The Bold Tackle Sophie Howard & Oliver Howard

And that's a wrap! In the final episode of this season, we'll briefly recap Scotland’s recent international break and highlight Sophie’s latest milestone. We'll also dive into our summer plans, including a surprise visit and our annual trips to see family. Additionally, Sophie will share her perspective on being a twin and the challenges of living far apart.

Thank you for all your support, dear Bold Tackle listeners. It's been an incredible first season, and we can't wait to return with more insightful and enjoyable discussions next season two. Have a great summer break, everyone, and see you soon!

Recently, more and more professional athletes have shared their stories and experiences with mental health struggles. Their willingness to shed light on these internal battles is significant and has likely helped many people facing similar challenges, both on and off the pitch. But who supports these athletes during these tough times? Who is there for them when they are left alone with their thoughts?

Is there a connection between mental well-being and performance psychology? What if we told you that confidence isn't always necessary for peak performance? Jess Thom, the head of performance psychology for Team GB at this year’s Olympics, sat down with us to discuss these very topics. From the importance of training your brain to think positively to distinguishing between feelings and behaviors when discussing confidence, Jess provides incredible insights into her work. She also shares how everyone can use performance psychology to elevate their game.

With the last game for the 2023/24 season just having passed, in this week’s episode we will be taking the time to review and reflect on the past twelve months. As much as it’s fair to say that Leicester City’s women did not reward their performances with enough convincing results throughout the season, Sophie insists that, yet, it was a season that indicated that the club and team are moving in the right direction. A season with many challenges, that however was defined by and will be remembered for the team’s togetherness, resilience, and fight.

"What do you actually want to do with football?" That’s all it took for Christie to plot her path to get to where she wanted to be. It is this encounter with her PE teacher that challenged her to think about where she wanted to take 'this whole footballing thing' and to locate the stepping stones she needed to become the elite level athlete she is today.
This week, we were joined by Scotland international and Birmingham City captain Christie Harrison-Murray. After sharing her own journey that took her across the world and back again, we will be digging deep into Christie’s secret to performing at the elite level year after year. Further, we will be discussing Christie’s absolute team player mentality and how she manages to deal with challenges and setbacks. Lastly, Christie will be sharing her drive to give back to the next generation and will leave all listeners with her advice on what it takes to become a professional athlete.

Time to pass on the mic and switch sides. In this episode, we have turned the tables and give Oli a go on the hot seat. Oli will be answering a bunch of quick-fire questions to give us an insight into his life and way of thinking. From his hypothetical very first team meeting as manager and his journey and drive behind self-employment to the biggest lesson life has taught him in recent years – an episode full of remarkable insights. Thank you, Oli, for your vulnerability and for sharing your stories and knowledge. A slightly uncomfortable experience for the man usually in charge of the questions, but one that has given our listeners an incredible insight into who Oli is and what we can all learn from the eldest of us four.

Looking to close the gap to the teams above or wanting to increase the gap behind? This year, the table standing for Leicester’s Women is very different to last year’s and after Bristol’s loss at the weekend, the team mathematically is safe and has nothing to do with relegation. How does this change your mindset or even playing style? What are the feelings in camp? And, given last year’s history, did relegation play any role throughout the season?
In this week’s episode, we will be looking at the current league standing for Leicester and will herewith discuss the different existing feelings compared to this time around last year. Further, we will be highlighting the misalignment of performances and results for the team and will be addressing the importance of the final three games – collectively and individually.