Off The Bench Off The Ball

Coach Sally Batley and mum Deirdre Slevin on how best to support outstanding teenage athletes like Ireland’s top gymnast Emma Slevin, especially when they face challenges. Coaches and parents never make the podium but no athlete gets there without great ones. Their relationship is even more important in individual sports so we asked Sally and Deirdre how they make it work.

To celebrate International Women's Day, Off The Bench spoke to the wonderful Ruth Bolton. Ruth overcame many odds to become a WNBA star and Olympic champion but her biggest battle of all was with domestic abuse. Basketball Ireland and the Jr NBA recently launched a four-part ‘Her Time To Play’ documentary series featuring two-time Olympic gold medallist and two-time WNBA All-Star Ruthie Bolton. The topics discussed in this interview coincide with the Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curriculum that is currently in place. Basketball Ireland is encouraging any SPHE, Transition Year, PE teachers and basketball coaches to check out the Basketball Ireland website for more information on how to avail of the resource.

For the first Off The Bench of 2021, we have a rugby special about postponement of women's Six Nations. Our guest is Alison Donnelly, editor of 'Scrum Queens' and renowned expert on the women's game who juggles that voluntary role with working full-time for Sport England. She argues that separating women's Six Nations from running parallel to the men's could actually be a good thing and the best way to grow it further. Included also is a discussion on how the postponement impacts Ireland's 2021 World Cup hopes, the recent #icare campaign that followed Six Nations postponement and we ask why the women's Six Nations still has no title sponsor. Cliona and Alison also discussed the fear that women's sport may be worst hit by the negative effects of COVID-19.

Cliona Foley speaks to Irish Olympic rower Frances Cryan about her success at Moscow 1980. Frances competed in Russia, where she just missed a place in the single sculls final by 1600th of a second. She was only 20 at the time and actually trained with Steve Redgrave and the Americans in subsequent years yet, despite going to Dublin to get her Olympic uniform in 1984 - she wasn't sent to the Los Angeles Olympics! The decision on Los Angeles was made only six weeks beforehand and made because those choosing 'didn't think she'd make the final'. It soured her relationship with the sport and she quit some years later but she is still very passionate about rowing and the Olympics. Give it a listen!

On Off The Bench this week, Connacht Rugby president Ann Heneghan joins Cliona Foley to discuss her role and her hopes for the province. Heneghan is the first female president of a provincial rugby body, making history in the sport, and Cliona looks into all manner of the sport - it is well worth your time. Download the brand new OTB Sports App in the Play Store & App Store right now! We've got you covered! Subscribe to Off The Ball's YouTube channel for more videos, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for the latest sporting news and content.

We are joined this week by rugby player Sorcha MacLaimhin, who tells us why her support group 'Mama Loves Sport' is so badly needed by sporty mums. Sorcha discusses why 'snapping back' - the desire to get back to a pre-pregnancy body shape - is a misplaced pressure on new mothers, and the information vacuum that sporty mums face going back to sport. She also talks about why it is much harder for ordinary mums to get back into sport than professionals like Serena and Jessica Ennis. Is post-maternity advice about returning to ‘exercise’ but rarely geared towards getting back into competitive sport? Download the brand new OTB Sports App in the Play Store & App Store right now! We've got you covered! Subscribe to Off The Ball's YouTube channel for more videos, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for the latest sporting news and content.