I’m excited to be joined by Stephen Renwick in this episode. Stephen is a sport psychology consultant, training through BASES as a probationary sport & exercise scientist specialising in psychology. He works with athletes in multiple sports and uses a framework called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Stephen also holds a senior world ranking for tennis. In this episode we speak in depth about Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Stephen takes us through how this framework is used can be used practice.

I have the pleasure of being joined by Jennifer Lace in this episode. Jennifer is Head of Sport Psychology and Personal Development at Nottingham Forest FC. Prior to her role at Forest, Jennifer worked at Burnley FC as Sport Psychology Practitioner and Lecturer. Jennifer has an MSc from Stafford University and is accredited by BASES (Bristish Association of Sport and Exercise Science). We talk about the road to becoming a sport psychologist and the path options that are available; how to get coaches on board with sport psychology; aiding a coach’s delivery and specific psychological approaches and models.

I am delighted to be joined by father and son, Keith and David Mayer in this episode. Both Keith and David are both coaches and ex-professional players. Keith has coached soccer for 37 years on 6 continents and is currently coaching Liverpool Football Academy. David also started coaching after his playing days and has coached on 4 continents and is currently Global Head of Foundation Phase at 7Elite Academy in Salt Lake City. Keith and David have written a fantastic book entitled Gold Dust: How to Become a More Effective Coach, Quickly. And it’s this book we mainly speak about discussing the significance of interpersonal skills; coaching with intention; coaches monitoring the language they use and being aware of their communication.

I have the pleasure of being joined by Prof Brendan Cropley in this episode. Brendan is Professor of Sport Coaching at the University of South Wales. He is also Head of the Centre for Football Research in Wales. Brendan has made a significant contribution to the Sport & Exercise Sciences, particularly in the area of sport psychology and sport coach education. He has provided a range of consultancy services to athletes, coaches, and NGBs as well as having an emerging research profile that has helped to shape training and development programmes in the sport sciences and sport coaching. This contribution was recognised by the British Association of Sport & Exercise Science (BASES) who awarded Brendan Fellowship status in 2014. We speak about the importance of integrating sport psychology into coaching curriculums and what that can look like in practice.

I’m excited to be joined by Morgan Lewis in this episode. Morgan is an ex-professional footballer, having played for AFC Bournemouth in the 1980’s. Since his playing days, Morgan has worked as a teacher for 15 years as well as in healthcare communications, using behaviour change theories to create interventions that help people to make better decisions. Morgan is also a keen table tennis player and coach, coaching elite junior players. An ongoing student of sport psychology and a facilitator of mental skills in sport, Morgan and I speak about behaviour change; coaches and players co-creating solutions; psychological safety and acceptance.

I’m excited to speak with Stuart Lancaster in this episode. Having held various leadership, management and coaching positions at different levels of the game, Stuart became head coach of the English national rugby union team in 2011. Stuart now coaches Leinster Rugby in Ireland. He currently sits on the Technical Advisory board for the Football Association and has worked with many other sports and businesses in delivering leadership lessons and ideas on how to create long term high performing teams. A former PE teacher, Stuart talks about learning from his experiences during his teaching days. We also speak about the importance of sport psychology; mental skills being learnable skills; coaching styles and moving between the scale of coaching; developing players’ resilience in training; and what great leadership looks like.

I’m delighted to speak with Skye Eddy Bruce in this episode. Skye is the founder of Soccer Parenting Association which aims to inspire players by empowering parents. Skye is also a soccer coach and holds her USSF “B” license. She is a grassroots instructor for US soccer and a goalkeeping instructor for United Soccer Coaches. The work that Skye does is geared toward shifting cultures and awareness and helps coaches and clubs rethink the role that parents play in the sporting experience of their child. Skye is a former soccer player, having played collegiately and professionally and she is a soccer parent herself.

I’m honoured to speak with two-time FIFA Women's World Cup champion, two-time Olympic gold medallist, and two-time FIFA Player of the Year, Carli Lloyd and her personal coach and mentor James Galanis in this episode. Carli needs no further introduction, she’s one of the greatest soccer players of all time. James is technical director of Medford Strikers Soccer Club and is the founding Director of premier soccer school, Universal Soccer Academy, the goal of which is to achieve excellence at each level of play while always striving to reach the next level. James has been by Carli’s side from the very early days in her career, helping her to push herself to be the best she can be. We speak about Carli’s journey from her early playing days through to now and James’ support and the strategies that have helped her become one of the greatest soccer players in the world. We speak about the dedication Carli has to improvement and how James pushes her to continually improve.

I’m excited to speak with Dr Noel Brick in this episode. Noel is a Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology at Ulster University. He has a Masters in Sport and Exercise Psychology and a PhD in Attentional Focus and Psychological Strategies in Endurance Activity. As a runner himself, Noel was interested in what endurance athletes think about during a race, what they focus on, what mental strategies they use, how they develop those strategies and how do they know if they’re working for them. We speak about Noel’s background and how he became interested in attentional focus; the use of mantras, active and involuntary distraction; dealing with injury and pain; self-regulation; practising using strategies when you most need them; meta-cognition and the importance of reflection.  

I speak with Steve Magness in this episode. Steve is a sport scientist and a track and field coach. He coaches competitors at all levels, including athletes who have competed in the World Championships and the Olympics. He is Head Cross Country coach at the University of Houston, a Lecturer of Strength and Conditioning at St. Mary’s University, UK and author of three best-selling books, including the latest: The Passion Paradox. We speak about power posing in science and in practice; how feelings mediate an athlete’s performance; challenge vs threat states; the brain/body connection; attention; and the result of failing to develop the psychological side.