @carly_perry24 Talking points: 1. Intro and welcome to episode (00:00) 2. Carly's experience in sport growing up (02:54) 3. Experiences of wellbeing / psychology as an athlete (5:35) 4. Dealing with 4 ACL injuries in her career and why it is such a prevalent injury (11:50) 5. Differences in college/university sport the UK Vs US (18:45) 6. How Carly experienced transitioning to Loughborough (29:10) 7. Research in mental health in elite women footballers (34:30) 8. The shift in societies acceptance of mental health in recent years (39:00) 9. How can we look to improve the support of athletes mental wellbeing (41:00) 10. Looking after wellbeing (58:40) 11. Tips for young players (01:01:48) 12. Closing thoughts (01:03:05)

Hi there, we are Wellbeing coaches at Care Visions working as part of a programme focussed on helping Academy footballers develop a deeper understanding of themselves, how their choices impact their wellbeing and affect their ability to perform on the football pitch. We wanted to start producing weekly podcasts on the topics we are covering with our players. This is in order to not only allow our players to gain a deeper understanding of each topic but allow others to grasp an understanding of certain topics within performance sport and their importance.

This week we discuss motivation. What is it? How can we maintain or increase it? 

Tune in to find out!

Hello wonderful listeners and welcome back! As always on The Young Player Wellbeing Podcast we have been hard at work making sure that this season keeps building on what has been an incredible growth of the podcast so far. Not only have there been changes to the graphics and the jingle, we have been hard at work tweaking the pod so that our listeners can get even more out of our recordings. As well as improving our delivery, we have continued on from our theme of getting insightful and expert guests onto the podcast. Tune in Monday 12th of February when our first episode drops! We think it might be one of our best yet!

Unfortunately Antonio was not able to attend this week's recording (which Brad wasn't salty about at all...) however this was made up for by yet another fantastic guest. This week Brad was joined by UEFA C licensed and full time coach at Bromley FC George Orchard. George offers a fantastic look into his journey through the academy system and some of the struggles he experienced. From balancing school and football to utilising relationships built in academy football there is loads for a young oplayer to take away from the episode. If you wish to find out more about George you can find him using the links below: Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/_georgecoaching_/⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-orchard-1373b7253/ Time stamps:  1. Intro and welcome to the episode (00:00 – 02:45) 2. How he got into the sport and who he supports (02:45 – 04:43) 3. His experience with wellbeing support in football and how it affected his confidence and wellbeing (04:44 – 09:55) 4. The difficulty of balancing school with elite football and his lack of support network (09:56 – 13:06) 5. Being part of his boyhood club (13:07 – 16:38) 6. His time at Gillingham (16:39 – 19:37) 7. How the Scholar system works in England (19:38 – 21:05) 8. The journey to West Ham, his experience there and the support offered after suffering a major injury (21:06 – 26:20) 9. How he dealt with his long-term injury (26:21 – 29:52) 10. The decision to start coaching and the skills needed to be a successful coach (29:53 – 36:15) 11.  Does he have any regrets around his career (36:16 – 38:00) 12.  How the UEFA coaching qualifications work and his goals (38:01 – 40:55) 13.  How he looks after his wellbeing (40:56 – 44:12) 14.  Advice to young players (44:13 – 46:12) 15. George’s plan, where you can contact him (46:12 - end)

In this episode, Toni and Brad get the chance to chat to Lucas Capalbo, multi - award winning coach and lecturer in sport psychology and coaching at London Metropolitan University. Hailing from Brazil, the land of Joga Bonito, Lucas has had quite the career so far. As a coach, he has been a head coach in Sweden (Malmo), Italy (Milan), and London and an assistant coach in USA (Michigan). On his academic journey he has picked up a BSc in Sport Sciences from Mackenzie University (Brazil) a dual MSc in Sport Psychology at the EMSEP (European Masters of Sport and Exec. Psychology) from the University of Lund (Sweden) and University of Leipzig (Germany) and a PhD in Kinesiology specialising in the psychosocial aspects of sports from Michigan State University (USA) where he was advised by Dr Daniel Gould (co-author of Foundations of Sport and Exerc. Psychology textbook, known as Weinberg and Gould) - sport psych people, if you know you know. On this episode, we chat about Brazil's approach to developing players at the present date and areas they are looking to improve on - with reference to PL names like Jesus and Richarlison. As you may have picked up, Lucas has lived in many different places and learned many different things. We go into detail on what knowledge Lucas has picked up along the way and how this has impacted his coaching. On today's episode, we talk A LOT about culture and why it is so important to create cultures within football teams. On this topic, Lucas draws upon the different cultures he has been a part of and helps us to understand why it is important to be respectful and understand the culture of others. Another key topic in this episode is coaching psychology. Lucas gives us some tips into how this can be best embedded into a football team and reflects on the importance of boundaries as a psychologist who is also a coach. We go on to talk about his role as a 'Late Development Scout' at QPR and what this means before discussing sport psychology in America. Enjoy! Watch Lucas' TEDx talk: "soccer and life skills": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gvCneI5bJU Connect with Lucas on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lscapalbo/ Study BSc in Sport Psychology and Coaching at London Met where Lucas is a lecturer: https://www.londonmet.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/sport-psychology-coaching-and-physical-education---bsc-hons/#:~:text=Our%20Sport%20Psychology%2C%20Coaching%20and,and%20participation%20levels%20of%20sport. Talking Points 1. Intro and welcome to episode (00:00) 2. Lucas' experience in sport growing up in Brazil (3:42) 3. Experience with wellbeing / psychology as an athlete (10:45) 4. Living, coaching and studying abroad (17:42) 5. The importance of understanding culture (26:45) 6. Using psychology in coaching (36:21) 7. Late development scout at QPR (48:56) 8. Sport psychology in America (56:38) 9. Looking after his own wellbeing (1:01:19) 10. Advice for young players (1:06:17) 11. Closing thoughts (1:07:05)

20 episodes in 20 weeks, 19 guests in total, triple the amount of listeners and a massive increase in followers on our social media accounts. Season 2 has been an incredible journey for Antonio and Brad. In their final episode tune in to hear the duo pick apart season 2, addressing the key takeaways from the season as well as key topics that were covered. Furthermore, the episode highlights episodes that our listeners may not have managed to catch this season giving them the opportunity to go back and listen them. As we close things off we want to say thank you to all of our guests who have contributed to season 2 of The Young Player Wellbeing Podcast. Drawing upon your own experiences and expertise has shaped a lot of our work at The Young Player Wellbeing Academy, assisting us to support the wellbeing and performance of young academy players. Additionally, thank you to our listeners and followers for liking, sharing and providing feedback for our episodes it means the world to us. Have a great Christmas and we hope that you will continue to support the podcast moving forward

In our second episode of season 2 we were joined by Anthony Cato. With Anthony being an ex academy footballer with experience competing as a semi professional footballer and currently working as transitions officer and careers lead at League Football Education. It is no surprise that this episode is full of incredible in-depth discussions around not just the struggles footballers face but how they can be supported to tackle these challenges. Throughout this episode Anthony gives fantastic advice on how to develop as a young player as well as what support to seek. Take a listen to some of the tips he gives for young athletes and those aspiring to work in the world of sport. We hope you enjoy! Talking points: 1. Intro and welcome to episode (00:00 - 03:14) 2. Anthony's experience in sport growing up and his journey (03:15 - 06:30) 3. His experience of wellbeing and sport psychology as a youth player (06:31 - 11:01) 4. His experience of living in "digs" as an academy footballer and the impact this had on his wellbeing (11:02 - 14:13) 5. How the sacrifices made trying to make it pro effects the people involved (14:14 - 16:31) 6. His personal experience with managing his athlete vs non-athlete identity (16:31 - 21:30) 7. His transition from academy to semi-professional football and how he managed this change (21:31 - 29:00) 8. Finding a career outside of being professional footballer (29:01 - 33:41) 9. League Football Education and his role at the organisation (33:42 - 45:00) 10. Steps to take when thinking about future careers and working on our developing multiple identities (45:01 - 49:38) 11. How skills developed as a footballer translate to life skills (49:39 - 55:24) 12. How athletes can look after their wellbeing (55:25 - 59:49) 13. Biggest influences (59:50 - 1:02:01) 14. Advice for academy players (1:02:02 - 1:04:30) 15. Closing thoughts and further information around the LFE (1:04:31 - 1:09:05)

