“You have to train hard; you have to show up and you have to be willing to fail along the way.”- Georgia Lees, Shona McCallin MBE and Kelly Simm inspire the Prior's Field Sports Scholars
Prior’s Field School Sports Scholars’ Day with Georgia Lees, Shona McCallin MBE, Kelly Simm
The difference between a great player and a world class player is their mental game! - Shona McCallin MBE
Every year we visit Prior’s Field School with one of our inspirational Mintridge Ambassadors, to help nurture their Sports Scholars’ talents and support them all on their own journeys to success.
Now this year was no exception but instead of just one Mintridge Ambassador visiting at a time, we had the pleasure of supporting the Prior’s Field Scholars with three incredible Ambassadors who spent the day with them during our Programme.
The Prior’s Field School Sports Scholars are all working their way to the top of their sports and are all currently competing at County level or above in one or multiple sports. With hopes and dreams of becoming elite athletes, medal winners and the best in their fields, we had some excellent advice to share with them all to support them on that journey.
Meet the Mintridge Ambassadors that we took along to work with the Sports Scholars during our day.
Vitality Superleague Netball Player and Physician Associate
“Being an elite athlete is a choice, not a sacrifice!” - Georgia Lees
GB Women’s Hockey Player - Olympic and Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist
“Your training sessions should always be harder than your matches, as then you know you are ready to compete when it comes to the important moments…Make notes, carry a water bottle, show up and train hard.”
GB Gymnastics - Commonwealth and World Team Gold Medallist
“You should always want to be known as the person who shows up, works really hard and supports those around them as that can get you an incredibly long way on your journey.” - Kelly Simm
The dream team brought their ‘A' game for the Sports Scholars and started our day with their expert coaching sessions. The Sports Scholars chose which Ambassador they wanted a masterclass from during the day and then got stuck into their training sessions and learnt a few new tips and tricks along the way. The netball, hockey and gymnastics sessions were fast-paced and fun for the students who got to learn some key advice that the Mintridge Ambassadors were sharing with them during the team talks and practises.
After two sessions of coaching with the Ambassadors, the Sports Scholars headed in for lunch and we prepared for a very new and exciting afternoon for Team Mintridge, the Sports Scholars and their families.
We couldn’t think of a better way for the Ambassadors to share all of their valuable insights with the Scholars than setting up our own expert panel, so they could discuss all of the areas that the Sports Scholars need to know and learn on their journeys to becoming elite athletes.
Georgia Lees, Shona McCallin MBE and Kelly Simm, all took to the floor to share their stories and advice with the Scholars and their parents, who had joined for the afternoon and then went on to cover some important topics. Some of those discussion points were:
Failing to prepare is preparing to fail…
Do you always have to make big changes to create huge results?
Is goal setting really that important?
The power of ‘WHY’…
Commitment is an act, not a word…
Who do you want to be?
How would you support your teenage self differently?
What did your support network do that changed the game for you?
Advice to my younger self…
The Ambassadors all shared some key snippets of advice with the Scholars during their presentations and spoke to them about how they can manage their tough training schedules alongside their academic studies, how to deal with pressure and how to control their own controllables.
“I spent three years in the background, on the bench, supporting my team to only get 10 minutes on the court. I learnt so much from that time and watching from that perspective and I was so much more ready when I finally started on the court.”
- Georgia Lees
The Scholars after hearing all of the information shared in the presentations and the panel took their opportunity to find out more from the Ambassadors during the Q&A and asked some great questions to the team, including:
When your confidence is on the floor, what can you do?
How crucial is it to support those in your team?
How old were you when you know you wanted to compete at the top level?
What mental strategies do you put in place on the side of the court when things aren’t going well?
At the end of our day, the Scholars and their parents took some great photos with the Ambassadors and came to chat with them about the parts of the day that resonated with them most.
It was a brilliant experience for everyone involved and we know that the Sports Scholars will have learnt a lot from their time with the Mintridge team.
“You have to choose every day to show up and be the best version of yourself so you can step onto your court or pitch. You have the choice to go to bed earlier, to make better food choices, to train that little bit harder or step on the court with the right mindset, so do it and do it well.”
-Georgia Lees
Thank you again to Prior’s Field School for inviting, Georgia Lees, Shona McCallin MBE and Kelly Simm to lead their Sports Scholars’ Day and we look forward to hopefully seeing them all again soon.
#TeamMintridge
If you are interested in a virtual or physical Programme with Georgia Lees, Shona McCallin MBE or Kelly Simm or would like to design a Sports Scholars Day with us or any of our inspirational Ambassadors, then please get in touch via the Mintridge website or with Katie.
To find out more about our bespoke Sports Scholars programme and how The Mintridge Foundation can support your young athletes or students, then please get in touch with a member of the team or Katie via email at katie@mintridge.org.uk
If you are considering supporting the Mintridge Foundation as a business, organisation or as an individual, head to our SUPPORT US page below.
The Mintridge Foundation is a registered charity dedicated to enhancing life skills in young people through sport. We provide a support network for young people by harnessing the power of positive sporting role models. The Mintridge Foundation assists young people of all ages, abilities and physical capabilities to develop confidence and resilience, and creates awareness of the importance of mental and physical wellbeing through sport.
Our team of Ambassadors - Olympians, Paralympians and other professional sports stars from over 20 sports, both team and individual - work with young people in schools, clubs and academies across the UK. Starting with visits including assemblies, coaching clinics and classroom sessions tailored to each organisation’s requirements, our ambassadors can then provide one- on- one remote mentoring in a safeguarded environment, delivered via technology such as Fitswarm and Playwaze to build a lasting legacy for individuals.
The Mintridge Foundation’s successes demonstrate the incredible power of sport; from a mentee’s selection to represent Great Britain in their chosen field to enabling disabled children to find confidence and happiness just through participation. Understanding life after sport, we also support our Ambassadors in their transition from active sport to the next stage of their careers.
The Mintridge Foundation
Unit 4, Shieling Court
Northfolds Road
Corby
Northants
NN18 9QD
Tel: +44 (0) 1536 447106
www.mintridgefoundation.org.uk
