Antrim’s Conor McCann joined The Players Voice to chat about his decision to step away from inter-county hurling after 14 years of stellar service. He talked about handling the transition out of the elite level of the game and why now was the right time to step away for him, his family and his club. Conor also reflected on lessons learned from the …

In this special edition of the RPA Players Voice podcast, we've managed to speak to the new RPA Chair, Ruaridh McConnochie, and RPA Vice Chair, Freddie Clarke, to see how they feel after the election and what their aims are ahead of the upcoming season following on from the RPA being co-signatories of the Men's Professional Game Partnership (PGP). …

Meath’s Cillian O’Sullivan joined The Players Voice for an insightful and inspiring conversation about being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). Late in 2023 Cillian’s world was turned upside down on his honeymoon when his condition deteriorated. He talks us through some of the challenges he has had to overcome on this journey and how he bounce…

All-Ireland winner and All-Star Conor Whelan joins us for a special episode of The Players Voice on World Mental Health Day. Fresh from a Masters in Psychology, and currently doing a PHD on the Mental Health of GAA inter-county players, Conor offers fascinating insight into some of the challenges facing modern day players. In a wide-ranging convers…

On this week’s episode of The Players Voice, host Alan O’Mara is joined by Tipperary’s Maria Curley. An experienced leader on and off the field, Curley discusses why she is as determined as ever to keep driving standards for female GAA players. She also talks about becoming an entrepreneur and shares how her physiotherapy practice has positively im…

On this week’s episode of The Players Voice, host Alan O’Mara is joined by Kildare’s Grace Clifford. Grace talked about the decline and rise of Kildare during her career, and why she keeps coming back for more! She also chatted about the importance of players speaking up to create lasting change, empowering young girls in sport and life, and her ex…

Mickey Quinn reflects on his decision to retire from inter-county football after 13 seasons and why now was the right time to transition out of the game. In a wide-ranging chat with the former Longford stalwart and AFL player, we looked back on lessons learned from his life in elite sport and discussed some of the highs and frustrations he experien…

Tested is a new podcast series from CBC and NPR that asks the question, who gets to compete? Since the beginning of women’s sports, there has been a struggle over who qualifies for the women’s category. Tested follows the unfolding story of elite female runners who have been told they can no longer race as women, because of their biology. As the Ol…

In this episode of the RPA Podcast, we chat to Great Britain 7's star Eloise Hayward. In the last six months, Eloise's dissertation has been published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, titled "Role of the Menstrual Cycle on Performance & Injury Risk.' We talk to her about the paper, and what she learned from …

A funny thing about great athletes. They tend to keep on surprising us, even after their competitive careers wind down. And so, catching up with Tessa Virtue again, five years after she unlaced the skates and five years after she last came on the podcast, we learn that she has combined her high performance sport experience, a masters in applied psy…

At just 25, Jessie Fleming has already enjoyed a full decade of being named player of the year, top college player, Top Canadian, CONCACAF All Star, and enough adulation to convince a less modest midfielder of her own greatness. But Fleming has a ‘do the work, and do it well’ attitude that has carried her to the apex of soccer, and helped her becom…

Swimming is notoriously practise-heavy. The daily accumulation of laps and dryland workouts can nudge elite swimmers toward becoming mono-focus athletes. So it’s delightful to meet Canada’s male swimmer of the year, Josh Liendo, and find a well-rounded young man tearing up the record books.

On this month's edition of The Players Voice, Ethan Waller looks back at the last twelve months in the world of rugby, alongside RPA General Secretary Christian Day and RPA Vice Chair Harry Elrington.بقلم The Rugby Players Association

John Herdman, the most successful head coach in the history of Canada soccer, came to Toronto FC at the tail end of a miserable season for the club. But he reminds everyone that TFC is the only team in the history of MLS to win the triple crown: the Supporters’ Shield, the Canadian Championship and the MLS Cup. Why wouldn’t you be optimistic ?…

The latest episode of The Players’ Voice features Derry’s Conor Glass. During this conversation, Conor reflects on lessons he learned from his experience as a professional athlete in the AFL. He talks about how working with a sports psychologist helped improve both his performances and wellbeing. The Glen clubman also discusses how Derry have rebui…

Nick Wammes and Sarah Orban, track Cyclists on the Canadian National Team, are doing their best to win their sport more love. The pair are partners on and off the track, and they lean hard into social media, to draw attention to their discipline for those 206 weeks of every 4 year cycle when their sport is not enjoying Olympic audiences.…

Luke Prokop was only 19 years old when he made pro sports history. A year after the Nashville Predators drafted him, Prokop told his team, his sport, and the wider world that he was gay. He is the first player under NHL contract to do so. He has now bumped up to playing plenty of AHL games, making him the first out gay player at that level, one ste…