Our latest episode, recorded in the Leeds Trinity University podcast studio, is with one of their senior lecturers in sport psychology and published researcher in the field, Dr Helen Heaviside. Helen's research focuses on interpersonal expectancies and impression management. Brad and Toni had absolutely 0 idea about until recording this episode. This episode serves as a major learning experience for as both and forced us to reflect on how expectations affect others and the best ways to manage these expectations. Here's our brief, spoiler free overview on interpersonal expectancies and impression management (sorry in advance, Helen). Interpersonal expectancies are the expectations we, as human beings, have of other people. This concept is particularly interesting in the sport context. Think about the expectations placed on athletes; from fans, media, coaches, teammates, officials. It's a lot, and therefore can have both negative outcomes for wellbeing and performance, if not managed appropriately. Expectancies affect our thoughts, feelings and behaviours. If we latch on to an expectancy that places unhelpful pressure on us, we might begin to feel stress. When we're stressed our wellbeing might be low, which can negatively impact our performance. That's where impression management comes in, which is all about how to manage the impression (or expectancy) that we are creating of other people and that others create about us. We spend the last part of the episode discussing 'controlling the controllables' to assist with managing impressions. Tune in as we explore interpersonal expectancies and impression management, 2 concepts which might be a bit closer to home than you first thought... Talking Points 1. Intro and welcome to episode (00:00) 2. Expectancies (7:51) 3. Self - fulfilling prophecy (15:30) 4. Consequences of interpersonal expectancies (20:07) 5. Impression management (26:09) 6. Strategies to manage expectations (35:54) 7. Closing thoughts (46:57) Follow / Connect with Helen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helenheavisidesportpsychology/ and Twitter: https://x.com/helen8590brown?lang=en-GB Follow Leeds Trinity's Sport Psych page on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ltusportpsych?igsh=Y3Vtcm0zZ3R6dG8%3D and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ltu-sport-psychology/

This week we are covering resilience. Robot voice AKA Louis has finally got his mic working properly and is celebrating by playing the role of host for this week's podcast. Join the usual crew as we discuss resilience, explaining the difference between mental toughness and resilience as well as why the term toughness can be so detrimental towards our wellbeing plus much more.

Shout out to our listeners in Japan, South Africa, Kenya, Australia and beyond!!!

Talking Points:

Podcast Intro (00:00 - 00:46)

Podcast topic and listener shoutout (00:46 - 2:15)

What is resilience? (2:15 - 3:36)

Where can you show resilience? (3:36 - 9:20)

Mental toughness vs mental resilience (9:20 - 17:20)

Resilient sportspeople (17:20 - 29:01)

Factors affecting resilience (29:01 - 32:40)

How to improve resilience (32:40 - 37:00)

Closing thoughts (37:00 - 39:30)

We have wanted to chat to a student - athlete on the podcast for a while and are grateful to have had the chance to learn more about this dynamic through guest Conor Doan. Like so many, Conor was released from an academy set up in his late teens. Thankfully, he was given an opportunity to play full time football with the University of Stirling 1st team whilst studying there. After completing his undergraduate, Conor signed for Bonnyrigg Rose whilst completing his MSc in Psychology of Sport at Stirling Uni (a course familiar to Brad and Toni). We chat to Conor to find out how he managed to successfully balance full time education with an intense football schedule for 5 years. We believe that Conor's journey is one that players being released from academies could aspire to replicate and want to raise awareness on how useful football scholarships can be for athletic, personal and professional development. As always, our guest Conor provides tips for young players based on his own experience and knowledge.

For more information on Stirling Uni's scholarship programme click here: https://www.stir.ac.uk/student-life/sport-at-stirling/performance-sport/football-men/

To connect with Conor follow him on:

Twitter: @doanconor LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/conor-doan-34473b150/

Talking Points: 1. Intro and welcome to episode (00:00 - 2:59) 2. Conor's experience in sport growing up (2:59 - 5:16) 3. Experiences with wellbeing as an athlete (5:16 - 10:49) 4. Being released from Montrose (10:49 - 19:21) 5. Club support for released academy players (19:21 - 24:16) 6. Balancing full time uni and football (24:16 - 31:36) 7. Playing for Bonnyrigg Rose (31:36 - 43:30) 8. What is 'making it' in football? (43:30 - 48:26) 9. How football can shape your development (48:26 - 52:17) 10. Biggest influences (52:17 - 55:35) 11. Tips for looking after your wellbeing (55:35 - 58:37) 12. Tips for academy players (58:37 - 1:00:01) 13. Closing thoughts (1:00:01 - 1:02:58) 14. Brad and Toni's key takeaways (1:02:58 - end)

This week Antonio and Brad had the pleasure of being joined by Ex Aberdeen F.C. and Sunderland A.F.C. footballer Russell Anderson. During this episode Russell reflects on his career covering topics such how he dealt with setbacks, travelling to play in Europe, representing his country, moving to Sunderland for a spell and what football has taught him. Additionally, Russell has an incredible foundation which he created that focuses on improving the lives of children in socially deprived areas of Aberdeen through life-changing programmes that make a sustainable and measurable difference to their health and wellbeing. If you would like to find out more then click this link: https://russellandersonfoundation.org/

Hi there, we are Wellbeing coaches who work for Care Visions as part of a programme focussed on helping Academy footballers develop a deeper understanding of themselves, how their choices impact their wellbeing and affect their ability to perform on the football pitch. We wanted to start producing weekly podcasts on the topics we are covering with our players. This is in order to not only allow our players to gain a deeper understanding of each topic but allow others to grasp an understanding of certain topics within performance sport and the importance of these. 

This week we are focussed on Transitions both inside and outside of sport. As well as explaining what transitional periods are, we reflected on our thoughts surrounding the eye opening BBC documentary on "Premier League academies: The brutal release stories of Devonte Redmond and Owen Bailey".

Tune in to find out more!

In this week's episode we challenge you to keep count of all the times we use the words 'group' or 'identity'! Identity is a theme that has been brought up consistently during previous episodes and notably by our guests as well. This is a topic that is crucial in both sport and our lives in general. Therefore, we thought that it was about time we spent an episode explaining identity and why it is so crucial that young players focus on developing their identities.

(0:00) Intro

(0:53) Episode overview

(2:53) What is identity?

(4:08) Social Identity and social groups

(7:33) Athletic identity

(13:33) Identity and transitions

(17:23) Identity and performance

(22:53) Developing identity and trying new things

(29:58) Closing thoughts

This week we get the chance to pick the brains of 'that wellbeing guy' Richard Simpson. Richard is a lecturer in sport psychology at Leeds Trinity University and an associate lecturer with The Open University. Richard completed his PhD at Leeds Beckett University with his research expertise and focus sitting within psychological well-being among sport performers. Richard is interested in individual and collective understandings of psychological well-being and how such knowledge can benefit those operating within and alongside sport organisations (e.g., athletes, coaches, support staff, leaders and managers, c-suite personnel) and those more broadly working occupationally or by association (e.g., parents) in sport contexts.    Richard has worked on multiple projects on behalf of and or with the following bodies: the Applied Association for Sport Psychology (AASP), UK Sport, UEFA, the English Football Association (FA), 'ICoachKids', the Croatian FA, the Slovenian FA, and various professional football organizations. Richard has attended and presented at multiple national and international conferences, published and reviewed in international peer-reviewed journals, and has won national and international awards. Richard currently sits on committees for the BPS Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology (DSEP) and the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES). Richard also reflects on his time as an athlete and referee and how this has shaped his career today. We discuss the importance of the collective and having a 'we' or 'us' mentality in team sport. Richard also explains his PhD research in a way that is easy for young academy players listening to understand. We hope that this episode provides you with a detailed dive into the importance of wellbeing in sport! Follow Richard on social media to find out more. Twitter/X - @RichSimpson_95 Instagram – RichSimpson_Psych LinkedIn - Richard A.C. Simpson | LinkedIn Talking Points 1. Intro and welcome to the episode (00:00 - 3:54) 2. Richard's experience in sport growing up (3:54 - 7:11) 3. Experiences with wellbeing / psychology as an athlete (7:11 - 16:35) 4. Experiencing early setbacks (16:35 - 20:02) 5. Wellbeing of referees in football (20:02 - 31:26) 6. Life lessons learned from badminton (31:26 - 38:24) 7. Making a change in the world of sport (38:24 - 42:23) 8. PhD in wellbeing amongst sport performers (42:23 - 50:05) 9. Wellbeing is contagious (50:05 - 55:19) 10. Is sport all about winning (55:19 - 1:00:08) 11. Looking after his own wellbeing (1:00:08 - 1:06:14) 12. Advice for young players (1:06:14 - 1:10:18) 13. Closing thoughts (1:10:18 - 1:12:02)

In part 2 we continue our chat with Murray and learn more about his football career, including his big move to Australia. Toni decides he has bigger plans than the podcast so isn't available for part 2 (benched for the next one). Also on this episode, Murray tells us about his return to Rugby park with Forfar FC and a (big time) phone call he received which lured him to Brechin City FC. Brad learns about the North Sea and Vicky wants to know how big the beasties in Oz are. To close us off, Murray answers the excellent questions sent in by our young players!

