Athlete Transition Accelerator

Former Croatian international and professional volleyball player, Bernarda Brčić, has lived the highs of life on the court, competing for her country, playing across Europe, and building a career defined by discipline and performance. But what happens when the final whistle blows?   In this powerful conversation, Bernarda opens up about the reality of transition, from losing her sense of iden...

From scoring goals for Wrexham and Chester, leading Llandudno as vice-captain and Caernarfon and representing his country, Wales, Marc Williams’ football career was built on resilience, adaptability, and heart. But like many athletes, the toughest opponent he ever faced wasn’t on the pitch, it was the transition beyond it.   In this honest and impactful conversation, Marc opens up about the e...

Olympic silver medallist, Four Continents medallist, and national champion, Dylan Moscovitch spent years chasing excellence in a sport defined by precision, pressure, and performance. But what happens when the music stops, the audience fades, and the identity you’ve built is no longer enough? Dylan reflects on the emotional unravelling of life after elite sport and how he has intentionally rebuilt...

Former professional scrum-half Dave Lewis shares a career journey built on proactive thinking, conscious decision-making, and taking full ownership of life beyond rugby. With around 200 appearances for Exeter Chiefs, Gloucester, Harlequins, and representative honours with England Saxons, Dave knows the demands of elite sport, but more importantly, he understood it wouldn’t last forever.   Key...

From Chelsea and QPR to youth international honours for Ireland, James Daly spent his career competing at the top of professional football, but behind the boots was a player always thinking ahead, about identity, preparation, and how to make the most of his second chapter.   Now forging a career at Morgan Stanley, James joins us on Athlete to Athlete: Lessons for Life Beyond the Game to refle...

Justin Fitzpatrick, former Irish international, Heineken Cup winner with Ulster, and seasoned professional with London Irish and Castres, joined us on Athlete to Athlete: Lessons for Life Beyond the Game to talk through the mindset shifts, missteps, and lessons learned from life after elite rugby. Despite preparing for the inevitable, Justin still felt the shock of stepping away. The loss of purpo...

We’re joined by Freddie Woodward, Olympian, European and Commonwealth medallist, and former Team GB diver. From standing on the board at Rio 2016 to stepping away from the sport that shaped him, Freddie shares what it really feels like to walk away from elite competition, and the work it takes to redefine yourself after it. This conversation explores the mental shift from dreaming to doing, the li...

We sit down with Flip van der Merwe , former South African international and professional rugby player, to explore what true transition looks like when your playing career ends, and real life begins. Known for his physicality on the pitch, Flip opens up about the internal strength it takes to move into the unknown and start over. From redefining identity to surrounding yourself with the right peop...

We sit down with James Hildreth, former first-class cricketer and Somerset legend, who spent over 20 years at one club, an increasingly rare feat in modern sport. James’ transition wasn’t an afterthought, it was something he planned, built towards, and ultimately took control of. From financial literacy to self-awareness, James shares what he got right, what he’s still figuring out, and why no con...

We sit down with Kristine Sommer, former USA Rugby international and professional athlete, passionate advocate for athlete wellbeing and transition support now a co-founder of the Global Rugby Players Foundation and the XV foundation.   Kristine’s story is a powerful reflection of the emotional, practical, and identity-driven challenges athletes face when stepping away from sport, and how own...

What athletes wish they knew sooner. What do elite athletes wish they’d done before hanging up the boots, taking of their pads for the last time or laying down their ore? What conversations do they look back on and wish they’d had? What preparation really counts? This week, we take a different approach. Instead of a guest, Karl and James dive into the biggest lessons, recurring themes, and behind-...

We sit down with Jenny Casson, two-time Olympic rower for Team Canada and Co-Founder of Daylilie, to explore what it means to evolve beyond elite sport. From competing on the world stage in Tokyo and Paris to launching a business built around purpose and impact, Jenny shares her own transition story, the challenges, the mindset shifts, and the importance of having the right people in your corner....

