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Back in May, athlete transition experts Switch the Play made a fantastic pledge to Women in Football’s #WhatIf campaign: #WhatIf Switch the Play ran personal development masterclasses for women working in football and playing football?

And earlier in August, Switch the Play set off on the pledge-fulfilment trail, as they ran the first masterclass at Bristol City Women FC’s training ground, sharing knowledge and top tips with the players on understanding and training their own emotional resilience.

A number of players from the senior team took part; all wanting to learn more about self-care and practical ways they could utilise to upskill themselves for life both on and off the pitch.

The masterclass explored the topic of stress, allowing players to explore how their brains and bodies respond when under threat, and introduced strategies players could use to begin to train their own emotional resilience.

Switch the Play’s Athlete Transition Co-ordinator Emily Lake headed up the 90-minute session.

Speaking afterwards she said: "There was a fantastic level of engagement from the team and the feedback we have had already has been really positive.

"There was a real sense of togetherness, honesty and openness in the group with the players sharing their experiences and strategies they use on and off the field."

These mini masterclasses are all part of Switch the Play’s commitment to assisting professional players prepare for a life outside of sport; getting those who are out on the pitch every week ready for the challenges that come when their playing career starts to come to an end.

The sessions are delivered in an informal and friendly way, allowing those taking part to learn about themselves, what lies ahead and opportunities there could be when they hang up their boots for the final time.

In addition to Emotional Resilience, Switch the Play also offers training in various other topics, ranging from Transferable Skills to learning about your personal brand, all designed with those thinking about the next steps in their career in mind.

Switch the Play will be running another two masterclasses for professional and semi-professional women’s teams over the next few weeks. If you are interested in Switch the Play coming to your club to hold a masterclass, please email whatif@womeninfootball.co.uk.

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