Murray is happy to answer any further questions via his personal Instagram account: @murraymackintosh

Talking Points:

Forfar FC pt.2 (00:07 - 5:43)

Brechin City FC (5:43 - 9:37)

Balancing performance and education (9:37 - 14:07)

Murray's master's project (GPS Running Metrics) (14:07 - 16:58)

Moving to Australia / Mandurah City FC (16:58 - 22:39)

Cold water therapy (22:39 - 30:02)

Player Questions (30:02 - 42:34)

Closing thoughts (42:34 - 46:19)

On this episode we talk to the amazing Jen Coe. Jen is an advocate of greater gender equity and inclusivity in sport and is dedicated to promoting well-being across the sporting landscape. With over two decades of experience working in high performance environments, she champions a culture of performance through well-being in her work with organisations and individuals. Jen has worked from grassroots to elite level across a portfolio of sports, in roles such as coaching, analysis, coach development and sport psychology. She currently works within the women’s professional game in football as the Performance Well-being Lead an exciting role and key to supporting the players journey into, through and after professional sport.

 

On the episode, Jen shares detailed insight into the landscape of wellbeing support in the women’s game. Jen has been leading a bit of rebranding in the ‘player care’ space, with the role responsibilities being unclear in recent years. This rebranding has helped to streamline wellbeing support with a bit more clarity and intent. 

 

Jen also shares first hand experience on how wellbeing is addressed at an organisational level, ensuring that staff and wellbeing is being looked after across all of the women’s Super League and Championship teams.

 

Other highlights include discussion around how clubs may or may not exploit future employees due to many with ambition to work in sport being ‘obessed with the badge’. 

 

Thanks so much to Jen for coming on. We hope our listeners enjoy this episode.

Purchase Jen’s new book ‘Myths of Sport Performance’ here: ⁠https://www.sequoia-books.com/catalog/sport/⁠

 

Find Jen on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenny-coe-1a308a49/⁠

 

Talking Points

1. Intro and welcome to episode (00:00)

2. Jen’s experience in sport growing up (4:40)

3. Being person - centred (12:31)

4. Performance Wellbeing Lead @ WSL and Women’s Championship (22:10)

5. Addressing wellbeing at an organisational level (33:03)

6. A psychosocial lens in practice (42:10)

7. Avoiding the ‘tick box’ approach (51:52)

8. Sharing best practice in wellbeing (58:42)

9. Exploitation of those ‘obsessed with the badge’ (1:03:25)

10. Closing Thoughts (1:12:06)

On todays episode we chat to sport psychology consultant, S&C coach and sport diversity leader David Smith. David has been using his platform as an openly gay coach to support athletes from the LGBTQ+ community in recent years. He shares with us some significant challenges he experiences as a young gay athlete, competing in the gay games and how this has ultimately shaped his career today. We also chat about how to deal with homophobia in the workplace and why it is essential that we use inclusive language. 

David is in an interesting position where he is hybridising strength and condition and psychology work by combining cognitive training and physical conditioning, something that practitioners may be interested to hear more about. We also talk about a motivation climate and what this looks like in a football team and how we can create it. + much more  We hope you enjoy the episode! IG: @stonewallperformance Website: www.stonewallperformance.com Podcast: ‘Drag Race Psychology’ coming soon

Talking Points 1. Intro and welcome to episode (00:00)

2. David’s experience in sport growing up (4:04) 3. Experiences of well-being / psychology as an athlete (7:41)

4. From resenting sport as an athlete to working in sport as a practitioner (19:00)

5. Impact of the gay games in David’s career today (22:41)

6. Barriers that gay athletes experience and what we can do to be more inclusive in sport (28:38)

7. Competing in individual sport but working in team sport (34:32)

8. Hybridising S&C and psychology support (40:05)

9. A motivational climate in football (50:32)

10. Moving to Germany (1:00:52)

11. Looking after wellbeing (1:05:38) 12. Tips for young players (1:07:16)

13. Closing thoughts (1:07:59)

On this episode we chat to Nina Wilson, who will be joining us as a Wellbeing Coach at The Young Player Wellbeing Academy very soon, as we make our first steps into working in the women's game. As well as working on the YPWA, Nina is a professional footballer, having recently moved up to Scotland to play for Hibs in the SWPL.

This season we have spent a lot of time understanding the demands of male academy football by chatting to guests. This was a great opportunity for us to learn more about the demands placed on young female footballers, from grass root to academy to professional. We hope that our listeners come away from this episode feeling as if they have learned something about the women's game. We certainly have!

This was a great chance for us to get to know Nina, and we really appreciate her coming on to the podcast. Great to hear that Nina is also using her platform as a female coach to inspire the next generation of players.

Looking forward to working closely with you over the coming weeks / months.

Instagram: ninawilson99

1. Intro and welcome episode (00:00)

2. Nina's experience in sport growing up (3:31)

3. Experience with wellbeing / psychology as an athlete (11:44)

4. Demands placed on a young female footballer (16:35)

5. Day to day of a SWPL player (25:38)

6. GK's union and a baptism of fire (33:20)

7. Being passionate about coaching (41:34)

8. Working as a Wellbeing lead (48:18)

9. Approach to supporting wellbeing of female players (54:58)

10. Looking after wellbeing (58:35)

11. Tips for young players (1:05:12)

12. Closing thoughts (1:09:45)

Hi there, we are Wellbeing coaches at Care Visions working as part of a programme focussed on helping Academy footballers develop a deeper understanding of themselves, how their choices impact their wellbeing and affect their ability to perform on the football pitch. We wanted to start producing weekly podcasts on the topics we are covering with our players. This is in order to not only allow our players to gain a deeper understanding of each topic but allow others to grasp an understanding of certain topics within performance sport and their importance.

This week joined by the Head of the Professional Academy and Under 18s Coach at Kilmarnock Football Club, Craig Clark as we discuss transitional periods with academy football. 

Talking points (with time stamps):

1. Intro to podcast and programme (00:00 - 1:02)

2. Craig's journey and his current role (01:04 - 04:35)

3. How has Craig's experiences shaped his coaching (5:20 - 8:12)

4. Importance of dual identities and challenge exposure (8:14 - 9:15)

5. How Craig interacts with players, what he looks for in his players and why (09:40 - 15:44)

6. The importance of taking feedback onboard (16:00 - 19:00)

7. Best and worst parts of Craig's job (19:00 - 24:28)

8. The 4 pillars and Psych-Social aspect of coaching (25:40 - 30:20)

9. Common transitions players face and how they are supported (30:25 - 36:10)

10. Summary and conclusive statements (36:11 - 42:05)

This week on the podcast we talk about flow states and the importance of finding our flow. We also offer some tips on how to induce flow while pulling on our own experiences.

Talking points (with time stamps):

1. Intro to the podcast and programme (0:00 - 00:50)

2. Defining "Flow" (00:55 - 3:10)

3. Our own experiences of being in "the flow" (3:18 - 8:20)

4. The importance of Arousal levels in regards to flow states (8:22 - 12:45)

5. The relationship between stress and performance (12:46 - 16:45)

6. How can we induce flow? (20:20 - 35:30)

7. Summary of the episode and topics covered plus our final thoughts (35:38 - 38:50)

Around the country young players will currently be enjoying their off - season or (not) enjoying their pre - season. We thought this would be a good time to share some insight into how players can use this time to their advantage. We focus on what young players should be accountable for during this time and the best ways to mentally recharge before a new season gets underway. As always, we draw upon our own experiences around this topic and some goals we have set for ourselves moving forward.

Other highlights include Vicky reaching a 1 year streak on HeadSpace (unbelievable consistency), the importance of checking in on ourselves, the 'all or nothing' mentality and how reflection can help you to hit the ground running next season.

Talking Points

1. Podcast intro (00:00 - 00:53)

2. Welcome and episode overview (00:53 - 2:17)

3. What does accountability mean? (2:17 - 3:41)

4. What do athletes need to be accountable for during off / pre - season? (3:41 - 10:55)

5. What do we (wellbeing coaches) stay accountable for? (10:55 - 22:13)

6. Ways to recharge mentally (22:13 - 26:22)

7. Personal goals (26:22 - 29:28)

8. Closing thoughts (29:28 - 32:10)

This week on the podcast we talk about the power positivity can have on our wellbeing and performance. We also offer some tips on how to stay positive based on our own experiences.

Talking Points (with time stamps)

1. Intro to podcast and programme (00:00 - 00:55)

2. What is positivity? Why is it important? (00:57 - 03:57)

3. Toxic positivity and individual differences (03:58 - 11:08)

4. Positive reframing (11:09 - 16:57)

5. Growth vs Fixed mindset (16:58 - 29:05)

6. Using positivity to navigate challenges (29:06 - 34:08)

7. Tips for staying positive (34:09 - 36:29)

8. Conclusion (36:30 - 37:22)

Hi there, we are Wellbeing coaches at Care Visions working as part of a programme focussed on helping Academy footballers develop a deeper understanding of themselves, how their choices impact their wellbeing and affect their ability to perform on the football pitch. We wanted to start producing weekly podcasts on the topics we are covering with our players. This is in order to not only allow our players to gain a deeper understanding of each topic but allow others to grasp an understanding of certain topics within performance sport and their importance.

This week we discuss team relationships. More specifically the effect of cohesion on a team and the benefits of having team values. 

Tune in to find out more!

