These are my thoughts on our fantastic radio show guests and the topics we cover. We're lovin' interviewing them and hearing them share their insightful stories.
We scheduled in an exclusive interview with Crista before the 'minimal media contact' veil descends on the England Hockey team and we're truly appreciative of the opportunity! Crista is widely recognised as one of the best hockey defenders in the world. With over 150 Great Britain and England combined caps, Commonwealth, World Cup and European cup bronze medals, and has been awarded Great Britain’s Hockey player of the year (2006). She has been named three times in the International Hockey Federation’s World All Stars Team (2006, 2007, 2010), and as Great Britain’s top goal scorer in the Beijing Olympics.
The prospects of England winning a medal in Hockey runs high and I'm particularly interested in discovering more about this sport. The pitch where the matches are to be held is eye-catching to say the least!
Crista is said to wear her heart on her sleeve...but not when she's swinging a hockey stick ;-)
Crista has also overcome a truly harrowing obstacle in her determination to play hockey and I look forward to talking to her about that. Tune in to discover what it is.
I really enjoyed Sundays show, it's a topic that has always fascinated me - Why do athletes choke? What is 'choking under pressure'? And, how can athletes control their emotions to avert choking?
Choking crosses many different lifestyles, such as sport, exams, interviews, etc, so you'll find the issues discussed of interest.
We delve into the two theories surrounding this topic: explicit and implicit memory, and how they are affected during performance. Dr Jackson provides some tips on how athletes, in fact all of us, can use to avoid this debilitating phenomenon.
There's a really interesting example of choking that Dr Jackson raises in regards to some research that was released shortly before a USA Basketball game; the outcome of the match is very intriguing, so listen out for that. And Andy Murray, tennis star, even receives a mention in this episode!
This topic is so in-depth we really didn't have enough time to cover all we wanted to, so it looks like I may have to invite Dr Jackson back onto the show.
It's always great to speak to guests who are working hard to get to the London Olympics and this show won't disappoint.
Sometimes as onlookers we can forget about the hours/ years of training and dedication that goes into achieving the outcomes athletes strive for.
They say that first impressions often count for something and I can already tell that Ezinne is a lively, cheerful, focussed person, with much experience and I look forward to speaking with her.
You'll see it happen many times in sport. Have you ever wondered why it happens? What often is going through the athletes mind? And is there anything that can be done to prevent it? Tune in Sunday 10th June 5pm GMT and discover more.
Dr Jackson's PhD on “choking” in self-paced skills led to a specialisation in Sport Psychology, so expect an enlightening discussion.
I've always been curious about why this happens. Often, in the past, I used to sit in front of the TV, feeling perplexed as to why the athlete just doesn't 'get a grip', calm down and do what they need to do. But as you'll hear from our discussion, there's much more going on below the surface, which can have an adverse effect on a sports person!
The not so great sound quality of this show doesn't detract from the quality of the content and subject matter. Gavin (Alphasport) and Ben (motorsport racer) are great guests and added to the interest in this show.
The reason why I broadcast these shows is because I love meeting new people and hearing about their success, joys and sometimes hardships they have experienced in their sport. Another massive reason is because I love talking about the workings of the mind, I find it fascinating and good thing too, I mean, it is my job!!! In this show I feel that Gavin, Ben and I are able to take a big bite into the psychology of sport and discuss proven strategies that can help improve performance.
It was the first time I had more than one guest appear on the same show and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I enjoy watching Formula-1 racing and so talking to these guys gave me a little bit of insight into that world.
An amazing part of the show is when Ben relates how he drove on a new race track only after he had seen video footage and mentally rehearsing it. Pay attention when he describes how whilst he was watching the video he unconsciously registers a bump on the track, without realising it!! It truly demonstrates the power of the unconscious mind.