The latest episode of The Players Voice features Cork’s Amy O’Connor. Fresh from captaining the Rebel county to the All-Ireland title and winning an All-Star, Amy sat down to reflect on a memorable year and some of the lessons learned along the way. She talked about what it was like to score 3-7 in the 2023 All-Ireland final, including a hat-trick …

Laurence St-Germain just delivered a fantastic wake up call to the world’s best skiers. She won the slalom gold medal at the 2023 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in Courchevel France. The great Mikaela Shiffrin was both startled and delighted to see the friendly Canadian win her first podium on an international circuit.…

Anastasia’s long-running passion project returns with Hilary Knight, captain of the US national hockey team, world and olympic champion, the face of the American women’s game, and from a Canadian perspective, public frenemy #1. Knight dekes around all the old Can-Am rivalries talk and focusses instead on the game-changing debut of the PWHL.…

In the second of our special podcasts about GB7s, Ethan Waller spoke to Alex Davis and Emma Uren from the GB7s squads to find out their journey to the Rugby Sevens circuit, and their thoughts ahead of the upcoming season.بقلم The Rugby Players Association

The latest episode features former Galway player Alan Kerins. Back in 2001, Alan Kerins had the rare experience of playing in both the All-Ireland football and hurling finals but since then his impact has stretched far beyond the playing field. Through his charity work, Alan has raised millions of euro that has saved and changed thousands of lives …

The latest episode of The Players Voice features Dublin’s Ciarán Kilkenny. The Castleknock clubman talks about life as a teacher, setting up a Yoga business and the importance of trying new things. He chats about his search for sport/life balance and lessons learned from pushing himself too hard. Ciarán also looks back on the high of recapturing th…

In our first of two special podcasts, Ethan Waller introduces our chat with GB7s captain Abbie Brown about the upcoming season for GB7s, looking back at what was a successful campaign for the women...بقلم The Rugby Players Association

The latest episode of The Players Voice features Dublin’s Lauren Magee. During this conversation, Lauren explains why Dublin's All-Ireland victory in 2023 was the sweetest of them all. She discussed how much she benefited as a person from taking a break to go traveling and what she learned from her experience in the AFLW. Lauren also opens up about…

On this month's podcast, Ethan was joined by former England international Luther Burrell and RPA Head of Player Development & Wellbeing Luke Cheyne, where they talked about the topic of player development and preparing for your life in rugby. This podcast was recorded at the RPA Academy Induction Day in August at Rugby School.…

The latest episode of The Players Voice features Kerry’s Martin Stackpoole. The goalkeeper joined host Alan O’Mara to open up in great detail about his gambling addiction and his recovery. Martin talks about his struggle to reach out for help, what he learned from spending time in a treatment centre and how much he is enjoying living life on his ow…

Welcome to the latest episode of The Players Voice - where this week we are joined by Down’s Fionnuala Carr. During this chat, Fionnuala opens up about the highs and lows of running her own business, MarVal Power. She talks about applying the ‘next ball’ mentality she learned in sport to business, as well as dealing with self-doubt and building con…

In a special #ThePlayersVoice Podcast, Ethan Waller hosted a live podcast at the Crane Tap in Twickenham, ahead of the England v Wales game on 12th August with Harlequins & England centre Will Joseph and Red Rose & Harlequins star Shaunagh Brown. They previewed the upcoming tournament, and gave their thoughts on England's campaign...…

Welcome to the latest episode of The Players Voice - where this week we are joined by Kildare goalkeeper Mary Hulgraine. During this powerful and insightful conversation, Mary reflects on her well-being journey and recovery from alcohol and drug addiction. She talks about the importance of accepting help and shares some of the highs and lows of lif…

Welcome to the latest episode of The Players Voice - where this week we are joined by New York goalkeeper and former Down player, Mick Cunningham. One of the heroes that helped the exiles to their first ever win in the Connacht GAA championship earlier this year, Mick tells us why he moved to New York in the first place and how it has helped him to…

On this month's edition of The Players Voice, we are talking all about Player Businesses. Ethan is joined by former Saracens, Northampton, and Harlequins hooker Joe Gray, who has his own business in MyoMaster, and RPA Player Development Manager Jamie Bethell, who talked to Joe about the journey his business has been on and the help it has provided …

Welcome to the latest episode of The Players Voice - where this week we are joined by Clare camogie star Chloe Morey and former Tyrone player Gemma Begley, who is now the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion manager with the Gaelic Players Association. During this chat, Chloe and Gemma outline why female inter-county football and camogie teams will pl…

In this month's podcast, Ethan is joined by Bath Rugby hooker Niall Annett and RPA Player Development Manager Matt Garvey and they talk about how they've coped with injuries throughout their playing career, and the impact they can have on a player.بقلم The Rugby Players Association

