🎙️ Host: Carolyn Kent

In this episode of the Women’s Football Hub Podcast, host Carolyn Kent speaks with Dr. Kerry Peek, a leading expert in brain health, heading, and concussion in football. Dr. Peek is currently working as a FIFA medical researcher, focusing on injury prevention and brain health in football.

The conversation explores:

🔹 Heading is a skill that must be taught properly – Poor technique and lack of coaching increase injury risk.

📚 FIFA Brain Health & Heading Research – Stay updated on FIFA’s latest studies.

📌 Follow Women’s Football Hub Podcast for expert insights into female football performance and injury prevention.

🎧 Listen now – Available on all major podcast platforms!

#WomensFootballHub #FootballScience #ConcussionAwareness #BrainHealth #WomenInSport #HeadingSafety #SportsPhysio #InjuryPrevention

🎙️ Host: Carolyn Kent

In this episode, Carolyn Kent speaks with Professor Deirdre McGhee, a leading expert in breast biomechanics and injury prevention in sport. With over 20 years of experience, Prof. McGhee has conducted pioneering research into breast health and its impact on athletic performance.

The discussion covers:

🔹 Breast movement is significant: During an hour of running, breasts can bounce up to 10,000 times, affecting posture and muscle activation.

📲 Breast Research Australia App – A free resource to help women find the right sports bra: www.bra.edu.au

📌 Follow Women’s Football Hub Podcast for more evidence-based discussions on women’s football and athlete well-being.

🎧 Listen now and learn how optimising breast support can improve athletic performance!

🎙 Host: Carolyn Kent

In this episode of Women's Football Hub, Carolyn Kent sits down with Ivi Casagrande, a performance coach with an impressive career spanning multiple continents. From playing football in Brazil to coaching at the highest levels with FIFA, UEFA, and the Football Association of Ireland, Ivi shares her unique journey in sports science, coaching, and leadership.

✅ Ivi's Journey in Football & Coaching

✅ Coaching at the Highest Level

✅ Building a High-Performance Culture in Football

✅ Collaborating with Coaches & Managing Team Dynamics

✅ Mental Health & Work-Life Balance for Athletes

✅ The Future of Women's Football & Brazil Hosting the World Cup

🌐 Website: CasagrandeCoaching.org

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Women's Football Hub Podcast Episode Title: Understanding Menopause in Female Athletes with Dr. Nicky Keay

Episode Summary: In this episode of Women's Football Hub, host Carolyn Kent speaks with Dr. Nicky Keay, a leading expert in female athlete health, honorary clinical lecturer at University College London, and author of Hormones, Health and Human Potential and The Myths of Menopause. They discuss the impact of menopause on female footballers, the physiological and psychological challenges it presents, and strategies for coaches, clubs, and players to manage training and recovery effectively.

Key Topics Discussed:

🔹 What is Menopause? – Understanding the physiological changes when the ovaries retire and hormone production stops.

🔹 Physical & Mental Effects – Common symptoms such as hot flushes, sleep disturbances, mood fluctuations, and anxiety.

🔹 Training Adaptations – How players and coaches can modify training and recovery to accommodate hormonal changes.

🔹 Coach Education – Encouraging male coaches to become comfortable discussing menopause and supporting players effectively.

🔹 Exercise & Menopause – Why strength training is crucial, but not the only form of exercise needed for menopausal athletes.

🔹 Fitting Exercise into a Busy Life – Practical tips for women juggling work, family, and training.

🔹 Psychological Wellbeing – How cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and journaling can help manage symptoms.

🔹 HRT: Myths & Facts – Common misconceptions about hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and how it can help manage symptoms.

🔹 Red-S & Menopause – The crossover between low energy availability (LEA), underfueling, and perimenopause in active women.

Resources & Further Reading:

📚 Hormones, Health and Human Potential – Dr. Nicky Keay

📚 The Myths of Menopause – Dr. Nicky Keay

🌍 Visit Dr. Keay’s Website for research, resources, and advisory consultations www.nickykeayfitness.com

Final Message: If you or someone you know is struggling with menopause and its impact on sports and daily life, reach out for support. Follow the latest evidence-based guidance and adapt training and recovery to fit individual needs.

🎧 Subscribe & Tune In Next Time Follow Women's Football Hub for more expert insights into women's football, health, and performance.

Episode Summary: Host Carolyn Kent speaks with Siobhan O’Donovan, physiotherapist and founder of Posture Fitting, about the vital role of breast health and posture in women’s performance. Siobhan, known as "The Boobie Physio," shares practical insights on managing breast weight, finding the right bra, and building internal support through posture and muscle activation.

Key Points: Breast Weight & Posture: How breast weight affects alignment and the importance of resisting gravity.

Support Systems: Combining internal activation (muscle strength) with properly fitted bras for optimal support.

Bra Fitting Tips: Common fitting mistakes, the importance of proper sizing, and differences between daywear and sports bras.

Impact on Sports: Breast-related discomfort as a barrier to participation and the role of education in keeping girls in sport.

Educational Initiatives: Siobhan’s Posture Fitting service and Gals Against Gravity course to raise awareness and provide practical solutions.

Connect with Siobhan O’Donovan:

Instagram/Facebook/LinkedIn: @Posture.Fitting Email: [email protected]

Phone: +353 87 POSTURE

Takeaway: Breast health is essential for performance, confidence, and posture. Proper support allows female athletes to reach their full potential.

Episode Summary: In this episode of Women's Football Hub, Carolyn Kent sits down with Hannah Antony, a senior physiotherapist from Alberta, Canada, and a medical content specialist. Hannah shares her personal journey through ACL injury and reconstruction, providing unique insights from both a patient's and a physiotherapist's perspective.

Topics covered include:

Key Takeaways:

Resources Mentioned:

Have a question about ACL injury prevention or rehab? Reach out to us or visit Hannah's website for more resources.

Episode Title: Unlocking Youth Potential: Athletic Development with Rob Anderson

Episode Summary:

Together, Carolyn and Rob dive deep into the importance of athletic development in youth sports, touching on key topics such as:

Rob also shares his philosophy on how proper athletic development can minimise the gap between early and late maturers and provides practical tips for parents, coaches, and young athletes to get started.

Where to Find Rob Anderson:

Key Quote:

Don't Miss: Rob shares practical tips for building movement competence, balancing training loads, and why female athletes have so much to gain from strength training.

Emotional Regulation in Women's Football with Sarah Knapp

In this episode of Women's Football Hub, Dr. Ian Cookson interviews Sarah Knapp from Northampton Town Women's Football Club. They discuss Sarah's unique journey into sport and exercise psychology, and focus on the topic of emotional regulation.

Sarah shares insights from her experience working with a football player, emphasizing the importance of normalising emotions and using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) approaches. They cover practical techniques used during non-traditional pitch-side sessions and reflect on the significance of tailoring psychological support to each athlete's needs.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

00:42 Sarah Knapp's Background in Sport

02:02 Research and Applied Interventions

04:18 Case Study: Emotional Regulation

06:20 Understanding Emotional Regulation

08:12 Approaches and Challenges in Sport Psychology

17:53 Differences in Emotional Regulation: Men's vs. Women's Game

19:39 Gaps in Research and Final Thoughts

23:47 Conclusion and Contact Information

Aimee Ellen O'Keefe is a performance nutritionist with an impressive background in sports nutrition. She has worked with:

The information in this podcast is for informational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice.

Emma Brockwell is a pelvic health physiotherapist who has worked with top football clubs including Arsenal, Chelsea, and Southampton. She is: