Transcript

BEN OAKLEY:

So here we are at the end of the course, and I know from personal experience that writing these courses brings about all sorts of thoughts and feelings. So Caroline, starting with you, what did you learn from writing this?

CAROLINE HEANEY:

I think it was really useful in that it made us reflect on our interactions with athletes including our own children, in fact.

BEN OAKLEY:

So you talked about interactions with athletes. Tell us a bit more what you mean by that.

CAROLINE HEANEY:

I think it's just about thinking how athletes feel when they go through certain transitions. So for example, as a sports psychologist, I currently do a lot of work with injured athletes. And it's kind of made me or reminded me about how difficult those transitions can be, whether that's a minor injury or a major injury. That can have a really significant impact on how that person is feeling and every aspect of their life, not just their sport. So it's kind of reminded me of that type of thing.

BEN OAKLEY:

And presumably, that interest has come from you being injured at some stage and thinking about the psychological aspects of it?

CAROLINE HEANEY:

Yes, so I've had a few injuries during my career. And that kind of sparked my interest in that area. And it's an area that I did a PhD in, and I've done research in, because I'm interested in it. And I see it around me as an athlete, as the coach, and as a sports psychologist. It's a really massive transition for a lot of people.

BEN OAKLEY:

OK, what about the more general, the journey, the highs and the lows, all the way through your career, how do you reflect on those?

CAROLINE HEANEY:

I think just by writing this course, it's just reminded me about all of those highs and lows, and going back and thinking about those transitions I've been through, and kind of the periods where I was injured and how bad I felt during those periods. And when you move to a new club, and you do higher level competition, and it's really good and you run PBs, because you're getting those opportunities, it's kind of looking at all those different things. And I kind of reflected on the people that helped with that.

So at all stages of my career, when things went well or when things were going difficult, and I had to get through those things, it was the people around me, so coaches that were supporting me, my family supported me talking to other athletes who've been through the same thing, and kind of that planning aspect as well. And I think when it came to my retirement, I did have quite a well-planned out retirement. I had a phased retirement, where I retired from hurdling first, did a bit flat running, and then properly retired. So it was a softer landing in the end.

BEN OAKLEY:

OK, you're practicing what you preach then?

CAROLINE HEANEY:

Trying.

BEN OAKLEY:

OK, so Candice, you had a quite short intense career. Tell us about the end of your career and that big movement from there.

CANDICE LINGAM-WILLGOSS:

Yeah, I think that's been something that I've really reflected on through writing this course. Obviously, Caroline and I chatted a lot about our own sporting experiences while we put this course together. And for me, I didn't really understand, even though this is my area of interest, I didn't really realise why I felt how I did when I left my sport. I think in my head, at 17, I didn't view it as a retirement. Because that was a term I wouldn't have connected to something at that age.

I just thought I'm stopping skiing. And I felt really rubbish, to be honest. I suddenly wasn't at school Candice, the skier. I suddenly wasn't the person being written about in the local paper. And all of these things-- and I only now actually in a chat with Caroline about things that I suddenly realised that was my identity I'd lost. And I had no support with that. I had no one-- I left the skiing performance set up, didn't stay in touch with anybody. No one at school really could support me. The teachers they didn't really understand what I'd been doing. And I lost a whole sense of who I was. And that was really hard. And only now do I understand why I felt like that.

BEN OAKLEY:

OK, and so what other sort of big reflections do you have, since then?

CANDICE LINGAM-WILLGOSS:

I think, for me, it will definitely be the way I support my daughter with her sporting choices. So she is involved in competitive sport at a reasonable level. She's 13. But I'm quite realistic that when you are involved in high performance sport at quite a young age, it doesn't mean you're going to make it. And there will be lots of bumps along the road. And I hope that through my experience as an athlete, through studying things, through writing this course, that I'm kind of equipped to support her, and not make decisions for her, but listen to her thoughts and feelings on decisions that she makes so that she has a positive sporting journey.

BEN OAKLEY:

Great, well, thank you so much for putting the course together. I've had a read through it. I really enjoyed it. Obviously, I'm biased, and I hope you had a good time.

CANDICE LINGAM-WILLGOSS:

[LAUGHS]

BEN OAKLEY:

Thank you.