Welcome to the latest episode of The Players Voice - where this week we are joined by Cora Staunton. During this chat, Cora shares how she is managing the transition out of her 6 year spell as a professional athlete in the AFLW. Cora tells us about her work as part of the Galway camogie management team this season and her passion for mentoring, lea…

The latest episode of The Players Voice features Kildare hurler James Burke. During this chat, the 2022 Christy Ring Player of the Year opens up about how bacterial meningitis once turned his whole world upside down. Contracting the rare but deadly infection was a life threatening experience, and James shares some of the unexpected lessons and pers…

On this month's edition on the RPA Players' Voice podcast, Ethan Waller was joined by Premiership rugby legend Chris Ashton at the Eterlast RPA Awards, where they chatted about the big winners from the night and Chris' retirement plans.بقلم The Rugby Players Association

In this special edition of the The Players' Voice Podcast, host Ethan Waller is joined by Rob Shotton from LooseHeadz, to talk about the recent collaboration between the two organisations ahead of Mental Health Awareness Week (15-21st May).بقلم The Rugby Players Association

This is the second part of our mental health special on The Players Voice with Antrim hurler Domhnall Nugent. Having struggled with addiction to alcohol and cocaine, Domhnall Nugent spent three months in residential rehabilitation. He is now an addiction facilitator with Cuan Mhuire and the founder of Let’s Face It.In this episode, Domnhnall and ho…

The latest episode of The Players Voice features Antrim hurler Domhnall Nugent. Having struggled with addiction to alcohol and cocaine, Domhnall spent 3 months in residential rehabilitation. He is now an addiction facilitator for Cuan Mhuire and the founder of Let’s Face It, where he releases his own weekly podcast.This conversation is a two-part m…

Tammy Cunnington has made the most of a roller coaster experience in para sport.As the child of a very active Red Deer AB family, she just barely survived a freak accident at an airshow in 1982. By the time she rehabbed sufficiently to get back into sport, at 8 or 9 years of age, wheelchair basketball became her passion. She was a big part of succe…

Justina Di Stasio has to be one of the greatest wrestlers that Canada has not yet seen at an Olympic Games. She’s excelled at major international tournaments, time and time again, but when it comes to getting on the Canadian Olympic team, the BC veteran has hit a roadblock in the form of her Gold medallist teammate Erica Wiebe. Canada can only send…

When a team athlete is named MVP over and over again, that's saying something about their ability to lift everyone's game around them. Zak Madell, one of the world's best wheelchair rugby players, has owned that MVP distinction almost since the day -a dozen years ago- he first got into his notoriously rock 'em sock 'em sport. Madell is as effective…

The latest episode of The Players Voice features two Cork legends, Orlagh Farmer and Orla Finn. This is a special conversation between the best of friends as they look back on the journey that saw them grow together as both players and people. The pair were part of multiple All-Ireland winning campaigns - including the 6 in row teams from 2011 to 2…

Host Ethan Waller is joined by London Irish & England winger Ollie Hassell-Collins, London Irish Team Psychologist Mike Roberts and Player Development Manager Richard Easton for this month's podcast. They talk about athlete identity, how an athlete finds their identity, the role of the clubs and the RPA play in this and much more...…

Dublin All-Star and All-Ireland winner Leah Caffrey joins The Players Voice for a wide-ranging conversation about life on and off the field. Leah spoke to us from Ballymaloe Cookery School, where she is currently navigating a significant career change and challenging herself to be much more than just a footballer. She also talks about the highs of …

If Tara Llanes was in the branding business, her personal motto might be "Once a baller, always a baller".As a kid in California she loved basketball, and she played a high level game until BMX caught her attention. And then a professional Mountain Biking career took hold. But just when Llanes began to feel like she had done all she could in cyclin…

Here's an odd factoid about one of the best voices in basketball. Chuck Swirsky does not care for his own name. He was 'Charlie' til his very first day in college radio, when the anchor struck him temporarily speechless with the intro 'Sports, with Chuck Swirsky'. To his enduring regret, 'Chuck' stuck. Forty years later, Mr. Swirsky is still settin…

Antrim All-Star Jane Adams joins The Players Voice this week to reflect on important lessons in life, sport and business. In this wide-ranging conversation with host Alan O’Mara, Jane shares her journey to self-acceptance and happiness, after initially struggling to accept that she was gay. Jane highlights how resilience, courage and adaptability h…

Like the game titles themselves, esports athletes can generate shocking income and audiences. At the highest level, it's gaming in name only. Everything else about the pursuit of esports mastery is hard-nosed, serious business.Elite esports players' training regimens certainly rival those of "real world" athletes. Strength and balance work, hand-ey…