Kev…

What’s your favourite thing about Pre-Season? 

Catching up with the lads and putting in the hard work together to achieve the collective goal of being ready for the competitive games ahead. I guess it’s the excitement and optimism of the season ahead and what you could achieve if everything comes together. 

How’s training been going? 

Considering I’ve had nearly two years out from playing football competitively I’ve been really pleased with the match fitness and sharpness I’ve achieved in a relatively short space of time. I still feel like I’m a number of weeks away from being where I really want to be but so far I’m happy with the progress. 

Mentally, how are you feeling going into the season? 

In all honesty I was using pre-season to figure out whether a 35 year old me still had the motivation and determination to play football competitively again! If you throw into the mix the challenges of running a business and chasing after a 1 1/2 year old I’m also trying to figure out the best way to balance my time and energy! So far so good…..just about! Overall though I’m happy to say that I’m in a good place mentally going into the season.

What’s been the most challenging part of pre-season this year?

I’ve suffered with a couple of niggling injuries that I’m trying to get on top of as we move into competitive games. A combination of pushing my body physically after time out from the sport as well as the ridiculously hard ground we’re having to play on has almost certainly been the cause of it. I’m enjoying the summer we’re having but I can’t wait for the arrival of rain and with that the more forgiving surfaces!

What are you most excited about going into game/tournament season? 

Having signed for a new team and getting to know the quality of the lads I’m playing with I’m certain we can be ultra-competitive this season. On a personal level I also want William (although he likely won’t remember!) to be able to see daddy playing Football before l get a little too long in the tooth!

Do you have any particular goals or targets you want to achieve during the season? 

Primarily for me it’s about simply enjoying playing football again whilst achieving the right work-life balance. Other than that I just want to be performing at a level I know I’m capable of and hopefully (eventually!) have a relatively injury free season. Other than that it’s about taking it game after game and seeing how the season plays out!! 

Em…

What’s your favourite thing about Pre-Season? 

My favourite thing about pre-season is there’s no pressure, the training environment especially during the summer is always extremely positive and a lot more relaxed as you know you aren’t prepping for any tournaments just purely focusing on fitness and technique. 

How’s training been going? 

Training has been going really well, I feel like this is the fittest I have felt since lockdown 2020 and I feel so much more confident in my own ability. Each training session I’m trying to push myself more and more and I definitely wouldn’t have had this mentality a couple of years ago! I have also made the decision that I want to get back into singles this season so my training has 100% been physically a lot harder as I haven’t trained specifically for singles since I was a junior. 

Mentally, how are you feeling going into the season?

Lack of confidence in my own ability and anxiety in general are two things I have always really struggled with as the season starts as well as through the tournament season. Throughout lockdown I feel like I had a really good break from the pressure of tournaments and therefore going into this first proper full season, I have never felt so excited and eager to play. As I’ve also got older, I definitely feel that with all my experience and maturity this has allowed me to see a different perspective and have a more strategic and practical outlook on the start of the season rather than worrying about results before even playing. 

What’s been the most challenging part of pre-season this year? 

For me, the most challenging thing was going out of my comfort zone and training and preparing to play singles again. I’ve always had a love hate relationship with singles. As a junior I did have some amazing results and did enjoy it for many years. However, as I got older I expected more from myself each time I competed which turned into a really damaging and negative mentality. The last couple of years of being a junior I stopped playing singles due to this and focused on my mixed and ladies doubles. Every so often over the last 3-4 years I toyed with the idea of getting back into singles but didn’t have the commitment or desire to persevere with it. I’m in a really good place at the moment where I have the right people around me, who are not only motivating me but are pushing and challenging me to be better! 

What are you most excited about going into game/tournament season? 

For me, I’m looking forward to getting back into the routine of playing tournaments and travelling most weekends. The travelling is obviously a massive part of tournaments and I’m lucky that we always have a little group that go up together, so I’m looking forward to those fun car journeys again. I’m also so excited to play for the county, I love representing Devon and competing in team tournaments/events. The support you get from your teammates and the general buzz of playing with each other is one of my favourite aspects of playing badminton. 

Do you have any particular goals or targets you want to achieve during the season? 

I definitely have high targets I want to hit this season in both my ladies doubles and mixed doubles. However, the most important thing for me this season, especially after taking a long break, is to just really enjoy myself and make the most of each tournament. This season I’m trying to make a conscious effort to be really positive in all aspects including my mental preparation for tournaments as well as my mindset for singles. During lockdown I spent a lot of time reflecting on what I have achieved already and I am proud of what I have done so far, however I know that I can do so much better and therefore I’m looking forward to pushing myself over the year and following years to really prove to myself that I can do something if I put my mind to it.