On this episode we get the chance to speak to Stirling Uni FC striker and Cammy Mckinley. Cammy, like many of our guests, played academy football as a teenager but was unfortunately released before U17 level. Despite this setback, Cammy didn't sulk and worked hard in the gym and on the pitch throughout his undergraduate degree, progressing from the 5th team to the 1st team in 4 years. As the top scorer, Cammy is an asset in a team that has played televised Scottish Cup matches against Dundee United and Albion Rovers. We used this episode as a chance to explore the mentality of a number 9 and get an understanding of what Cammy attributes his success to.

Some highlights from the episode include discussing the importance of confidence, how to navigate dips in form, using the 'small wins' to your advantage, playing at Tannadice and why routines / habits are so important. We hope that you enjoy the episode.

Instagram: @cammymckinley9

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameron-mckinley-0382161b5/

Talking Points 1. Intro and welcome to episode (00:00) 2. Cammy's experiences in sport growing up (3:31) 3. Experiences with wellbeing / psychology as an athlete (9:33) 4. Being released and the challenges around this (16:31) 5. 5th team to 1st team in 4 years (22:34) 6. Overcoming dips in form (32:45) 7. CM to ST and changes in mentality (38:45) 8. Importance of confidence in football (43:10) 9. Playing in televised Scottish Cup matches (48:22) 10. Looking after wellbeing (1:00:24) 11. Tips for academy players (1:04:36) 12. Closing thoughts (1:07:05)

This week we pick the brains of Lucy Boyce who provides some amazing insight into psychology in football. Lucy spent the past season working at West Ham as a performance psychology intern and at Gillingham as a lead academy psychologist. Chatting to Lucy, it was clear how knowledgeable and passionate she is about sport psychology and is likely the reason she has been so effective in both her roles. This passion and knowledge may have came from her experience as a former elite athlete herself, having represented her country at canoe polo on several ocassions. We loved recording this podcast and hearing more about Lucy's experiences, we hope that you do too!

Some highlights include Lucy teaching us about the world of 'canoe polo', personal experiences with burnout and implications for her practice and tips for academy footballers.

Lucy is happy to answer any questions or to chat in more detail via her LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-boyce-541247177/

Talking Points

1. Podcast Intro (00:00 - 00:53)

2. Welcome and episode overview (00:53 - 2:20)

3. Experiences as an elite canoe polo player (2:20 - 6:40)

4. Experiences with burnout (6:40 - 20:01)

5. Getting into the world of football (20:01 - 24:58)

6. Performance psychology intern at West Ham (24:58 - 31:30)

7. Boosting confidence and dealing with pressure (31:30 - 38:02)

8. Academy psychologist at Gillingham (38:02 - 56:09)

9. Tips for young players (56:09 - 59:58)

10. Closing thoughts (59:58 - 1:03:05)

Hi there, we are Wellbeing coaches at Care Visions working as part of a programme focussed on helping Academy footballers develop a deeper understanding of themselves, how their choices impact their wellbeing and affect their ability to perform on the football pitch. We wanted to start producing weekly podcasts on the topics we are covering with our players. This is in order to not only allow our players to gain a deeper understanding of each topic but allow others to grasp an understanding of certain topics within performance sport and their importance.

This week joined by the Dundee United Coach, Paul Dixon. Paul shares with us his in-depth experience in the elite football world and the importance of athletes keeping on top of their wellbeing. 

Tune in to find out more!

On this unique episode, we spend time reflecting on some of the key nuggets of wisdom that our guests have provided us with during our recordings. Join us as we discuss the importance of these insights and some of the key takeaways points.

At each talking point a clip will be played from a previous guest - Paul Di Giacamo ('Giaco'), Craig Clark, Paul Dixon or Murray Mackintosh - before we reflect as a team on the key these that arise, all of which have been covered on the Young Player Wellbeing Programme so far.

Talking Points

Podcast Intro (00:00 - 00:53)

Topic Intro (0:53 - 2:08)

Craig Clark - using exposure to build resilience (2:08 - 6:50)

Paul Dixon - considering transitions when developing training sessions (6.50 - 10.52)

Giaco - dealing with transitions (10.52 - 20.30)

Murray - using your social support to deal with pressure (20.30 - 24.54)

Paul Dixon - reaching out to benefit wellbeing and performance (24.54 - 32.47)

Craig Clark - the importance context and clarity in communication (32.47 - 36.42)

Closing Thoughts (36.42 - 38.13)

To hear what previous guests have to say in full check out these episodes:

Giaco Part 1: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0HDEKwNNgO9MDByBRCKNnH?si=5799bd06a1a74d43

Giaco Part 2: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4en4IOHyHFYdM0kEfhWKyN?si=ee64de6e16bc4da6

Paul Dixon: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3JIvEUJPyRZBYFGJHXNMo7?si=6ccc9fa752434970

Craig Clark: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7d41RLslusehjawD7QsMhb?si=6d2dacc033dc47af

Murray Part 1: https://open.spotify.com/episode/37gN9yUY6EqSmp0MArlzYA?si=29edbf0f3a9b476f

Murray Part 2: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5k8BDaF6biD0oGJUtlgGPd?si=57847e41bd344671

This week Antonio and Brad had the absolute pleasure of having Ryan Stirton on as a guest for the podcast. During this episode, Ryan shares his experiences from the elite youth football world and the challenges he faced. Additionally, as an online performance lifestyle coach working with semi professional footballers he offered some fantastic advice to young players in relation to strength training and improving their performance.

Tune in to find out more! If you haven't already, please make sure to rate us out of 5 and follow us to be notified as soon as the latest podcast is released.

Follow us on Instagram @ypw_podcast for more information: https://www.instagram.com/ypw_podcast/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D

Feel free to get in touch with Ryan if you have any further questions!

Instagram - @ryan_stirton_95athlete https://instagram.com/ryan_stirton_95athlete?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Spotify - 'The RLS Podcast' https://open.spotify.com/show/6UJ4WQdQotr4tmavrMXZ1P?si=c98e83c25e3f4d43

Talking Points

Podcast Intro (00:00 - 00:44)

A bit about Ryan (00:44 - 3:41)

Transitioning from boys club to Forfar 20's (3:41 - 8:16)

Wellbeing affects performance (8:16 - 12:00)

Moving to Australia (12:00 - 18:48)

Adapting to life back in Scotland (18:48 - 22:34)

Self - discovery and the 9-5 athlete programme (22:34 - 27:40)

Offering mental support as an online coach (27:40 - 32:12)

Tips for your footballers in the gym (32:12 - 36:12)

Using goal - setting to help with injury rehab (36:12 - 41:04)

What's next? (41:04 - 44:31)

Closing thoughts and tips for academy footballers (44:31 - 47:53)

Hi there, we are Wellbeing coaches at Care Visions working as part of a programme focussed on helping Academy footballers develop a deeper understanding of themselves, how their choices impact their wellbeing and affect their ability to perform on the football pitch. We wanted to start producing weekly podcasts on the topics we are covering with our players. This is in order to not only allow our players to gain a deeper understanding of each topic but allow others to grasp an understanding of certain wellbeing focused topics within performance sport and their importance.

This week we discuss the importance of keeping calm. We highlight the skills we can learn and refine in order to keep cool in a variety of different situations.

Talking points (with time stamps)

1. Intro to the podcast and programme (00:00 - 00:50)

2. Why is keeping calm so important for our wellbeing and performance? (00:50 - 7:05)

3. The impact of support networks on our ability to keep calm (07:10 - 08:57)

4. The different contexts where keeping calm is important (09:00 - 09:59)

5. Different practical techniques you can use to keep calm and improve your wellbeing (10:00 - 19:57)

6. Different practical techniques you can use to keep calm and improve your performance (20:00 - 29:02)

7. Our own personal experience with keeping calm and the techniques we use (29:05- 36:03)

8. Conclusion (36:03 - 37:00)

This week Brad and Toni had the pleasure of being joined by fellow Sport and Exercise Psychologist in training Louise Paul. Don't let the "in training" part fool you, Louise has worked with a range of athletes (even some tradies) and some National Governing bodies. This week we gain insight into how a programme gears up for an Olympics, the similarities and differences between supporting male and female athletes and of course the key to confidence. Make sure you tune in for what is another fantastic episode and be sure to leave us some feedback! Talking points 1. Intro and welcome to the episode (00:00- 3:20) 2. Louise's experience in sport growing up (3:21 - 6:45) 3. Experiences with wellbeing / psychology as an athlete (6:46 - 10:03) 4. Working in gymnastics and the Olympic cycle (10:04 - 14:06) 5. Working with male Vs female athletes as a practitioner (14:07 - 16:05) 6. Sport psychology support for referees (16:06 - 19:48) 7. The difference between sport psychology and performance psychology (19:48 - 26:30) 8. How athletes can develop their confidence (26:31 - 35:33) 9. Is sport psychology really that 'glamorous' ? (35:34 - 41:47) 10. Work in safeguarding and why it is so vital in sport (41:48 - 47:59) 11. Looking after her own wellbeing (48:00 - 49:20) 12. Advice for academy players (49:20 - 51:59) 13. Brad and Toni's reflections (52:00 - End)

This week we are joined by Sport and Exercise Psychologist and founder of AfrowithJeevi and The Dare Platform, Jeevi Pillai. Jeevi has paved her own lane in the field, combining dance and sport psychology, currently residing in Nairobi, Kenya. 

