Women’s Football Hub

#081 Team Resilience in Women’s Football – with Dr Adrienn Szabadics

 
In this episode of the Women's Football Hub psychology series, host Dr Ian Cookson welcomes Dr Adrienn Szabadics, Chartered Sport Psychologist and researcher in team resilience. Dr Szabadics shares insights from her research on resilience within elite women’s football environments.
They discuss:• Why team resilience is a psychosocial process, not just a collection of resilient individuals• Organisational and on‑pitch stressors unique to women’s football• Emotional contagion how panic or confidence spreads through a squad• The importance of intentional team identity and high‑quality relationships• The role of shared leadership (motivational, tactical, social, and external leaders)• How coaches can actively prepare teams for adversity, setbacks, and pressure moments• Why resilience must be continuously developed not assumed
This episode will benefit coaches, parents, practitioners, and players wanting a deeper understanding of how teams navigate pressure and maintain cohesion in challenging environments.
Hashtags#womensfootball #teamresilience #sportpsychology #footballresearch #eliteperformance #leadershipinsport #playerdevelopment #emotionalcontagion #womeninsport #WomensFootballHub
 

#080 The benefits of football for older women with Carol Bates

In this episode of the Women’s Football Hub podcast, host Carolyn Kent welcomes Carol Bates, founder of Old Girls Play Too and Crawley Old Girls (COGS). Carol has become one of the leading voices championing recreational football for women aged 40+, 50+, 60+ and beyond.
Carol shares her journey from growing up in a generation where girls weren’t allowed to play football, to becoming a key figure helping thousands of women discover the joy of the sport later in life. Together, Carolyn and Carol explore:
How recreational football improves confidence, connection and mental wellbeing
The role of football in supporting women through peri‑menopause and menopause
Why older women are still underrepresented in team sports
Bone density, fitness, strength and the surprising long‑term health benefits
How Old Girls Play Too is inspiring a national movement
Real-life transformation stories from women of all ages and abilities
How to get started even if you’ve never kicked a ball before
If you’re curious about playing football later in life, supporting older athletes, or understanding the importance of inclusive sporting spaces, this episode offers practical insight and heartfelt encouragement.
Connect with Carol:Instagram: @oldgirlsplaytoo | @crawleyoldgirlsLinkedIn: Carol Bates
#WomensFootball #RecreationalSport #OlderWomenInSport #FootballCommunity #OldGirlsPlayToo #COGS #Women40Plus #ActiveAging #WomenInFootball
 

#079 The legal side of brain injury in football with Steven Debonis

In this powerful episode, host Carolyn Kent speaks with attorney Steven DeBonis of Cordisco & Saile about the growing legal landscape surrounding traumatic brain injury (TBI) in football. With rulings such as the UK’s Gordon McQueen inquest and decades of concussion litigation in the United States, the conversation around brain injury in sport has never been more urgent.
Steven breaks down the intersection between law and medicine explaining how TBIs are defined, how causation is established, why cumulative impacts matter, and what governing bodies and youth organisations need to understand about duty of care. They also explore informed consent, legal precedents, and what the next 10 years might look like as research and litigation continue to evolve.
Whether you're a player, coach, administrator, medical professional, or simply a fan who cares about the future of the sport, this episode offers an essential and accessible deep dive into one of football’s most pressing issues.
Hashtags:#SportsLaw #BrainInjury #Football #SoccerSafety #ConcussionPrevention #AthleteProtection #WomensFootballHub
 

