94 Stevie Ward: Talking Vision, Flow and Vulnerability With a Rugby League Star

This episode of The Unlock Moment with rugby league star and mental health campaigner Stevie Ward is just so special. He’s such a powerful storyteller, he paints vivid pictures that bring you right into the moment. For a guy trained to put his body on the line, he’s remarkably in touch with his emotions and his vulnerability, and he’s got an extraordinary personal story to tell. This is not really a conversation about sports, it’s a conversation about challenge and adversity, aloneness and togetherness, redemption and triumph. This is an episode that’s going to give you that and so much more.

Stevie Ward is a keynote speaker and former professional rugby league player, part of the golden generation at the Leeds Rhinos, one of the most successful teams in super league history. Stevie became the youngest grand final winner ever, going on to win two more Grand Finals and 2 Challenge Cups, and was named captain at just 26. In UK elite sport, he’s a huge name.

In 2019 Stevie suffered a head injury in a game against Wigan. He was diagnosed with debilitating concussion, which led to him retiring from the game at just 27 at the start of 2020. His long journey of physical and mental recovery from brain injury, through lockdown and beyond, has shaped a passion for opening up the conversation about mental health.

Throughout all of the winning and losing in life, Stevie believes that the truest form of resilience is to realise the potential of our true selves. Stevie put this to the test by leading culture meetings as a captain of the Rhinos team. Promoting authenticity formed championship-winning teams and formidable relationships.

He channelled his own mental health challenges into Mantality, a movement where men can be vulnerable, address our mental health and then take up the responsibility to do something about it, to go find meaning and purpose within our lives. 25% of people in the UK suffer with a mental health problem each year, so Mantality is committed to donating 25% of all profits to offering immediate psychological support to young people who need it.

And Stevie launched the Mantality podcast to discuss mental health openly and freely with athletes at the top of their game and role-model celebrities. I’ve listened and it’s a really great conversation.

Stevie’s is a tough journey but I’m so impressed with how he has turned personal adversity into a mission to make a difference around mental health. I can’t wait for this conversation and to hear about the Unlock Moments of remarkable clarity that shaped his path along the way.

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Stevie Ward: https://stevieward.co.uk/

Mantality: https://mantality.co.uk/

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