Jeevi brings with her a wealth of experience. Starting her sport psychology journey in her home nation of Singapore, Jeevi spent 2 spells as a Sport Psychologist at the National Youth Sports Institute in Singapore. As sport psychologists supporting youth athletes in the UK, we wanted to know more about the common issues that youth athletes in Singapore experiences, find out more about how Jeevi supported these athletes and attempt to draw parallels between these.

We also have intriguing discussion on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a modern psychological approach, and try to learn from one another in relation to how we have applied this in different sporting contexts. Plenty of metaphors to help athletes cope with negative thoughts and feelings!

Other highlights include a lengthy discussion around transitions and Jeevi's entrepreneurial pursuits.

To learn more about Jeevi, The Dare Platform and AfrowithJeevi, check out some of the following links:

The Dare Platform: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/thedareplatform/⁠

AfrowithJeevi: https://www.afrowithjeevi.com/

Jeevi's LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeevi-pillai-248089bb/⁠

 

Talking Points

1. Intro and welcome to episode (00:00)

2. Jeevi’s experience in sport growing up (3:57

3. Personal experiences that lead to pursing a career in sport psychology (7:43)

4. Sport psychology in dance (10:17)

5. Research in transitions (15:00)

6. ACT for youth athletes (30:19)

7. ACT to cope with negative thoughts and feelings (37:15)

8. Supporting youth athletes in Singapore (51:10)

9. The Dare Platform (1:02:23)

10. Closing thoughts (1:07:23)

Nutrition is a vital tool that athletes need to utilise in order to not only maximise their performance but to look after their wellbeing too. On this week's episode Antonio had the privilege of being joined by an expert in the field and got a crash course in all things nutrition. Our guest this week Mikaela, has not only completed an undergraduate and postgraduate degree in Sports Nutrition, but has also worked as an intern nutritionist at Getafe CF and is currently the Academy Performance Nutritionist at a top flight La Liga Football Club. On the episode listeners discover what macronutrients and micronutrients really and their importance. Why complex carbohydrates are better than simple carbohydrates. Why age matters in relation to nutrition and taking on board supplements, and hear Mikaela debunk some of the nutritional myths that are out there. If you would like to find out more about Mikaela you can reach her on Linkedin by clicking this link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molinabugarija/ As usual any feedback is more than welcome. We hope you enjoy this episode and thank you for listening.

Talking Points

1. Intro and welcome to episode (00:00 - 3:38)
2. Mikaela’s experience in sport growing up (3:38 - 6:14)
3. Experiences with wellbeing / psychology as an athlete (6:14 - 9:95)
4. Pursuing a career in nutrition (9:95 - 12:41)
5. Impact of diet on our well-being (12:41 - 15:49)
6. Macronutrients vs micronutrients (15:49 - 17:37)
7. Complex carbohydrates vs simple carbohydrates (17:37 - 19:05)
8. Timing your carb intake as an athlete (19:05 - 20:30)
9. Protein and how much to have (20:30 - 26:13)
10. Common misconceptions around nutrition (26:13 - 29:08)
11. What players should look to eat leading up to a game (29:08 - 34:41)
12. Eating well after matches and training (34:41 - 37:20)
13. Creatine (37:20 - 39:20)
14. Looking after well-being (39:20 - 42:20)
15. Advice for young players (42:20 - 44:13)
16. Closing thoughts (44:13 - 46:01)

On this episode we talk to Dr Luke Barnes, in a special, shorter episode which we recorded in the podcast studio at Leeds Trinity University.

Luke worked with an English Championship academy club for 6+ years as an academy psychologist. Throughout this time, Luke played a vital role in driving values, working closely with both staff and players to do so. This aligns well with Luke's PhD, which focused on integrity and English football. We discuss the work Luke implemented in this space in detail, with a focus on values, identity, self - efficacy, motivation and much more.

Dr Luke Barnes has played a key role in formalising the working relationship between the Young Player Wellbeing Academy and Leeds Trinity University and we look forward to working with him and their staff in the near future.

Enjoy!

Follow / Connect with Luke on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-luke-barnes-114250267/?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

Follow Leeds Trinity's Sport Psych page on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ltusportpsych?igsh=MXUxZTBxNmQwd3dtcQ%3D%3D

and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ltu-sport-psychology/

Talking Points

1. Intro and welcome to episode (00:00)

2. What is sporting integrity? (4:28)

3. Embedding psychology in academy football (8:38)

4. Wellbeing in academy football (18:16)

5. Common areas of support (24:28)

6. Internal vs external psychology support (31:50)

7. Closing thoughts (36:17)

In this week's episode we are joined by Strength and Conditioning coach Lucas Forrester. Lucas has a vast amount of experience supporting athletes, helping them develop and improve their performance. During this episode we have some fantastic conversations around Mindfulness (again!), pushing comfort zones, developing our identity, trusting the process and much more!

Want to find out more or get in touch? You can contact us on our instagram @YPW_Podcast.

(0:00) Podcast intro

(0:48) Lucas' background

(6:08) Getting into football coaching & the B fit academy

(14:48) Moving to Liverpool & being out his comfort zone

(18:48) Comparison to others

(21:58) Experiences on Masters course

(25:38) Working in different sports

(29:28) Personal training business

(31:58) Kidney surgery/ dealing with setbacks

(41:52) Use of mindfulness for physical recovery

(48:41) Tips for young players

On this episode we're delighted to have sport psychologist Alban Dickson join us. Alban currently works for an SPFL club, with both the men's and women's team. We get to pick Alban's brains and learn more about how applying acceptance and commitment therapy (or ACT) can benefit athletes. Alban does a great job of breaking down ACT and provides some tips for our players to consider. We chat about different sport psychology approaches and how they often interact with one another. Although, we try not to get too geeky and made sure, as always, to tie this back to how it can benefit our young players. We hope our listeners find this insightful.

Other highlights include Toni using the word 'paradigm' (fancy), bridging the gap between sport psychology research and how it can be applied in football

and Alban answers some of our players questions!

Be sure to follow us for more updates:

Twitter: @ypwacademy

Instagram: @ypw_podcast

LinkedIn: Young Player Wellbeing Podcast

To learn more about our guest follow him on:

Twitter @albandickson

Website www.sportpsychologyscotland.co.uk

Talking Points

1. Podcast intro (00:00 - 00:53)

2. Welcome and episode overview (00:53 - 2:52)

3. Getting into sport psychology through coaching (2:52 - 4:16)

4. Making sport psychology research applicable in football (4:16 - 8:39)

5. Working with SPFL teams as a psychologist (8:39 - 14:31)

6. Working to the needs of the client (14:31 - 20:23)

7. ACT (20:23 - 27:55)

8. Common issues presented by footballers (27:55 - 43:43)

9. Players questions (43:43 - 56:08)

10. Tips for young players (56:08 - 57:35)

11. Closing thoughts (57:35 - 59:40)

Hi there, we are Wellbeing coaches at Care Visions working as part of a programme focussed on helping Academy footballers develop a deeper understanding of themselves, how their choices impact their wellbeing and affect their ability to perform on the football pitch. We wanted to start producing weekly podcasts on the topics we are covering with our players. This is in order to not only allow our players to gain a deeper understanding of each topic but allow others to grasp an understanding of certain wellbeing focused topics within performance sport and their importance.

This week we discuss the importance of goal setting and the value it holds in helping us develop and grow as people. 

Tune in to find out more!

In this week's episode we are joined by Wycombe Wanderers Midfielder David Wheeler. David started out at Brighton’s academy in his hometown then played in non-league while studying sports science at Brunel University and while he is currently at Wycombe he has had stints with Exeter City, Portsmouth, MK Dons and QPR. Alongside being a regular starter in the Wycombe side David has also completed a Masters in Sport Psychology and is an advocate for the importance of providing psychological support to footballers.

Join us as we discuss David's story and experience in football both as a youth and as a professional footballer. Furthermore, he reveals the real life impact psychology has had in improving not just his wellbeing but performance as well.

Want to find out more or get in touch? You can contact us on our instagram @YPW_Podcast.

(0:00) Podcast intro

(0:54) David Wheeler introduction

(2:28) Early experiences in football

(9:28) Importance of looking after mental health & wellbeing

(14:30) David's experiences of seeking support

(16:55) Link between wellbeing & performance

(19:48) Mindfulness & being present

(26:00) Use of mental skills

(29:00) CBT & ACT

(30:45) David's involvement in sport psychology

(40:28) Advice for young footballers

(42:37) Reflection with Toni, Vicki & Louis

Hi there, we are Wellbeing coaches at Care Visions working as part of a programme focussed on helping Academy footballers develop a deeper understanding of themselves, how their choices impact their wellbeing and affect their ability to perform on the football pitch. We wanted to start producing weekly podcasts on the topics we are covering with our players. This is in order to not only allow our players to gain a deeper understanding of each topic but allow others to grasp an understanding of certain topics within performance sport and their importance.