#078 Female health in the grassroots with Sarah Thorne

In this episode, host Carolyn Kent speaks with pelvic health expert Sarah Thorne about one of the most overlooked areas in women’s and girls’ sport: female health at grassroots level. With tens of thousands of young girls entering the game, understanding how puberty, menstrual cycles, pelvic health, growth, nutrition and confidence affect performance is more essential than ever.
Sarah shares insights from her extensive work in London grassroots clubs, where she supports coaches, parents, and players to build healthier, safer training environments. From the importance of sports bras and cycle awareness to managing growth-related pain and reducing injury risk, this conversation offers practical, immediately useful advice for every club.
Whether you're coaching under-10s, parenting a teenage footballer, or working within a club structure, this episode will help you understand how to better support young female players in the most crucial years of their development.
Key areas we explore:• What young players experience during puberty• Why menstrual cycles matter in sport• How clubs can promote confidence and reduce stigma• Pelvic floor and breathing awareness for youth athletes• Practical tips on nutrition and load management• The top three essentials every club must implement
Hashtags:#femaleathlete #femalehealth #grassrootsfootball #sportshealth #pelvichealth #girlsfootball #youthdevelopment #womensfootballhub
 

#077 Building a franchise with Jim Gooley

In this in‑depth conversation, Carolyn speaks with Jim Gooley, a central figure in the evolution of several major women’s football franchises in the United States. From the early days of the New Jersey Wildcats to the rise of Gotham FC, Jim has witnessed and helped shape the landscape of the women’s game over more than five decades.
They discuss how healthcare sponsorships can make or break a franchise, why player protection must come before performance, and how genuine community relationships are far more powerful than traditional advertising. Jim also shares lesser‑known stories about working with elite players and coaches, and reflects on the increasing commercialisation of the women’s game including the challenges posed by rising transfer fees, ticket pricing, and global tournaments.
This episode offers a unique blend of personal story, business insight, and reflections on culture, identity, and what makes women’s football distinct.
Topics include:• Building a franchise from amateur to professional• Sponsorship models that genuinely protect players• Injury, recovery, and the realities of early women’s football systems• Merchandising, marketing, and why women’s football fans are different• Independent clubs and the struggle for resources• The evolving global landscape of women’s football• Gotham FC’s championship moment and the league’s rapid growth
Hashtags:#womensfootball #footballbusiness #woso #GothamFC #WomensSport #sportsleadership #NWSL #femaleathletes #footballculture #playercare
 

#076 Neck Training with Theo Versteegh

In this episode of the Women’s Football Hub podcast, host Carolyn Kent is joined by internationally recognised physiotherapist, researcher, and CTO of TopSpin Technologies, Dr. Theo Versteegh, to explore why the neck may be one of the most underestimated areas in athlete preparation particularly in women’s football.
Together they discuss:
The difference between neck strengthening and true neck training
Why proprioception in the upper cervical spine is essential for balance, scanning, and heading
How deficits in neck function may relate to higher concussion and ACL injury risk
Why common rehab approaches (e.g., deep neck flexor endurance holds) fall short for athletes
The evidence behind the TopSpin 360, dynamic neck strength, and injury mitigation
Practical, low‑cost solutions such as the Versteegh Roll and Tuck (VRT) for youth and grassroots players
Insights from concussion studies, clinical cases, and women’s football performance data
This is an essential conversation for coaches, clinicians, S&C professionals, and anyone supporting female athletes. If you’ve ever wondered why neck training matters—or how it can transform injury risk and on‑pitch performance—this episode provides clarity and practical takeaways.
Contact Theo:• TopSpin360 inquiries: theo@topspin360.com• Clinical consultancy: theo@neckrevolution.com
#WomensFootball #ConcussionPrevention #NeckTraining #SportsMedicine #TopSpin360 #FemaleAthleteHealth #FootballPerformance #InjuryPrevention
 

