Who's in Your Corner? Lessons About Support from the Sporting Chance Summit
Elite athletes are often viewed as independent, resilient, and mentally tough. Yet one message emerged repeatedly at the Sporting Chance Summit 2026:
Nobody succeeds alone.
Across a range of sports and experiences, speakers reflected on how support from other people helped them navigate periods of challenge, uncertainty, injury, transition, and personal adversity. While each story was unique, a common thread connected them all: the importance of having people to turn to when life becomes difficult.
Former former England and England Knights international rugby league footballer, Dan Sarginson, reflected on how these beliefs shaped his understanding of resilience for many years, leading him to suppress emotions and believe that asking for help was a sign of weakness.
Similarly, retired GB sprinter and now sprint coach at Premier League club Chelsea, Adam Gemili spoke about feeling unable to share struggles because of expectations within elite sport and concerns about appearing vulnerable. A recurring theme throughout the summit was that isolation often thrives in silence.
One Conversation Can Change Everything
What was equally striking was how often support began with a single conversation. For some, it was a counsellor. For others, a teammate, family member, mentor, or trusted professional.
Daryl Jacob, retired national hunt jockey, described how a simple suggestion to contact a trusted person during a difficult period ultimately led to support that helped him navigate significant pressures within professional racing. Adam Gemili reflected that sharing his feelings with those closest to him helped him realise he was not alone in experiencing those thoughts and emotions.
These examples remind us that support does not always need to involve solving a problem. Sometimes the most important thing another person can offer is listening.
Support Matters During Injury
One particularly powerful discussion focused on injury. Former professional footballer, Fran Kitching, described the psychological impact of a serious head injury and the challenges of adjusting to changes in both life and sport. Sporting Chance provided support during a period where she was struggling emotionally and trying to come to terms with what had happened.
Research consistently shows that injury recovery is rarely just a physical process (Wiese-Bjornstal et al., 1998). Athletes may experience uncertainty, frustration, loss of confidence, concerns about identity, and worries about the future (Clement et al., 2015; Mainwaring et al., 2001; Podlog et al., 2011; Wheatley et al., 2026). At these times, supportive relationships can play an important role in helping individuals feel connected, understood, and valued (Bianco et al., 1999; Grindstaff et al., 2010; Podlog et al., 2013).
Support Matters During Transitions Too
While injury is one obvious challenge, transitions can be equally demanding. Several speakers reflected on periods when:
contracts ended,
careers changed,
roles shifted,
retirement approached, or
they found themselves living and training away from familiar support networks.
Adam Gemili described spending significant periods living alone in different countries during his athletic career. These experiences are not unique to elite sport. Many people encounter similar challenges when moving away for university, relocating for work, or adapting to major life changes. Transitions often highlight the importance of maintaining meaningful social connections.
Building Your Own Dream Team
At the SPRINT Project, we encourage people to think about their own "Dream Team".
Not the people they compete with or the people they admire from a distance, but the people who genuinely support their wellbeing, development, and performance.
Your Dream Team might include:
family members
friends
teammates
coaches
healthcare professionals
mentors
colleagues
Different people may provide different forms of support, ranging from practical help and advice to encouragement, perspective, and a listening ear. The key point is that we are not meant to navigate life's challenges alone.
Readers interested in exploring their own support networks can access SPRINT's interactive Dream Team interactive or downloadable resource.
Looking Ahead
One of the strongest messages from the Sporting Chance Summit was that support is not a last resort or something we need only when we are in crisis. Support, connection, and meaningful relationships are important foundations for wellbeing, resilience, and sustainable performance.
Whether you are recovering from an injury, adjusting to retirement, moving away from home, struggling with uncertainty, or simply navigating everyday challenges, one useful question to ask is:
Who is in your corner?
Because sometimes the most important team in our lives is not the one we perform for, but the one that supports us along the way.
References:
Bianco, T., Malo, S., & Orlick, T. (1999). Sport injury and illness: Elite skiers describe their experiences. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 70(2), 157-169. https://doi.org/10.1080/02701367.1999.10608033
Clement, D., Arvinen-Barrow, M., & Fetty, T. (2015). Psychosocial responses during different phases of sport-injury rehabilitation: A qualitative study. Journal of Athletic Training, 50(1), 95-104. https://doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-49.3.52
Grindstaff, J. S., Wrisberg, C. A., & Ross, J. R. (2010). Collegiate athletes’ experience of the meaning of sport injury: A phenomenological investigation. Perspectives in Public Health, 130(3), 127-135. https://doi.org/10.1177/1757913909360459
Mainwaring, L. M., Krasnow, D., & Kerr, G. (2001). And the dance goes on: Psychological impact of injury. Journal of Dance Medicine & Science, 5(4), 105-115. https://doi.org/10.1177/1089313x0100500402
Podlog, L., Dimmock, J., & Miller, J. (2011). A review of return to sport concerns following injury rehabilitation: Practitioner strategies for enhancing recovery outcomes. Physical Therapy in Sport, 12(1), 36-42. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ptsp.2010.07.005
Podlog, L., Wadey, R., Stark, A., Lochbaum, M., Hannon, J., & Newton, M. (2013). An adolescent perspective on injury recovery and the return to sport. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 14(4), 437-446. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2012.12.005
Wheatley, C., Arnold, R., Moore, L., Cleave, L. J., Mann, R. H., Shah, E. J., & McKay, C. (2026). A qualitative study exploring factors linked to adolescent athletes’ mental health during sports injury. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, 12(2), e003082. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjsem-2025-003082
Wiese-Bjornstal, D. M., Smith, A. M., Shaffer, S. M., & Morrey, M. A. (1998). An integrated model of response to sport injury: Psychological and sociological dynamics. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 10(1), 46-69. https://doi.org/10.1080/10413209808406377
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