GB hockey legend will share her winning formula

Helen will deliver 12th Excellence in Sport Lecture to mark LGBT+ History Month.

Helen Richardson-Walsh

Great Britain hockey legend Helen Richardson-Walsh MBE will deliver a free public talk at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) on Thursday, 3 February to mark the start of LGBT+ History Month.

Helen, who recorded 293 appearances for Great Britain and England during her remarkable 18-year international career, made history at Rio in 2016 when alongside her wife, Kate Richardson-Walsh, they became the first same sex married couple to win an Olympic medal while playing for the same team.

The talk, which can be attended in person at ARU’s Cambridge campus or online, is called Winning Together, which is also the title of the book she has written with Kate focusing on developing a winning culture and building better teams.

Since her international retirement, Helen has played for and is currently coaching Cambridge City Hockey Club, and has also recently taken on a role at Tottenham Hotspur Football Club as a performance psychologist.

As well as helping ARU mark the start of LGBT+ History Month, the talk is part of ARU’s Excellence in Sport Lecture Series.  Since it began in 2013, Excellence in Sport speakers have included GB Olympians Goldie Sayers, Gail Emms and Lizzy Yarnold, as well as former England footballer John Barnes.

Helen said: "I'm looking forward to joining ARU for the evening on 3 February as part of their Excellence in Sport Lecture Series in support of LGBT+ History Month. I'll be sharing some of the lessons I learnt through my 18-year international hockey career on the positive impact of creating an inclusive culture and how we all have a role in making that happen.

“I'll be including stories from my time with the team, describing the difference between winning and losing, and how when we embrace difference, we can all thrive.”

The event, sponsored by Living Sport, will include the opportunity to ask questions, and will be hosted by Dr Anna Stodter, Senior Lecturer in Sport Coaching and Physical Education at ARU, who is carrying out research focusing on LGBT+ inclusive education for coaches.

Dr Stodter, who is also a former Scotland Rugby Union international, said: “The idea to invite Helen to speak to us during LGBT+ History Month came through a project ARU is involved with called ‘Play With Pride’. 

“The Cambridge Centre for Sport and Exercise Sciences at ARU has worked with Living Sport, The Kite Trust and Pride Sports to evaluate educational workshops aimed at helping local sports coaches become more LGBT+ inclusive.

“Helen’s experiences in coaching and creating winning teams based on her extraordinarily successful playing career with GB Hockey means she is the ideal person to help us understand how being more inclusive can allow everyone to thrive.  I can’t wait to hear more about her experiences and pick up some great ideas for us all to try out in Winning Together!”

To book tickets for Winning Together with Helen Richardson-Walsh on 3 February (6.30-8pm), which is free and can be attended either in person at ARU’s Cambridge campus or online, please visit www.aru.ac.uk/events



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