#075 Hypothalamic Amenorrhea with Greta Jarvis

Hypothalamic Amenorrhea in Female Football: What Every Athlete and Coach Needs to Know
In this episode of Women’s Football Hub, host Carolyn Kent speaks with Greta Jarvis, nutrition and public health expert and founder of the Center for Active Women. Together they unpack Hypothalamic Amenorrhea (HA) a missing or irregular menstrual cycle caused by factors such as low energy availability, psychological stress, and high training loads.
Greta explains why HA is a diagnosis of exclusion, why it’s common in team sports, and why so many athletes never realise the risks until injuries or underperformance appear. The conversation covers bone health, stress fractures, RED-S, cultural taboos, and the importance of menstrual cycle tracking and creating safe environments for athletes to speak up.
We also discuss recovery timelines, treatment principles, and what coaches and clinicians can do to support players holistically and safely.
A must-listen episode for physiotherapists, coaches, medical teams, athletes, and anyone wanting deeper insight into female athlete health.
Hashtags:#HypothalamicAmenorrhea #FemaleAthleteTriad #REDs #LowEnergyAvailability #WomensSports #WomensHealth #FootballMedicine #SportsScience #AthleteWellbeing
 

#074 Identity and belonging with Dr Ian Cookson

Identity & Belonging with Dr Ian Cookson
In this episode of the Women’s Football Hub Podcast, host Carolyn Kent sits down with Dr Ian Cookson, sport psychologist and host of our psychology series, for a deep and honest conversation about identity, belonging, and the evolving culture of football.
We explore:• How players develop (and sometimes lose) their sense of identity• The emotional impact of injury, long-term rehab and identity foreclosure• The critical role belonging plays in team dynamics• Identity challenges when players are released from academies• The transition into retirement and life beyond sport• Unique insights from parasport and amputee football• Whether women’s football is, or should be, following the trajectory of the men’s game• What coaches and support staff can do to foster healthy identity and belonging
This episode is packed with practical advice for practitioners, coaches, parents, and anyone supporting athletes through the highs and lows of the game.
Hashtags:#WomensFootballHub #PlayerIdentity #BelongingInFootball #SportPsych #InjuryPsychology #AthleteTransition #PlayerCare #WomenInFootball #FootballCommunity
 

#073 Why we should relax our pelvic floor with Chloe Evans

In this episode of Women’s Football Hub, host Carolyn Kent is joined by women’s health physiotherapist and Pilates instructor Chloe Evans to discuss the often‑ignored but hugely important topic of pelvic floor relaxation.
Many women - especially athletes - experience pelvic floor symptoms despite doing regular strengthening exercises. Chloe explains why this happens, why relaxation is essential before any contraction work, and how stress, daily habits, and breathing patterns all influence pelvic floor function.
Together, Carolyn and Chloe explore:
Pelvic floor tension in athletes
The importance of language when discussing pelvic health
Breathing techniques and nervous system regulation
Pain with intimacy and how physios approach difficult conversations
Practical tools for improving pelvic floor awareness
How mind–body work like Pilates can transform function and confidence
The link between relaxation, performance, and overall wellbeing
This is an open, supportive conversation suitable for any woman wanting to understand her body better, whether you’re an athlete, clinician, or simply curious about pelvic health.
Content note: Includes mature but non‑graphic discussion of intimacy and pelvic health, for educational purposes.
#PelvicHealth #WomensFootballHub #PelvicFloorRelaxation #WomenInSport #Physiotherapy #BreathingTechniques #PilatesForAthletes #PerformanceAndHealth
 

#072 The importance of sleep in football with Dr Kirstie Anderson

Sleep isn’t just rest it’s a performance enhancer. In this episode of Women's Football Hub, Carolyn Kent talks to Dr. Kirstie Anderson, a leading sleep specialist and neurologist, about the science behind sleep and its impact on football. We dive into why sleep matters for memory, mood, and recovery, how it affects injury risk, and what female athletes need to know about hormonal changes and aging. Plus, we bust myths about magnesium, discuss the truth about wearables, and share practical strategies for managing jet lag and optimizing circadian rhythm.
Whether you’re an elite player, a coach, or a walking footballer, this episode offers actionable advice to help you prioritise sleep for peak performance.
Listen now and subscribe for more evidence-based insights!
#SleepForAthletes #WomenInFootball #SportsScience #AthleteHealth #FootballPodcast #PerformanceRecovery #SleepMatters #CircadianRhythm #JetLagTips