Article By:  John Nassoori, February 21, 2023

Article Notes;

The current iteration of the Lionesses’ mentality is being led by manager Sarina Weigman and sport psychologist Kate Hays.  The precedent was set by Hope Powell, the first England manager (England 1998-2013) men or women, to employ a specialist for psychological support.  She also believed in the importance of starting young – helping players throughout the pathway to the senior level.  The 11 starters on the Lionesses Euro 2022 Championship winning campaign all came up through the age group pathway set up by Powell, which included dedicated psychologists at the senior, U-19, and U-17 levels.  By the time the 2022 squad competed at the senior level, they had many years of experience with sports psychology.  Long-time international, Jill Scott (2006-2022), credits meetings with the psychologist to be crucial for maintaining composure in heated moments.