Women’s Football Hub

• #049 Sport Psychology Series Intuition with Melissa Dhillon

  🎙️ Episode Title: Intuition with Melissa Dhillon Hosted by Dr Ian Cookson Guest: Melissa Dhillon, Chartered Sport and Exercise Scientist & MSc in Sport and Exercise Psychology Listen now at www.womensfootballhub.com or on your favourite podcast app 🔑 Episode Summary: In this episode, Dr Ian Cookson sits down with Melissa Dhillon to explore the power of intuition in sport. Melissa draws on her extensive experience, including her work with Birmingham Women’s and Girls Football Club, to unpack the psychological demands of players and how creating a safe, trusting environment can unlock performance. The episode delves into the differences in psychological needs between men and women in sport, the role of intuition in decision-making, and how flow state can elevate performance. 🧠 Key Topics: The importance of building safe, trusting spaces for athletes to thrive Gender differences in communication and emotional support in football How Melissa uses experience across tennis, golf, and boxing to understand mental demands What intuition really means in sport – and how to train it The balance between technical coaching and allowing players to develop instinctive decision-making Creating flow state and the psychological value of "the zone" Why children are naturally intuitive – and how we often interrupt that Encouraging autonomy and responsibility in players 💬 Key Quote: “Intuition is the brain’s ability to process stored information based on experience – it’s not magic, it’s learned, and it’s powerful.” 🎯 Who’s it for? Perfect for coaches, players, parents and support staff who want to better understand the psychological layers that shape confidence and decision-making in female footballers. 📲 Connect with Melissa: Website: www.athletesinthezone.com Instagram: @melissadhillonitz LinkedIn: Melissa Dhillon 🔔 Support the Hub Love what we do? Visit the Women’s Football Hub Merch Store to grab your kit and help us champion women’s football – one hoodie at a time.

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• #048 ACL Recovery & Resilience in Young Female Athletes” – with Elliot Greenberg & Dr. Ted Ganley

  🎙️ “Rebuilding Stronger: ACL Recovery & Resilience in Young Female Athletes” – with Elliot Greenberg & Dr. Ted Ganley 🗣️ Hosted by Carolyn Kent, co-hosted by Lindsey Cornish 🔹 Episode Summary: In this episode of Women's Football Hub, host Carolyn Kent and co-host Lindsey Cornish are joined by two world-class experts from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia: Elliot Greenberg, a clinical specialist in ACL rehab, and Dr. Ted Ganley, an orthopedic surgeon and director of the Sports Medicine and Performance Center. Together, they unpack the full ACL journey—from surgery and rehab to re-injury prevention and mental health—offering unique insights into supporting young female footballers through one of the most challenging injuries in sport. 🔑 Key Topics Covered: 🧠 The Emotional Impact of ACL Rehab “It’s not the pain—it’s the identity loss” How staying socially connected boosts recovery ⚙️ Why Rehab Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All Pediatric rehab milestones vs adult protocols Strength, neuromuscular control & realistic timelines Language matters: “You’re not ‘cleared’—you’re progressing” 🦵 Re-injury Risks & Return-to-Play Why 9 months is just a minimum Why symmetry ≠ readiness Elliot’s favorite quote: “Being strong is good. Accessing strength quickly is better.” ⚽ Coaches, Parents & Prevention Injury prevention starts BEFORE elite level Strength training bias: Are we underloading female athletes? Reinforce injury prevention after return to play 🩺 Surgical & Long-Term Considerations How growth plates affect graft choice What “stronger than ever” really means post-ACL The uncomfortable reality of early-onset arthritis 🧭 Quotes to Remember: “Recovery is not linear—every athlete is on their own journey.” – Elliot Greenberg “ACL surgery is just the helicopter ride to base camp—rehab is the real mountain climb.” – Dr. Ted Ganley “The goal of ACL surgery isn’t elite status—it’s preserving knee health for life.” 🔗 Resources Mentioned: 📚 U.S. injury data & sport-specific risk breakdowns 🧠 Sports psychology integration in rehab 💡 Machine learning in predicting ACL reinjury risk (Greenberg & Ganley, 2024) 🎧 Listen Now: Find the full episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & all major platforms. 🔗 Subscribe and share with anyone supporting female youth athletes!