This week in part one of a two part podcast we are joined by the head of Kilmarnock FC Academy, Paul Digiacomo. Giaco shares with us his in-depth experience in the elite football world as we discuss wellbeing focussed topics with him. Giving us an eye opening and insightful look into academy football as both a player and coach. 

Tune in to find out more!

This week we discuss Leadership on and off the pitch. Developing Leadership skills can also help you develop other vital areas that are important not just in sport but everyday life as well. Join us as we discuss the importance of leadership and how we can develop our leadership skills. 

Our guest today is Director of Player Wellbeing at the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), Dr Michael Bennett. Michael is a former professional footballer, making over 150 appearances in the football league, having also represented England at U20 level. Unfortunately, like so many, Michael experienced a difficult injury in the early stages of his career. He speaks openly on this, admitting he never fully recovered from it, ultimately hampering his playing career. Despite this setback, Michael has used this experience to his advantage, paving out an extremely successful career in football off the pitch. A trained psychotherapist, Michael has combined his knowledge in mental health and wellbeing and experience as a player to shape the landscape of player wellbeing in the UK - all through the outstanding work being done at the PFA. An excellent guest to chat to which helps to inform the work we do with academy players. Join us as we discuss 'industry hazards' in professional football and outlines some solutions for dealing with them. Talking Points 1. Intro and welcome to episode (00:00) 2. Michael's experience in sport growing up (4:15) 3. Experiences with wellbeing / psychology as an athlete (10:36) 4. What do we mean by mental health? (22:15) 5. Moving towards a healthy head space (30:14) 6. Transitioning out of professional football (41:25) 7. Players willingness to speak about wellbeing (53:30) 8. Areas of wellbeing players should be educated on (1:04:34) 9. Advice for academy players (1:07:37) 10. Closing thoughts (1:09:22) For player services and more information on the wellbeing focused work being done by the PFA, visit their Website: https://www.thepfa.com/

In our first episode of season 2 we had the privilege of chatting to Dr Michael Malone. Brad first met Michael in his 4th year of university, when he worked under Michael on a project at Dundee United Community Trust. Michael discusses many of the projects DUCT have been doing over the years and their connection to wellbeing and mental health in the community. We also get to discuss Micheal's PhD research which focuses on shared understanding and shared mental models - this might sound confusing, but trust us, Michael breaks this down in simplistic terms with reference to real life examples. Michael also discusses how he has put some of his research into practice in his current role as a sport and exercise science (psychology) lecturer at Robert Gordon University. As always on the pod, our guest provides several tips for young athletes and those aspiring to work in the world of sport. We hope you enjoy!

Feel free to contact Michael for more info:

LinkedIn: Dr Michael Malone

Twitter: @DrMichaelMalone

Course Twitter: @RGUASES_Coach

Talking Points

1 . Intro and welcome to episode (00:00 - 3:01)

2. Michael's experience in sport growing up (3:01 - 6:22)

3. Pursuing a career in sport psychology (6:22 - 12:41)

4. Working at Dundee United Community Trust (12:41 - 23:49)

5. Shared understanding in football (23:49 - 34:09)

6. Putting research into practice (34:09 - 42:16)

7. Research in barriers to sport participation (42:16 - 45:55)

8. Players and coaches perceptions of sport psychology (45:55 - 50:55)

9. Being a sport psychology lecturer (50:55 - 54:40)

10. Biggest influences (54:40 - 56:30)

11. Tips for looking after your wellbeing (56:30 - 58:57)

12. Tips for academy players (58:57 - 1:01:04)

13. Closing thoughts (1:01:04 - 1:02:11)

14. Brad and Toni's key takeaways (1:02:11 - 1:09:11)

Over the last few months we have noticed some key skills consistently being brought up in the topics that we discuss and cover. In the week's podcast we wanted to explain how these skills overlap into the different topics and why. 

To launch season 3, we are joined by Double Olympian, performance sport specialist and mental health advocate Jack Green. Jack is competitive, driven and ambitious and has competed at the highest level. But as we know, success in sport / work does not always equate to happiness and fulfilment in life. This rings true for Jack, who publicly spoke about his poor mental health after London 2012 - a time where mental health support for athletes was limited. These games were something Jack had dreamed of since a young kid. They mark a major landmark in his career, yet he shares with us how this moment wasn't quite what he had dreamed of. We then move through Jack's journey towards Rio 2016 and how his experiences as an athlete has shaped his coaching philosophy, where he has coached athletes to world records. We then dive into how the skills learned from sport transfer to the world of work. Thanks to Jack for coming on for an excellent episode. We hope you enjoy! Find Jack on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackgreenoly/ Talking Points 1. Intro and welcome to episode (00:00) 2. Jack's experience in sport growing up (3:10) 3. Experiences of wellbeing / psychology as an athlete (5:07) 4. Professional at 18, world championships at 19 (10:22) 5. London 2012 (21:10) 6. Difficulties faced post - London 2012 (36:11) 7. Rio 2016 and an early athletic retirement (44:48) 8. Role as the Global Wellbeing Lead at the BBC (48:40) 9. From athlete to coach (53:23) 10. Closing thoughts (1:00:30)

Hi there, we are Wellbeing coaches at Care Visions working as part of a programme focussed on helping Academy footballers develop a deeper understanding of themselves, how their choices impact their wellbeing and affect their ability to perform on the football pitch. We wanted to start producing weekly podcasts on the topics we are covering with our players. This is in order to not only allow our players to gain a deeper understanding of each topic but allow others to grasp an understanding of certain topics within performance sport and their importance.

Join us this week and gain an in depth insight into the programme as we discuss the topics we have covered during the programme so far. What went well and what we would maybe change in the future. 

Tune in to find out more!

Join us on this week's episode where we have a very special and specialised guest on the show discussing all thing's injury. Bradley Steedman has worked with Dundee United, Rangers and now currently Burnley as a physiotherapist. On the episode Bradley shares his expert knowledge with us while also allowing for key insights into how full time academy footballers recover from injury.

We hope you enjoy listening and be sure to message us on our brand new instagram channel "ypw_podcast" if you would like more information.

Hi there, we are Wellbeing coaches at Care Visions working as part of a programme focussed on helping Academy footballers develop a deeper understanding of themselves, how their choices impact their wellbeing and affect their ability to perform on the football pitch. We wanted to start producing weekly podcasts on the topics we are covering with our players. This is in order to not only allow our players to gain a deeper understanding of each topic but allow others to grasp an understanding of certain wellbeing focused topics within performance sport and their importance.

This week we discuss the importance of stepping out of our comfort zone. More specifically, the benefits pushing our boundaries has on our growth as people and as athletes.

Tune in to find out more!

This week we are joined by the man with many hats - director, Dad coach and ex professional footballer - Graham Robertson. When we first met Graham we knew that he was going to be an excellent guest and to no surprise, he delivered. Graham reflects back on his own career as a youth and how today's academy set up compares to that of his era. We go on to discuss how this shaped his career in professional football, where he achieved success at both Raith Rovers and Milwall. We discuss what 'making it' in football means for our guest as he debunks myths around 'the journeyman' label, a section we feel young players will find particularly interesting. We have an interesting conversation around the pressures that the 'pre - academy' in Scotland raises for both player and parent. Here, Graham reflects on what being an 'academy Dad' and speaks passionately on the matter. Plus much more! It was great to speak to somebody who has 'lived the dream' as a professional footballer - but not in the typical way you might think. We hope you give this episode a listen to find out what we might mean by that. Graham is a director for the charity 'Volunteering Matters'. Check out their website to see how you can get involved: https://volunteeringmatters.org.uk/ Graham's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/graham-robertson-75505b3b/ Talking Points 1. Intro and welcome to episode (00:00 - 3:09) 2. Graham's experience in sport growing up (3:09 - 5:17) 3. The structure of youth football - then vs now (5:17 - 14:05) 4. Experiences with wellbeing as a player (14:05 - 19:09) 5. Signing with Raith - Jim vs Jimmy (19:09 - 27:16) 6. The piece of advice that shaped it all (27:16 - 32:46) 7. 4 years and 5 managers at Milwall (32:46 - 41:14) 8. Debunking myths around 'the journeyman' (41:14 - 45:20) 9. Life after football (45:20 - 51:01) 10. Pressures faced as an 'academy Dad' (51:01 - 1:01:07) 11. Using past experiences in role as a coach (1:01:07 - 1:07:14) 12. Advice for young players (1:07:14 - 1:10:13) 13. Brad and Toni's key takeaways (1:10:13 - 1:16:52)

Our latest guest is Rory Winters, a man who has faced many setbacks and challenges throughout his life. The odds may have been stacked against him but Rory has taken each challenge head on and carved out a successful career in football. In the first half of the pod, Rory goes into detail on some of the challenges he, and many others around the country, faced as a youth player. We discuss how challenge is connected to wellbeing / psychology and how these had a knock on effect on future events in his life. Perhaps if not for the adversity faced, Rory may not have found himself playing football in America, Canada, been offered to play in Austrailia or creating his own business in Singapore. All of this whilst getting 2 degrees along they way. A key lesson in this episode is that it is not the challenge itself that defines you but how you respond to it. We also discuss how powerful having someone in your corner (mentor, wellbeing coach) can be and what we have all done to help break down stigmas and barriers to this support in the UK.