We sit down with Joe Jacobi, Olympic gold medallist and former USA Canoe/Kayak CEO, to explore his journey beyond elite sport. After reaching the pinnacle of performance at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona with his teammate, Scott Strausbaugh, Joe faced the same questions that confront every retiring athlete: What now? What does the world want from me? Who am I without the sport? Joe shares how...

We sit down with Conor Gilsenan , former professional rugby player whose promising career was cut short by concussion. What followed was a bold leap into the unknown, competing on The Apprentice, diving into tech sales, and redefining what success looks like beyond the game. Key Takeaways from Conor’s Journey: You have to become an expert in something else – talent and reputation open doors, but l...

We’re joined by rugby legend Conrad Smith , former All Black , two-time Rugby World Cup winner , and now a global advocate for athlete wellbeing and development. Conrad shares his transition journey with the calm insight and self-awareness that defined his playing career. He reflects on life after rugby, the importance of self-knowledge, and why stepping away from sport doesn’t mean leaving your v...

We sit down with JP Cooney, former professional rugby player for Connacht, to explore the realities of retirement, identity loss, and the hard truths that come with trying to build a second career after elite sport. JP shares the raw, unfiltered truth of what it felt like to leave behind the only thing he ever knew, rugby, and step into an unfamiliar world of job applications, interviews, and reje...

We sit down with Rachel Lewis , former professional volleyball player for England and Great Britain, and Olympian, to explore her thoughtful and proactive approach to transition. Rachel shares her journey from elite sport to life beyond, revealing the pivotal mindset shifts and planning strategies that helped her navigate one of the most challenging and identity-shifting times in her life. Rachel...

We sit down with Oliver Soames , former first-class cricketer, to explore how life on the field shaped his approach to planning, networking, and building a purposeful career beyond sport. Oliver reflects on the reality that not every career ends with a fairytale finish, and why that makes preparation and honest conversations so important. He shares how opening up to other athletes and leaning into...

We sit down with Jonny Kennedy, a former professional rugby player whose promising career was cut short at just 21 due to repeated concussions. Reluctantly stepping away from the game, Jonny made the difficult but correct decision to prioritise his health, reminding us all that the brain is our most important organ. Jonny’s journey since rugby has been anything but linear. He initially transitione...

We sit down with Jess Roper, two-time English kickboxing champion, to explore her evolution from elite athlete to motivational speaker, mindset coach, and, most significantly, mother. Jess opens up about her biggest transition yet: becoming a mum, and how that life shift shaped her clarity, purpose, and ambition. Through her personal growth journey, Jess highlights how working on yourself isn’t ju...

We sit down with Will Mellors-Blair, former professional footballer and founder of TrueMind and Mindora, to explore his transition from elite sport to building businesses that empower individuals and organisations. Will shares his journey of stepping away from professional football, the challenges of redefining his identity, and how he discovered his passion for neuroscience, human potential, and...

We sit down with Will Fraser, former Saracens rugby player and founder of 100 and First, 100 and First Foundation, and Pineapple, to explore his journey from professional sport to building multiple businesses. Will shares the realities of stepping away from elite rugby, the uncertainty that followed, and how he navigated his transition by testing different industries, learning through experience,...

We sit down with Will Foden, former Doncaster Knights rugby player and founder of Built for Pressure, to discuss his journey from professional sport to coaching high-performance individuals. Will opens up about the realities of stepping away from elite rugby, the challenges of finding a new purpose, a new identity, and how he turned his passion for resilience and mental toughness into a business....

We sit down with Mark Turner, former first-class cricketer, to explore his journey beyond the game.   After years of competing at an elite level, Mark faced the challenge that every athlete must eventually confront, what comes next? He shares his transition story, the shift in identity that followed, and the lessons he’s learned along the way. From adapting to new career paths to carrying a h...

We sit down with Joe Jacobson, former professional footballer, to explore his journey beyond the game.   After years of competing at the highest level, Joe faced the challenge that every athlete will encounter, what happens next? He opens up about his transition, the identity shifts that came with leaving football, and the lessons he’s learned along the way. From navigating new career opportu...