Offside and Overstimulated

ADHD, or, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a neurodivergent condition on a spectrum. The type of ADHD a person has and how the symptoms present and affect their life differs massively from person to person. For example, boys might typically be the more stereotypical rowdy untamed children idea of ADHD, while women and girls might typically internalise their hyperactivity in the form of racing thoughts, constant talking, fidgeting etc. Some people don’t even have the hyperactive element much or at all, purely experiencing the lack of focus, organisation and concentration symptoms that come with the attention deficit type. Of course, I had to have a combination of both and be one of the few women that are outwardly hyper at times. Soz.  But how does this positively affect my ability to coach?  High energy = high impact. I’m often buzzing with energy and new ideas and that kinda energy can be infectious on other people. Players have called me the one woman hype crew be...

Hello and welcome. My name is Hayley and I am a neurodivergent rugby union coach and ex-player currently coaching women and girls at Morley RFC in Leeds.   I’ve spent a fair bit of time learning how to tame my ADHD in order to provide the high level of coaching that my players deserve and I’ve finally come to the conclusion it can’t be tamed and I’ve got to lean into the chaos. So  I’ve decided to get all my jumbled thoughts down in writing with the hope that they might help or inspire other neurodivergent women into sport or coaching.   I will be writing about Neurodivergence itself, coaching tips and advice, team culture and more. So thanks for being here, have a read, and don’t forget to let me know what you think!