THE LOWDOWN EPISODE #52 - NEUROSCIENCE & IT'S APPLICATION WITHIN FOOTBALL w/ SHEFFIELD UNITED'S; SALLY NEEDHAM

“Be authentic, don't conform”

Sally Needham's career has been a never ending quest as to how to better understand the how & why behind kid's behaviour. After honing her craft as a coach & coach educator within the FA for 13 years Sally left to pursue her area of passion in the psychological and social aspects of the game through the lens of neuroscience. She has certainly got lost in the learning and is one of the game's go to experts in areas such as neuroscience and child development. Sally now works at Sheffield United where she puts many of these practices into place throughout the academy. Here in this episode she unpacks her career to date and as to how we can apply some of these teachings into practice. A must listen for all coaches and educators alike. Furthermore we discussed;

- Living in the moment versus pursuing your goals.

- The turning point in Sally's coaching career.

- Common misconceptions surrounding Sally's work?

- “Getting in the green zone” - what is the polyvagal theory?

- Practical examples as to how to apply Sally's teachings on the pitch.

- How to stress and stretch players approapriately within the challenge-skills sweetspot?

- What can coaches do now to begin providing for the future player?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 06:46 - Coaching Pathway

06:47 - 14:34 - Neuroscience

14:35 - 19:38 - Application

19:39 - 28:23 - Challenge-Skills Sweetspot

28:24 - 35:45 - Future Player

35:46 - 39:55 - Sheffield United

39:56 - 44:22 - Advice