That Healing Feeling

PODCAST: Sophie Tamblyn: Sporting Success and the Pressure of Performance

Downe House Sport Lecture Series

Between April and June 2020, several Centaurs players were involved in giving fantastic talks
as part of the Downe House Sport Lecture Series.

Click Here For All Seminar Episodes

Dr Eleanor Gaastra. Wales Lacrosse Captain and Anaesthetist Registrar.

‘Striking the balance: the challenges and rewards of balancing sport, academics and life!’

It’s not always easy to juggle playing sports at a high level alongside academics at school, university and beyond but hopefully sharing my experience as an athlete, medical student and now as a doctor can help you to strike the perfect balance.  In this talk Eleanor shares with you her experiences, challenges she has faced along the way and how sport has helped her succeed in her career. As a doctor working in intensive care she shares how lessons and skills from sport have helped her to cope with working on the NHS frontline in the battle against COVID-19.

Hannah Thurston. England and Duke university lacrosse player, U19 World bronze medallist, U20 European gold medallist and All-World Team player.

‘For the love of lacrosse – sport can open many doors and provide memories to last a life-time’.  

In this talk Hannah shares with you her journey from when she first fell in love with lacrosse aged 11, to captaining her country at the World Championships and fulfilling her dream of playing college in the United States. She covers how she gained a scholarship to play at Duke and her experience in the first two years of a different culture, dealing with injury and how much it has helped her game.

Lucy Fowler. Senior Assistant to the Chair, Premier Team Promotions.

Sophy Coombes-Roberts. Senior Account Manager, Pitch Marketing and Claire Thomas, Assistant Producer, Sky Sports.

‘Staging the game and telling its stories’

Together they share some of the amazing ways to be involved in sport professionally, and how the skills they have picked up as athletes have proven invaluable to their work.

Erin Walters Williams. Inclusion specialist for Sport & Higher Education.

‘Inclusion in sport: why it is important and how you can lead the way’

Erin addresses: why inclusive environments are so important for everyone in sport and in life; how an eye on inclusion can help your personal, educational, and professional development; and everyday inclusion – some practical tips on how you can lead the way.