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"I think my biggest worry for young girls coming through is that you now have to live by your phone, you live by your AMS (Athlete Management System) where you get told what to do every day, day in, day out, and there's no real autonomy." Lanning, one of the greatest female cricket players of all time. However her retirement was not one that she would have hoped for. Her bravery for sharing her battle with an unhealthy relationship with food and exercise is admirable to so many. Helping other athletes to know they too can break silence. The harsh reality though is this: more athletes than not are struggling with issues relating to food, body image and exercise. Some meet diagnostic criteria for eating disorders, others do not. Regardless, this should not be happening in sport. We need better preventive measures in place, education for all stakeholders and a cultural revolution in supporting environments where athlete health is always the top priority. This requires multidisciplinary teams to work together across sport, which should include (but not limited to) the lived experience voice, researchers, practitioners, coaches, and dietitians. However, a concern arises when see athletes having to live by instruction from their athlete management system. How much power and control are we giving to those nurturing athletes compared to how much say an athlete has? Of course, athletes require guidance and support as they progress through their athletic career. But they also require autonomy and the confidence to know they are the best at understanding their body. There is a fine balance between guiding an athlete to optimal health and performance outcomes compared to controlling the direction of their journey. I think this is an important reflection for all of us to think about in the sporting arena at this critical time where athlete health is a topic at the forefront of our minds. https://lnkd.in/gGaZA825

In 2022, Ehab Galal was at the pinnacle of his career as head coach of the Egyptian national football team. Yet, after couple of matches, he was dismissed in a manner that lacked respect and fairness. Following this, he encountered a string of misfortunes with other teams he managed. This serves as a powerful reminder of the dangers of work-related stress. When pressure mounts and emotional support is lacking, and when a proper work-life balance is neglected, the toll it can take on a person’s well-being is immense. Stress, if not managed carefully, can have far-reaching consequences on both mental and physical health. It is crucial for all of us to recognize this and to ensure we foster environments where emotional support, balance, and understanding are prioritized, both in our workplaces and in our lives. Work should challenge us, but it should never break us. #worklifebalance #BalanceforBetter #StressManagement #MentalHealthMatters

Could football still be coming home this summer? Last night, whilst watching the England game I had one eye on the laptop preparing before a very busy week. As always seems to happen I ended up taking a quick look at Facebook. The first thing I noticed was comment after comment about how bad this England team is and how the manager needs to be sacked or worse! Now..... I 100% understand how disappointing the teams performances have been. Especially as we started the competition as favorites. I am not sure if I am going "soft" in my old age? But I couldn't help but feel for these young lads.... The hopes and dreams of the entire nation rest on their shoulders. Not only the British media have taken aim at the team. But now it seems a large percentage of the general public also think it is a good idea to publicly shame this group of professionals. Imagine if someone started doing this to you..... Imagine the pressure these lads are under. Not only from their own high standards, but also from their manager, family, friends and then the entire nation. Could you deal with that? Could I? I very much doubt it! Yes, these guys get paid enormous sums of money for what they do. But in my opinion this also adds to the pressure. England used to be a nation that came together in tough times. Yet somewhere along the way this seems to have been forgotten. Instead we take to social media to voice our "opinions". Most of which are regurgitated statements for the likes of Roy Keane and Ian Wright. Both of which I respect for their accomplishments in the game and obvious wealth of experience. My nan always said to me "opinions are like bum holes. Everyone has one and most of them stink!" She was a classy lady! In the real world where the average person who does not earn 10m plus per year. We have to be more socially conscious of everything these days. Just imagine the outrage if this behaviour happened in your work place! Someone showing up and shouting "you suck!" or "You have no idea what you are doing!". There would be a huge HR issue and in many cases, arrests. One other things that also jumped out at me is that the main culprits that were saying some pretty awful things on a very public forum, are the same people that post about mental health daily and how tough the world is these days. The words "double standards" springs to mind. You can't have it both ways! In the end with a great finish from Bellingham and then another goal seconds after from Kane we are through to the next round and the hopes and dreams of our great nation are still alive! One thing that never sits right with me is negativity! It only breeds more of the stuff and causes ore issues than not! I am a "glass half full" type of chap! I tend to avoid negative people these days in my my personal and professional life! It is better for my mental health personally. Life is too short to be miserable! Come on England! https://lnkd.in/dWkieTVF

Euros 2024: Are England's Players at Risk of Burnout? #Euros24 #wellbeing #performance England's on fire for the Euros! But are the players feeling the heat? 🔥 Burnout is a real risk for passionate, competitive individuals (like elite athletes!). 🏃♂️ The World Health Organization defines it as: - Exhaustion - Cynicism (towards their work) - Reduced effectiveness Signs to watch for: * Constant fatigue 😫 * Feeling helpless or trapped * Increased negativity * Self-doubt ❓ * Difficulty concentrating * Procrastination The ambitious often miss these warning signs. With every move under the microscope, the pressure to improve can be immense. But England's got their backs! Their sports science team understands load management is key. They're taking steps to ensure peak performance without burnout. Think like England for your team! 💡 Preventative wellbeing programs are essential. Stories for Wellbeing can help! (link in bio) Let's prioritize well-being for peak performance! ✨ #burnout

Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff, renowned TV presenter and former England cricket all-rounder, has revealed the profound and lasting impact of his Top Gear crash in December 2022. The accident, which occurred while filming at Dunsfold Aerodrome, Surrey, left Flintoff with severe facial injuries and several broken ribs. This traumatic event has "changed my life forever," Flintoff admitted, as he detailed his ongoing struggles with anxiety, nightmares, and flashbacks. In his candid conversation, part of the second series of Freddie Flintoff's Field of Dreams, Flintoff shared the difficulties he has faced in his recovery. "I thought I could just shake it off. I wanted to shake it off and say 'everything's all right,' but it's not been the case," he told the BBC. "It's been a lot harder than I thought. As much as I wanted to go out and do things, I've just not been able to. I struggle with anxiety. I have nightmares, I have flashbacks. It's been so hard to cope with." Flintoff's ordeal has kept him out of the public eye for a considerable time. However, his recent return to the cricket world as a coach has been a positive step forward. The BBC has acknowledged Flintoff's challenges and has agreed to a financial settlement, reported to be worth £9 million, to support his recovery. A spokesperson from BBC Studios said, "We have sincerely apologised to Freddie and will continue to support him with his recovery." Flintoff's journey highlights the unseen battles that many face after traumatic incidents, shedding light on the importance of mental health and the long road to recovery. His bravery in speaking out serves as an inspiration to others dealing with similar struggles, emphasizing that it's okay to seek help and acknowledge when things are not all right. #FreddieFlintoff #TopGear #RecoveryJourney #MentalHealth #BBC #FieldOfDreams #CricketLegend #Resilience #MentalHealthAwareness #LifeAfterTrauma #InspirationalJourney #Anxiety #Nightmares #Flashbacks #SupportAndRecovery #Thesocialtalks

Sophie Merve Yener 🚨 Why Sports-Related Concussion Matters in Australia 🚨 I recently had the opportunity to create a video for the Professional boxing and combat sports in Victoria , highlighting the importance of addressing sports-related concussions in our country. 🏉🏏🏀 With Australia's strong sporting culture and high participation rates, concussions are an issue that can't be ignored. Here’s why it matters: 1️⃣ High Participation Rates: Millions of Australians, including children, are actively engaged in sports, increasing the risk of concussions. 2️⃣ Long-term Health Risks: Repeated concussions can lead to serious long-term neurological issues, including cognitive impairment and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). 3️⃣ Public Health Concern: Increased awareness of the potential impacts of concussions has led to growing concern about the safety of contact sports, especially for our youth. 4️⃣ Economic Impact: The economic burden of SRC is significant, from medical costs to potential long-term disability. 5️⃣ Need for Education and Management: Proper education and management are crucial for athletes, coaches, and parents to identify and handle concussions effectively. 6️⃣ Policy Development: Developing and enforcing guidelines for concussion management is essential to protect our athletes. 7️⃣ Cultural Impact: Changing the "play through injury" mindset is vital to ensure the long-term health and enjoyment of sports for everyone. Let's work together to raise awareness, improve education, and ensure the safety of all athletes in Australia. 🧠💪 #ConcussionAwareness #SportsSafety #BrainHealth #SportsMedicine #AustraliaSports https://lnkd.in/gnj6AdZR

You don't need to like cricket to appreciate the wonderful BBC programme, 'Field Of Dreams' with Freddie Flintoff and his group of young lads hailing from some challenging backgrounds. If you've seen it, I'm sure you'll know what I mean. If you haven't, it's on the iplayer, and I thoroughly recommend it. It's not really about cricket, so if you're not a fan, please don't let that put you off! It's about connecting, building self-esteem, belief, courage, compassion and much more. Freddie strikes me as a kind and generous man. He's obviously had his own significant challenges to endure recently following his horrific accident on Top Gear. Personally, I have always enjoyed cricket. As a northern English lad myself, I played for school, Yorkshire League club sides, and even opened the batting for Aberdeen University! But one of the enduring aspects of it as a sport is that it is about teamwork, camaraderie, and supporting each other. That's evident in Flintoff's programme, where the boys are taken on 'tour' to India, not as great cricketers, but as a group of individuals who have faced personal, family and social challenges. Poverty, homelessness, prejudice, physical and mental health challenges... The programme charts their journey, and how they learn and grow to be stronger and more hopeful when they return to Preston. Freddie's style is one of listening, encouragement, and generating a real sense of belief and optimism. This week's final episode, a comment to one of the boys struck me - the more you chase what you think happiness is, the more it runs away from you. It's a fairly well known quote, but in this context it was really relevant - for one of the boys, his ambitions to play cricket for England were clear. But as Flintoff said to him, the more you want something, the harder it gets, and the more impossible it becomes. Instead, enjoy the process and let 'happiness' take care of itself. It's not the outcome that brings happiness, it's the way you approach it, the way you live your life. The connection, the respect, and the emotion was clear to see. Whether you want to be wealthy, have a particular job, or even play cricket for England... just enjoy the journey, and it might just happen if you don't obsess about the end point. Once you've got it, is it that that's brought happiness anyway, or is it how you feel as a person? In leadership, 'happiness' is like a butterfly—pursue it relentlessly, and it stays just out of reach. But when you lead with purpose, authenticity, and calm, it often finds you. True fulfillment in leadership comes not from chasing success, but from creating environments where growth and joy for yourself and for others naturally flourish. 🦋 #Leadership #Happiness #Authenticity #MindfulLeadership