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• #47 New Research an evaluation of nutritional practices and energy requirements of elite female soccer players - Dr Sam McHaffie

  In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Sam McHaffie, performance nutritionist at Manchester City Women and recent PhD graduate from Liverpool John Moores University. We unpack the findings from his four-part PhD exploring nutrition and energy availability in elite female footballers—from carbohydrate fear and body image concerns to under-fuelling and RED-S risk in adolescent players. Sam shares practical insights for coaches, players, and parents on fuelling performance, supporting menstrual health, and creating positive nutrition environments in the women's game. 🎙 Topics include: Carbohydrate myths and body image issues in women’s football Skinfold testing and why context matters How open players really are about their menstrual cycle The role of parents, coaches, and practitioners in shaping healthy food culture Doubly labelled water and redefining energy needs in female athletes If you support a player, work in the game, or just want to understand women’s football better—this one’s for you. 🔗 More at www.womensfootballhub.com

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• #046 Sport Psychology Series - Inside the Referee Mindset: Psychology, Pressure & Performance with PGMOL’s Kayleigh Dougan & Sue Jones

  🎙️ Podcast Title: "Inside the Referee Mindset: Psychology, Pressure & Performance with PGMOL’s Kayleigh Dougan & Sue Jones" 👥 Guests: Kayleigh Dougan – Performance Psychologist, PGMOL Dr. Sue Jones – Performance Psychologist, PGMOL 🎧 Episode Summary: In this episode, Dr. Ian Cookson sits down with Kayleigh Dougan and Dr. Sue Jones to explore the untold side of officiating. As performance psychologists for match officials in the men’s and women’s games, they take us behind the scenes into the world of referee psychology, training, communication, and the unique pressures match officials face in a rapidly evolving sport landscape. ⚽ What You’ll Learn: The hidden demands of elite-level officiating – both on and off the pitch How performance psychology is embedded into referee development What it’s like to manage emotions, split-second decisions, and external pressure under the spotlight Why officials are teams too—and how they build cohesion under rotating lineups What it takes to mentally reset after a controversial decision (or social media backlash) The structure of support (including sports science, coaches, and psychology) for match officials 🧠 Key Talking Points: How referees “park decisions” and move on quickly to maintain performance Using fatigue-based training to simulate in-game pressure “Pebble in the pond”: how communication within the referee team can influence decisions Growth mindset in officiating: why adaptability and reflection are key The unique stressors in the Women’s Super League as crowds, stakes, and scrutiny grow How officiating is a high-performance career path in its own right 👂 Quotes to Remember:  🗣️ “It’s not just the 90 minutes—it’s a full-time commitment around another full-time job.” – Kayleigh Dougan 🗣️ “Growth mindset is about openness to change. We embed it in every match review.” – Sue Jones 📣 Advice For... 🔹 Players, Coaches, and Parents: Respect the role of officials. They are human, highly trained, and essential to the game. 🔹 Match Officials: Trust the process, use your support network, and never be afraid to speak up. 🔹 Coaches: Do your Level 1 referee course to better understand the laws and support match officials. 📌 Call to Action: Learn more about PGMOL and how you can get into officiating through the FA website. And don’t forget—every piece of Women’s Football Hub merch you buy helps us grow the game: 🛍️ www.womensfootballhub.com 📌 Disclaimer: This episode is for informational purposes only. Please consult a healthcare professional for medical advice.

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• #045 Sports medicine series - Relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-s) with Velvet Klass

  🎙️ Podcast Title: "Spotlight on REDs: Female Football, Menstrual Health & Multidisciplinary Support with Velvet Klass" 👤 Guest: Velvet Klass – PhD Candidate at Flinders University, researching REDs and multidisciplinary support in elite women’s football. 🎧 Episode Summary: In this episode, host Carolyn Kent chats with researcher and former athlete Velvet Klass about Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs)—a condition that’s affecting far more female footballers than you might think. From menstrual health and energy intake to the critical role of coaches and support teams, Velvet shares her personal journey and research findings that shine a light on a rarely discussed issue in elite women's sport. 💡 What You'll Learn: What REDs actually is and how it differs from the Female Athlete Triad Common symptoms and early warning signs players, coaches, and parents should watch out for How REDs can occur with or without an eating disorder Why consistent multidisciplinary support matters (and why nutritionists alone aren’t enough) The limitations of menstrual cycle tracking without follow-up The importance of athlete-centered care and the human-first approach Velvet’s call for governing bodies and universities to take action 🚨 Key Takeaways: REDs can affect both men and women and often goes unnoticed in team sports like football. Psychological symptoms—like mood swings and fatigue—often appear before physical ones. Many athletes don’t have access to consistent nutritional or medical support. Awareness and education about menstrual health is still shockingly low in both universities and football clubs. Coaches and physios are often best placed to spot REDs early—but need training to do so. Policy change is essential to ensure lasting support, especially as club staff turnover is high. No player should be made to feel losing their period is normal—it’s not. 📣 Shoutout: Support our nonprofit work and grab your WFH merch at 🛍️ www.womensfootballhub.com 📌 Disclaimer: This episode is for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult a healthcare professional if you have concerns.

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