FTFC players Dylan Boyle and Callum Dolan discuss overcoming challenges and managing their emotions as football players with Year 6 children. 

Fleetwood Town Players Dylan Boyle and Callum Dolan visited St Mary’s Catholic Primary School this week to speak to the Year 6 children about building resilience ahead of their transition to secondary school. They participated in a question-and-answer session surrounding overcoming challenges and how they have stayed focused throughout their football professions as part of the HeadStart Programme by Fleetwood Town Community Trust.

The HeadStart programme delivers 1-2-1 support and class workshops to Year 6 and Year 7 children across Fleetwood to provide an early intervention and prevention service. The aim is to enhance awareness and understanding of self-management and coping techniques as they move towards this new change in their lives. Thus, the children were able to hear how both Dylan and Callum have experienced new changes as part of the football career which reflect similar changes to the unknown of moving to secondary school.

Dylan shared his experience of moving away from his hometown in Ireland to improve his professional career and how meditation and mindfulness is a key aspect of his routine now to manage big emotions in his personal and professional life. Callum then shared of his feelings towards the unknown of training on his own during the COVID-19 pandemic and what his playing career could look like during this time, with a mention of how yoga really supports him both physically and mentally in recovery off the pitch. The lads shared some really important tips on managing these emotions towards the children’s transition with an emphasis on utilising their support network around them to talk and support each other through this change.