This article sums up what is happening with England at the moment. In sport the term arousal means how activated or alert you are, in other words how 'awake' you are. For physical arousal, this is on a scale of deep sleep at one end to anxiety/red mist at the other. For cognitive (meaning thoughts) or mental arousal the extreme end that the England team are experiencing results in confused thinking, fear and panic (the current England mindset). An ideal performance state is thought to be an aroused body with a calm mind (although this will be different for every player), what is known as a 'flow' state or 'being in the zone'. When your mental arousal levels are too high, you are then unable to exert effective control over your body and choking occurs - you overthink and try too hard. This might be caused by too much focus on the outcome and not enough on the process. In the words of Declan Rice: "DESPERATE to do the country proud... We are all so DESPARATE TO WIN... to go out there and give people memories for lifetimes and sometimes I maybe feel like we put TOO MUCH PRESSURE on ourselves". He also tells us what the solution is: "we could just go out there and let it just take care of ourselves". Focusing on the outcome (winning) is a distraction and sometimes out of your control. Focusing on the processes is much more productive - what sport psychs would call "controlling the controllables". Focus on the journey not the destination, think about every next action (and not the last one especially if it was a mistake) and the result will look after itself. Easy to say sat in the comfort of my home but lets hope these supremely talented players can get this right and play the way they do for their clubs. This all starts with the coaching staff setting the right example. Be brave and go for it (game context permitting), take an example from Bazball in cricket. (On a side note great to see Phil Parkinson talking to the players about managing their arousal levels in Welcome to Wrexham 👏)

NEW DELHI: India’s pace spearhead <!-- -->Mohammed Shami<!-- --> has undergone a successful operation on his heel to mend his <!-- -->Achilles tendon<!-- -->, marking a crucial step in his journey toward full recovery. Shami, who has been sidelined from cricket since sustaining the injury during India’s 2023 ODI World Cup campaign, took to social media to provide an update on his condition.“Just had a successful <!-- -->heel operation<!-- --> on my Achilles tendon.Recovery is going to take some time but looking forward to getting back on my feet,” shared Shami on his social media platform.The injury, which occurred during India’s defeat to Australia in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium on November 19, has kept Shami out of action for an extended period. He was notably absent from subsequent fixtures including the T20I series against Australia and the tour of South Africa.Earlier hopes of a return for the five-match Test series against England were dashed as the severity of the injury necessitated surgical intervention. Despite initial optimism, Shami’s ailment proved to be more serious than anticipated, prompting the decision for him to undergo surgery in the United Kingdom.Shami’s absence from the international arena has been felt keenly by the Indian team, particularly given his stature as a key bowler across all formats of the game. However, with the successful completion of his surgery, fans and teammates alike will now eagerly await his gradual return to full fitness.The timeframe for Shami’s recovery remains uncertain, with the pacer expected to undergo a rigorous rehabilitation process in the coming months. Watch: Mohammed Shami awarded Breakthrough Performer of the Year Award at TOISA (With inputs from IANS) !(function(f, b, e, v, n, t, s) { function loadFBEvents(isFBCampaignActive) { if (!isFBCampaignActive) { return; } (function(f, b, e, v, n, t, s) { if (f.fbq) return; n = f.fbq = function() { n.callMethod ? n.callMethod(...arguments) : n.queue.push(arguments); }; if (!f._fbq) f._fbq = n; n.push = n; n.loaded = !0; n.version = '2.0'; n.queue = []; t = b.createElement(e); t.async = !0; t.defer = !0; t.src = v; s = b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t, s); })(f, b, e, 'https://lnkd.in/d-eUnHGy', n, t, s); fbq('init', '593671331875494'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); }; function loadGtagEvents(isGoogleCampaignActive) { if (!isGoogleCampaignActive) { return; } var id = document.getElementById('toi-plus-google-campaign'); if (id) { return; } (function(f, b, e, v, n, t, s) { t = b.createElement(e); t.async = !0; t.defer = !0; t.src = v; t.id = 'toi-plus-google-campaign'; s =

Concussions in sport are potentially life changing brain injuries 🤕 Check out our latest blog post, "Concussion Do's and Don'ts in Junior Sport," for crucial tips on recognising, managing, and preventing concussions. Let's safeguard our future champions! 🏉⚽️🏀🏈 #ConcussionAwareness #JuniorSport #HealthAndWellbeing AFL - Australian Football League National Rugby League Rugby Australia Football Australia AFL Victoria