Rory has a passion and fire in his belly to be successful in the field and has taken massive strides in supporting young players in football in both Singapore and the UK. Another great guest and we hope that you enjoy the episode.

Rory has recently published a book titled 'The Pro: How to Become A Successful Footballer' which is available on Amazon from £5.99: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pro-How-Become-Successful-Footballer-ebook/dp/B0C6QPXB61

If you would like to know more about Rory then follow him Instagram where he is also happy to chat in more detail: https://www.instagram.com/edgeoftheboxmentoring/

Talking Points

1. Intro and welcome to episode (00:00 - 3:04)

2. Rory's experience in sport growing up (3:04 - 7:47)

3. Experiences with wellbeing / psychology as a player (7:47 - 21:25)

4. Morecambe FC and challenges faced there (21:25 - 29:44)

5. University and playing football abroad (29:44 - 36:16)

6. EPPP and working with English football academies (36:16 - 42:35)

7. Success at Northampton School for Boys (42:35 - 47:25)

8. Living and working in Singapore (47:25 - 50:44)

9. Founding Edge of the Box Mentoring and breaking down stigmas (50:44 - 1:01:09)

10. Next steps for Rory (1:01:09 - 1:03:30)

11. Advice for young players (1:03:30 - 1:06:16)

12. Brad and Toni's key takeaways (1:06:16 - 1:13:26)

🚨SEASON 4 COMING MONDAY SEPTEMBER 2ND🚨

We know you’ve missed us, but have no fear because we are BACK. Toni and Brad have been very busy off the back of what was a hugely successful season 3.

Take a listen to find out what they have in store for you over this next season!

We launch season 4 with a bang as we talk to the one and only Dr Pete Olusoga. Anybody interested in sport psychology will know of Pete, whether that’s through his educational wellbeing snippets on social media, tuning in to the eighty percent mental podcast (which Pete hosts) or having been one of Pete’s many students. Toni and Brad have admired Pete from a far for some time and were buzzing to hear that he was willing to appear on the pod.

 

The 3 chat largely about stress, burnout and the connection with wellbeing. We offer in the moment strategies that will help our listeners to manage stress and ensure that burnout is avoided. In an eye – opening discussion, it becomes apparent that wellbeing is not solely the responsibility of the individual (who knew it?). Whether you’re an athlete, work in a sales team, or a kitchen, the organisation you work for has a duty to ensure that your wellbeing is being catered for. These are the ‘bigger picture’ ways that wellbeing can be addressed in a working environment. It is that very premise that sets up the rest of season 4.

 

The Young Player Wellbeing Podcast is back. Enjoy!

 

Thanks so much to Pete for coming on. Find his socials / podcast info below.

 

Listen / follow / turn notifications on for the eighty percent mental podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/143LNdkleAM1Tx3RLITImd?si=576c5624dcba4f1a

 

Follow Eighty Percent Mental on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eightypercentmental?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

 

Follow Pete on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_pete_olusoga?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

 

And LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peteolusoga/

 

Talking Points

 

1. Intro and welcome to episode (00:00)

2.Pete’s experience in sport growing up (3:51)

3. Experiences influencing career path (7:25)

4. Early research interests (9:26)

5. Stress, burnout and connections with wellbeing (13:26)

6. Common symptoms of burnout (25:19)

7. Strategies to manage stress and avoid burnout (32:52)

8. Wellbeing is the responsibility of the organisation (51:40)

9. Closing thoughts (1:10:20)

In this episode we talk about the importance of being adaptable. We also talk about a stress bucket (???), Gregg's sausage rolls (for the 3rd time), avoiding training legs cause you've got a dodgy ankle and getting skinned by a 5's team full of old guys wearing Samba's. Enjoy!

The serious bit: Everyday there are numerous situations we will find ourselves in where we have to adapt. Having the flexibility to adapt to different environments, situations and challenges is a crucial life skill and one that can also be utilised in a sporting context. We attempt to outline the value of adaptability in these differing contexts as well as offering tips for developing this skill. 

Talking Points

1. Intro (00:06 - 00:33)

2. What is 'being adaptable'? (00:33 - 2:11)

3. Skills and qualities connected to adaptability (2:11 - 4:34)

4. Why is being adaptable important? (4:34 - 11:56)

5. What might football players have to adapt to? (11:56 - 17:12)

6. How can we develop the skills to be adaptable? (17:12 - 19:48)

7. How can reflection help us to be adaptable? (19:48 - 25:11)

8. How have we adapted to difficult situations? (25:11 - 30:26)

9. Closing thoughts (30:26 - 33:22)

On this episode Brad and Toni chat to Ewan McLevy. Ewan is currently playing in the West of Scotland junior league for Troon FC, studying football coach performance and development at Edinburgh Napier and is a coach for the U14's at Kilmarnock FC.

Our guest played with Kilmarnock FC's academy for around 8 years. We talk about the highs and lows of academy football, including attending a performance school, making sacrifices and picking up skills that can help you later in life. Unfortunately, Ewan was released in 2020; he provides insight into the challenges that this raised, which was heightened due to the outbreak of the pandemic around this time. Ewan also sheds some light on the junior game, where more and more academy players are being sent out on loan. As our title suggests, we learn about how Ewan rediscovered his love for the game through playing junior football but also through coaching.

Ewan's story is one that is extremely relatable to players and we hope that his openness helps to normalise some of the feelings that academy players across the country may experience.

Other highlights include the pros and cons of having a strong identity as a footballer, fighting for relegation at Brechin City FC, using psychology within coaching, a trip to Benfica's academy and of course tips for players. Use the chapters function below.

Instagram: EwanMcLevy15

Twitter: EwanMcLevy

Talking Points

1. Intro and welcome to episode (00:00)
2. Ewan’s experience in sport growing up (2:54)
3. Experiences with wellbeing / psychology as an athlete (7:54)
4. Being released - a challenging transition (11:59)
5. Having a strong identity as a footballer (19:28)
6. Strengths of the academy system in Scotland (23:35)
7. Personal benefits from playing academy football (28:34)
8. Time at Brechin City (30.45)
9. Troon FC and junior football (34:16)
10. Discovering and studying coaching at uni (40:10)
11. Psychology within Ewan’s coaching (43:25)
12. Playing career influencing coaching (49:51)
13. Learning in Benfica (53:22)
14. Looking after well-being (57:45)
15. Tips for academy players (1:01:57)
16. Closing thoughts 

On our latest episode we chat to HCPC accredited sport and exercise psychologist, Ryan Pelling. Ryan is someone Brad and Toni have known for a couple of years, having been part of the same supervision group throughout that time. Ryan has had a lot of experience working in football as a sport psychologist, both as a trainee and as an accredited practitioner. We try to bring Ryan’s experience to life to learn more about some of the common areas of support Ryan has found himself providing in the football environment, both in an academy and first team setting. If you’re a trainee sport psych we recommend you listen to this episode which will help to normalise some of the feelings you may have in the early part of your journey. A key message was that we are never the finished product, and that is okay, but we can use this to our advantage when working with athletes.

 

Motivation is a passion of Ryan’s, which we take full advantage of as he provides some great insight into why motivation and commitment come hand in hand. As a sport and exercise psychology lecturer, Ryan also offers some tips for students and those aspiring to work in the field of sport. Of course, for any young athletes tuning in there are plenty of wellbeing and performance tips throughout this episode.

 

We hope you enjoy.

 

Check out Ryan and Tom’s podcast where the hosts have conversations around the difficult / awkward parts of sport psychology that don’t get discussed enough: https://open.spotify.com/show/4mmBtndxGE2iEq3esGiK7S?si=6ea746916a4148e1

 

Talking Points

 

1.     Intro and welcome to episode (00:00)

2.     Ryan’s experience in sport growing up (3:00)

3.     Experiences of wellbeing / psychology as an athlete (5:02)

4.     Journey to an becoming an accredited sport psychologist (13:33)

5.     Working within football clubs as a sport psychologist (19:42)

6.     Common areas of support in football (29:22)

7.     One area a lot of us struggle with (32:54)

8.      How to boost motivation (40:55)

9.     Skills to develop for those aiming to work in sport (52:36)

10.  Looking after wellbeing (58:43)

11.  Tips for young players (1:02:14)

12.  Closing thoughts (1:06:31)

On this episode we speak to player care consultant, counsellor, mentor and aspiring coach Jake Jervis. Jake is an ex professional footballer, having had a successful career that included spells at Plymouth Argyle, Luton Town and Ross County as well as time in India, Finland and Turkey.

Like most ex pro's, Jake picked up a wide range of skills and attributes from football. But Jake is more than just a footballer. He is a passionate, family - orientated individual that wants to support the youth of today wherever he can. It's easy to see how Jake's skills combined with his beliefs and passions have lead him down the career path he is currently on.

