Episode 7

full
Published on:

13th Nov 2023

Hannah Marriage - The importance of growth mindset and positive self-talk

Hannah Marriage - Sleaford Academicals Walking Football Club/Lincolnshire Ability Counts League/Lincolnshire Walking Football League

In this podcast episode, Danny and Hannah discuss the importance of a growth mindset and positive self-talk, particularly in the context of football and everyday life.

The conversation encapsulates the idea that a growth mindset can be cultivated through daily habits and positive affirmations, which can lead to improvements not just on the football pitch but in all aspects of life. This message is pertinent for anyone involved in grassroots football looking to build personal or athletic development.

Hannah was recently awarded 'Volunteer of the Year' at The FA National Awards and the 2023 Lincolnshire FA Grassroots Football Awards.

Winning the FA National Award meant, along with all the other national winners, a trip over to Wembley at The Community Shield game for an awards ceremony and the opportunity to go onto the pitch at half time to show off their medals. Hannah also carried the Community Shield itself up into the Royal Box for the Arsenal to lift. Hannah was described by Lincolnshire County FA as:

A DYNAMIC FORCE

Everyone who encounters Hannah is left in no doubt – here is a force of nature. A super administrator on the one hand, and a cheerful presence on the other, Hannah has proved herself a dynamic force in walking football

IN SAFE HANDS

Already a Level 1 coach, Hannah’s new role as Ability Counts League Welfare Officer is to develop safeguarding in the league. This means rewriting policies and liaising with clubs to ensure the correct processes are in place. Hannah also takes the lead on all grant applications and is always looking for ways to engage with the community and improve access to football for all.

IMPROVING ACCESS

As part of the Welfare Officer role, she has adopted walking football’s women’s division and is working with The FA to see how the league can be made more accessible to all women playing walking football. At the same time, Hannah is working with a disability club to improve access to football. She helped the club secure grants for those with mental health difficulties, all whilst gathering research to write a paper on the mental health benefits of walking football.

A POSITIVE PRESENCE

Hannah is always cheerful and makes everyone smile. She is enthusiastic and always there to help when people need her, offering her time and energy alongside working full-time and volunteering elsewhere.

As a sports life coach, Hannah helps Clubs to improve their mental health awareness, she helps teams work better together, or individuals with any problems they feel they are experiencing.

She will work with anyone involved in sport, but the reasons for the conversation do not have to be sport-related, as she believes everything is linked in some way.

You can find Hannah here:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hmmhcoaching

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-marriage-53a08019b/

Next Episode All Episodes Previous Episode

Listen for free

Show artwork for The Football Mental Health Alliance

About the Podcast

The Football Mental Health Alliance
Mental Health Tools for Grassroots Football
The Football Mental Health Alliance podcast is dedicated to delving into the topic of mental health in the football world. Each episode features well-known experts and ex-professional athletes who share their knowledge and personal experiences with mental health. Our guests will provide advice and insights on how to support yourself or those in your care who may be experiencing mental health conditions. 

This podcast is for you if you are a fan of professional football clubs, a member of a football community, or involved in grassroots football at any level. We believe that mental health is an important topic that deserves to be addressed and understood in all aspects of the football world.

We will cover a wide range of mental health topics in each episode. Our guests will share their experiences and provide practical advice on how to deal with these challenges while also supporting those around you.

So come along with us as we investigate the relationship between mental health and football. Listen to our podcast to gain valuable insights, helpful tips, and important information that can assist you or someone you care about in managing their mental health and thriving both on and off the pitch.

About your host

Profile picture for Danny Matharu

Danny Matharu

Actor. Model. Stable Genius. Public Figure. Social Influencer.


Not really... I'm simply someone who is interested in personal development and learning how people have become successful.


The road to success is often a lonely, narrow one, littered with mistakes, learnings, scars and disappointments.


This project is purely a selfish one. It gives me a reason to get myself in front of people who have walked the Narrow Road and learn from them. With this, I reckon that I find this type of person interesting, then other people will also.