‘Performing Under pressure’ podcast goes from strength to strength

To date, academics and practitioners at the University of Staffordshire have released 50 episodes of their 'Performing under pressure' podcast. Performing in demanding circumstances is a requirement not only in sport but in a multitude of domains including policing, teaching and the military, and the podcast has featured guests from a range of professions. 

This varied approach has been appreciated by regular listeners and has provided a platform for interesting discussions on the show as we seek to develop our understanding of how to perform well when it matters. 

The 'Performing under pressure' podcast line-up

Since its inception in January 2024, the podcast has been downloaded in over 50 countries. The podcast takes a collegiate approach and includes several members of the sport and exercise psychology team at the university. Host Dr Paul Mansell is joined by a rotating cast of academic co-hosts from the university, including Professor Matt Slater, Dr Karla Drew, Dr Andrew Wilkinson, Dr Katie Sparks, Dr Joe Dixon and Jack Bullock. 

University of Staffordshire students who have experience related to the interests of the guests have also appeared as co-hosts, while professional athletes such as Derby County defender Kane Wilson have also filled the role as guest co-hosts. Overall, this provides a fusion of insights and experiences that serve to tease out reflections from the guests about the science and art of performing under pressure.

Our 'Players of the season'

Fulfilling the remit of the podcast, episodes have been recorded with a range of experienced sport psychology practitioners. Early in season one, Loughborough University's Dr Jamie Barker joined us on the show, and to date, this has been our most downloaded episode. Jamie has accumulated a wealth of experience as an academic and sport psychologist. Sharing some of these experiences with our audience, we heard about how Jamie had used strategies such as Personal Disclosure Mutual Sharing' (PDMS) in his applied work. 

Another popular episode was an interview with Dr Martin Turner, a former colleague of Jamie's.  Author of The Rational Practitioner, Martin spoke in detail about how he uses the principles of Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT) in his work. Other sport psychologists who have appeared on the show have included Dan Abrahams, Dr Tom Bates, Professor Marc Jones, Professor Tracey Devonport and Dr Chris Shambrook, while there has also been a focus on providing a voice for trainee sport and exercise psychologists such as Edgar Kazibwe and Emma Biggin to share their reflections about their pathway into the profession.

Going for gold!

Given the sporting interest of the academic group at the University of Staffordshire, it is no surprise that plenty of athletes have been invited onto the show. Olympic gold medallist Helen Richardson-Walsh regaled listeners with how she was able to cope with the demands of taking the final penalty in the hockey final at the Rio 2016 Olympics. 

Former England international footballer Matt Jarvis spoke about the changing perceptions footballers are beginning to have towards psychology, and former England youth internationals Ella Tagliavini and Ellie Wilson went into great depth about how they used imagery to aid their performance under pressure. We have also been fortunate to be joined on the show by disabled athletes including para-footballers Harry Baker and Azeem Amir, and Paralympic shooter Ryan Cockbill.

International appeal

The podcast has also featured a range of international guests. Professor Geir Jordet is considered to be the 'world's leading expert on the psychology of the penalty kick' according to the Times. Geir presented evidence from his research regarding the preparation phase of taking a penalty kick and how the team can come together to support the taker. 

Portugal international footballer Matilde Fidalgo also proved to be a popular guest, and she provided some fascinating content about how players prefer coaches to lead footballers. 

Meanwhile, Australian cognitive neuroscientist Dr Mark Williams explained the role of the brain in development in adolescence and why it is wired to seek social support. 

But perhaps one of the most impactful episodes in the eyes of our listeners is the interview with expert in self-compassion Dr Amber Mosewich. Amber joined us on the show from Alberta, Canada, and she described how self-criticism is not conducive to performance, especially when prefaced with the word 'harsh'. A growing area that can facilitate wellbeing and performance under pressure, Amber shared evidence that supports the utility of self-compassion and addressed some of its criticisms, such as it being deemed as 'soft' or 'letting yourself off the hook'. 

Substituting sport for the workplace

Beyond sport, one individual who was able to draw on a wealth of experience in high pressure situations is former Major General of the British Army Nick Welch. Using his 35 years of experience in the military, Nick was well-placed to describe the role of leadership in enhancing performance in life threatening situations. 

Police Sargent Lizzie Lewandowski also reflected on how she was able to get the best out of her team when policing major football events such as the Champions League and the World Cup. Showcasing local talent is also an important feature of the show, and inspirational headteacher Phil Walklate is in charge of over 1,000 pupils and 120 members of staff at a Staffordshire-based high school. He told us the importance of recruiting staff with values that aligned with those of the school.

Season two is underway now and more of the same is set to follow. The team are in discussions with two Premier League football captains to appear on the show, and there will remain a focus on sharing applied practice in sport and exercise psychology. The show can be accessed via Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/2UVgbxrwlSJKHax8CmsDOc?si=f0a9cd9a1f964848)  and Apple podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/university-of-staffordshires-performing-under/id1728680321) and we encourage listeners to get in touch with us with their reflections on particular episodes!

Author biography

Dr Paul Mansell is a lecturer in sport and exercise psychology at the University of Staffordshire. His research interests include stress, performance and wellbeing. He completed his PhD in the psychology of stress in sport in 2023 and has authored several peer-reviewed articles.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-paul-mansell-94ab9113b/