On the episode we draw on Jake's playing career to learn how this has influenced the man he is today and all the work he is doing to give back in the youth sport space.

Find check on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-jervis-475072b0/

Follow him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jjervis14/

If you are seeking support please check get in touch or visit the following links which were mentioned in this episode.

Samaritans: https://www.samaritans.org/?nation=scotland

Mind: https://www.mind.org.uk/need-urgent-help/using-this-tool/

Mental Health Foundation: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk

Calm: https://www.thecalmzone.net

Andy's Man Club: https://andysmanclub.co.uk

Talking Points 1. Intro and welcome to episode (00:00) 2. Jake's experience in sport growing up (3:51) 3. Proactive approach to transitions (9:08) 4. Biggest challenges faced in professional football (14:42) 5. Transferable skills from football (23:01) 6. Managing wellbeing as a footballer (29:22) 7. Retiring from professional football (38:40) 8. Motivation to support young athletes (44:30) 9. 'Coffee Culture' (47:08) 10. Emotional intelligence (49:47) 11. Key message (54:06) 12. Closing thoughts (57:30)

This week we are joined by performance psychologist Hugh Gilmore. Hugh has worked at the highest levels in sport, including roles as a psychologist for Olympic and Paralympic teams at Rio and Tokyo. On the episode, we draw on Hugh's knowledge and experience to shed light on some of the harsh realities of the world of sport, and offer tips to help athletes deal with this. Hugh has a unique outlook on the world and is unafraid to challenge the viewpoint of others, making for quite an interesting episode! This all aligns well with his practice philosophy, where Hugh implements REBT and Motivational Interviewing to support the performance and wellbeing of athletes. An eye - opening, thought provoking conversation that we certainly won't be forgetting anytime soon. P.s. Hugh, have you flipped the coin yet? You can follow Hugh on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hughjohngilmore/ Connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hugh-gilmore-22a30039/ Visit his website: https://podiumpsychology.com/ Subscribe to his YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodiumPsychology Talking Points 1. Intro and welcome to episode (00:00) 2. Hugh's experience in sport growing up (3:10) 3. Taboos of mental health and wellbeing in sport (8:20) 4. Offering wellbeing support at Olympic level (25:48) 5. Harsh realities of performance sport (39:51) 6. A philosophy that improves performance (50:30) 7. Building confidence (1:05:55) 8. Closing thoughts (1:14:28)

This week we discuss confidence on and off the pitch. Confidence is a crucial part of everyday life and a skill which can be developed over time. We refer to confidence building strategies we have learned as trainee sport and exercise psychologists but also draw on our own experiences. 

Talking Points (with time stamps):

1. Intro to podcast and programme (00:00 - 00:54)

2. Intro to confidence (00:54 - 2:30)

3. Benefits of being confident in everyday life (2:30 - 5:34)

4. Benefits of confidence in sport (5:34 - 8:30)

5. Techniques for building confidence (8:30 - 20:06)

6. How wellbeing coaches build confidence in and out of sport (20:06 - 32:15)

7. Takeaway messages and conclusion (32:15 - 35:07)

This week we are on our best behaviour as we are joined by special guest, Murray Mackintosh. That being said we do discover that Brad's team was the only one that made Murray see red when growing up! Murray's journey in football and life has been a great example of what a successful career in football can look like. Join us as we take a dive into Murray's journey and understand how he managed to have (and still continues to have) such a successful and fulfilling career.

Murray is happy to answer any further questions via his personal Instagram account: @murraymackintosh

At each talking point below, Murray reflects on his own experiences as a player at each club.

Talking Points:

Podcast Intro (00:00 - 00:46)

A bit about Murray (00:46 - 3:16)

Aberdeen FC (3:16 - 12:45)

Kilmarnock FC (12:45 - 40:06)

Life beyond academy football (40:06 - 43:46)

Forfar FC pt.1 (43:46 - 46:30)

We got the chance to chat to East Kilbride FC first team coach Blair Munn. As a youth player, Blair had the privilege of playing for Rangers and Falkirk as well as representing Scotland. Like many, Blair was released but has still managed to pave out a successful career in football. It's evident from this episode that Blair has taken a lot from his playing days, taking so many skills he picked up as a player into his new role as a coach. Brad goes a bit Si Ferry (Blair's colleague at East Kilbride) as we get to chat about what it was like to be a part of the coaching team that took Darvel FC to the quarter finals of the Scottish Cup, knocking out Aberdeen FC in the last 16. Outside of his coaching, Blair has a clear passion for supporting young players, having recently worked for the PFA where he helped players to source further education and employment. On top of this, Blair's was involved in supporting the women's game in Scotland, which is rapidly growing. We hope you enjoy! Blair Timestamps 1. Welcome and episode overview (00:00 - 2:22) 2. Blair’s experiences in sport growing up (2:23 - 6:30) 3. Perceptions of well-being support as a player (6:31 - 11:05) 4. Experiences as a player influencing coaching (11:06 - 12:55) 5. Scottish cup run with Darvel FC (12:56 - 16:56) 6. Transferring skills as a player and coach into the world of work (16:57 - 26:10) 7. Supporting young players and women’s football at the PFA (26:11 - 34:22) 8. First team coach at East Kilbride (34:23 - 39:00) 9. Tips for young players (39:01 - 43:41) 10. Closing thoughts and ways of getting in contact with Blair (43:42 - 49:13)

In line with the Easter holidays, we thought we'd take the chance to talk about 'recharging our batteries'. In the midst of all this, Louis' voice sounds like Robocop, Vicky reveals her streak (headspace not snapchat), Brad (the master of burnout apparently) throws up at school, and Toni starts banging on about the 'Energiser bunny'. Other highlights include Toni completely forgetting to ask a question and Louis demonstrating mindfulness breathing (which his mic doesn't pick up). 

The serious bit: Recharging our batteries refers to partaking in self - care and rest. Athletes have a busy lifestyle and taking time to themselves can often be overlooked. On this episode we go into detail on why recharging our batteries is so important, the consequences of not doing this and suggestions for how to do it, amongst many other things.

Please leave us some feedback on the podcast and turn notifications on to be alerted of new episodes. Enjoy!

Talking Points 

1. Intro to topic (00:06 - 2:02)

2. What does recharging mean to us? (2:02 - 5:12)

3. Physical responses to not recharging (5:12 - 8:57)

4. Mental impact of recharging / not recharging (8:57 - 16:35)

5. Burnout (16:35 - 21:37)

6. How does recharging help us to reassess or reflect? (21:37 - 28:57)

7. Using mindfulness to recharge (28:57 - 38:50)

8. Closing thoughts (38:50 - 41:34)

Hi there, we are Wellbeing coaches at Care Visions working as part of a programme focussed on helping Academy footballers develop a deeper understanding of themselves, how their choices impact their wellbeing and affect their ability to perform on the football pitch. We wanted to start producing weekly podcasts on the topics we are covering with our players. This is in order to not only allow our players to gain a deeper understanding of each topic but allow others to grasp an understanding of certain topics within performance sport and their importance.

This week in part two of a two part podcast we are joined by the head of Kilmarnock FC Academy, Paul Digiacomo. Giaco shares with us his in-depth experience in the elite football world as we discuss wellbeing focussed topics with him. Giving us an eye opening and insightful look into academy football as both a player and coach.

Tune in to find out more!

Our latest episode is with Tom Gardiner, who is the performance psychologist and player care coordinator at a WSL club. Toni and Brad shared a supervisor with Tom over the past year or so and he has offered plenty of advice on navigating a career in the world of sport psychology and football. It was great to catch up and chat about key psychological components of player support in academy football, like identity, dealing with pressure and offering support for players through parents. We also discuss the growth of the women’s game - a theme which has come up a few times so far in season 2 – and how young girls now have role models to look up to through players that represent them.   Tom knows his stuff and draws on the breadth of experience he has acquired within his current role to provide our listeners with great insight into what working in the world of academy football is like as well as offering solid pieces of advice for young players. As hosts, we again learned a lot; like ‘dropping the ego’ and adapting to the needs of players. We hope you also take something from the episode and enjoy listening. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-gardiner-20a948137/   Talking Points    1.     Intro and welcome to episode (00:00 – 3:19) 2.     Tom’s experience in sport growing up (3:19 – 10:07) 3.     Experience with wellbeing / psychology as an athlete (10:07 – 15:08) 4.     Journey to role as performance psychologist and player care coordinator at WSL club (15:08 – 18:14) 5.     Common areas players struggle to cope with (18:14 – 26:16) 6.     Supporting players as a parent (26:16 – 36:44) 7.     Helping players to deal with pressure (36:44 – 41:58) 8.     Using your support network to deal with pressure (41:58 – 45:37) 9.     Being part of the growth of women’s football (45:37 – 50:15) 10.  Looking after his own wellbeing (50:15 – 52:31) 11.  Advice for young players (52:31 – 54:09) 12.  Closing thoughts (54:09 – 55:55)