Women’s Football Hub

In this episode of Women's Football Hub, host Carolyn Kent is joined by Christos Pippas, a physiotherapist and PhD researcher specialising in longstanding groin pain. Together, they unpack the complexities of groin injuries in football, including adductor, iliopsoas, pubic, and inguinal-related pain.

Christos shares insights from his research and clinical experience, offering practical advice on assessment, rehabilitation, and the ...

In this episode of Women's Football Hub, host Carolyn Kent speaks with PhD researcher Wyatt Hampstead about his recent study analyzing 208 ACL injuries across professional women's football. They discuss why most ACL injuries happen in the first half, the biomechanical and tactical factors at play, and how fatigue both acute and chronic may be influencing injury risk.

Wyatt shares insights into the use of public data, the importance...

In this episode of the Women's Football Hub Podcast, host Carolyn Kent is joined by Dr. Stephanie Adams, neuropsychologist and founder of concussED, to discuss the evolution of concussion guidance in grassroots sport over the past decade.

From the tragic story of Benjamin Robinson to the development of the GRASP program and the 2024 UK-wide concussion protocols, this episode offers vital insights for coaches, parents, players, and ...

In this episode of the Women's Football Hub Podcast, host Carolyn Kent speaks with Tracey Smith, founder of Player Care Support Services, about the essential role of off-pitch support in football. From helping players settle into new countries to supporting their families and mental wellbeing, Tracey shares her experience working across male and female academies and professional teams.

We discuss:

• The importance of holistic pl...

In this episode of the Women's Football Hub Podcast, Dr. Ian Cookson is joined by Lucy Burdin, a freelance sports psychologist with experience at Arsenal Women’s Academy and London City Lionesses. Together, they explore the psychological demands of goalkeeping, the impact of trauma and somatic psychology on athletes, and how attachment theory plays out in sporting environments.

Lucy shares her journey into trauma-informed practice,...

In this episode of the Women's Football Hub Podcast, host Carolyn Kent is joined by Harry Watson, Women's Goalkeeping Talent Coach at the FA, to shine a spotlight on the art and science of identifying and developing goalkeeping talent in the women's game.

They discuss:

• The FA’s “Discover My Talent” initiative
• Why early specialisation can be risky
• The evolving standards of goalkeeping in the WSL
• The impact of role models like M...

In this episode of Women's Football Hub, host Carolyn Kent speaks with Dr Paul Pearson, whose Injury Time Report investigates the impact of acquired brain injuries on footballers in Scotland. Drawing from interviews with nine players, including those diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's, Dr Pearson discusses the physical, emotional, and financial toll of brain injuries, the gaps in support systems, and the urgent need for recogni...

In this episode of the Women's Football Hub Podcast, host Carolyn Kent speaks with Lauren McMurchie, safeguarding lead at Kyniska Advocacy and former professional footballer, about the pioneering safeguarding initiative now being delivered in partnership with the Barclays Women's Super League.

Lauren discusses the importance of proactive safeguarding, red flag behaviors, the role of leadership, and the unique challenges faced by fe...

In this episode of the Women’s Football Hub Podcast, Carolyn Kent sits down with Andrew Mitchell, an experienced sports physiotherapist who has worked with RB Leipzig and co-authored the 2024 paper A Return to Performance Pathway for Professional Soccer: A Criteria-Based Approach.

Together, they explore the full rehabilitation journey: from the first 24–48 hours post-injury through gym-based phases, running criteria, and high-speed...

Title: Wellbeing in Football with Jenny Coe: Performance Through Wellbeing

Episode summary: Host Carolyn Kent speaks with performance psychologist Jenny Coe (West Ham United, UK Sport, former Performance Wellbeing Lead at The FA; now Senior Lead for Workforce Development) about the foundations of wellbeing in women’s and girls’ football. Jenny explains why feeling safe, supported and valued as a whole person underpins performance, ...

Athletic Development – What Do Young Females Need? With Erica Mulholland (Instagram: @fitsoccerqueen.), USA Masters sprinter, strength & speed coach, and host of The Strong Female Athlete.  

In this episode, Carolyn Kent sits down with Erica to explore how to build stronger, faster, more resilient young female footballers—without adding unnecessary load to an already packed week. Expect clear principles you can apply tomorrow: ...

In this episode of Women’s Football Hub, Carolyn Kent sits down with sports scientist Andrew Wiseman to discuss the physical preparation of female players. With years of experience in elite football – including the WSL, academies, and international environments – Andrew offers valuable insights into training load, injury risk, recovery, and the unique considerations for female athletes.

Topics include:

• How physical preparatio...

Are your boots helping your game or putting you at risk? In this week’s episode of the Women's Football Hub Podcast, Carolyn Kent is joined by Dr Danyon Loud, a football boot researcher and sports engineer from the University of Adelaide, to discuss what really matters when choosing football boots.

We tackle:

• Why many football boots are still designed for male feet

• How stud design affects injury risk, especially for female ...

In this episode, sports science consultant Jo Clubb (Global Performance Insights) joins Carolyn Kent to discuss the real purpose of sports science — and why it's not just about collecting data. From elite football to the NFL and NHL, Jo shares stories and insights on performance, communication, athlete wellness, and the careful integration of tech.

This episode is packed with reflections and practical advice for students, coaches, ...

In this episode of the Women's Football Hub Podcast, host Carolyn Kent is joined by Dr Jessica Beal Stahl and sports pharmacist Emily Shears for a critical conversation about GLP-1 receptor agonists – better known as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro.

We unpack:

• How these drugs work in the body

• Why they were developed for diabetes and are now used more broadly (including PCOS, weight loss)

• Risks and side effects (appetite sup...

Sleep Posture: Controlling the Controllables with Louise Rogerson and Team GB Olympian Katy Marchant

In this episode of the Women's Football Hub Podcast, host Carolyn Kent is joined by neurological physiotherapist Louise Rogerson (Chief Clinical Officer at Levitex) and Team GB Olympic track cyclist Katy Marchant to explore a topic that's often overlooked in athlete recovery: sleep posture.

You'll hear: ✅ What "sleep posture" really...

Menstrual health isn’t a “nice to have” in football – it’s essential.

In this episode of Women’s Football Hub, we’re joined by sports scientist Julia Donnelly – head of performance at Athlete Focused and soon-to-be Dr Donnelly – who’s just completed a PhD investigating the menstrual cycle in football.

Julia shares her research on: ✅ How players experience symptoms that impact performance ✅ Why there’s still so much stigma and silen...

This week on the Women’s Football Hub Podcast, Dr Ian Cookson is joined by sport and exercise psychologist in training Mark Eastup for a brilliant deep dive into Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) — a modern, values-driven approach that’s making waves in performance sport.

Mark shares his journey from clinical mental health settings to working in women’s football, and breaks down:

• What ACT is and why it's different from ...

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🎧 UEFA A Coach Andy Driscoll on Coaching, Confidence & the 3 Rs Framework In this episode of the Women’s Football Hub Podcast, host Carolyn Kent speaks with UEFA A Licensed coach Andy Driscoll about his coaching journey, the realities of the badge pathway, and how his 3 Rs framework – Reflection, Realism, Repeat – can help coaches at every level.

💬 Topics covered:

• Andy’s path from playing to UEFA A coaching

• What it...