The LGBT Sport Podcast21 Sep 2022

The One with Hayley Ladd

For Hayley Ladd, playing football wasn’t a choice. It was just a given from the off.

As soon as she was old enough, she was kicking a ball around with local lads on the cul-de-sac that her family lived on – and when she was nine, she was in Arsenal’s Centre of Excellence.

Stints at Coventry City, Bristol Academy and Birmingham City followed – alongside a time playing in Finland! – before Hayley ended up at Manchester United.

And alongside that was Hayley’s international career, began when she was just sixteen years old, and still going strong to this day for Wales.

It was being part of that Welsh team at such a young age that helped Ladd find the confidence she needed to be her authentic self – and now, she’s looking to help others do the same.

This is a cracking conversation about all of that and so much more – from Wales’ recent World Cup match with Slovenia played in front of an electric crowd in Cardiff to Hayley’s footballing journey, plus training in the pandemic, finding time to relax and the pressures that younger players may face now that Hayley didn’t have to deal with as she was breaking into the game.

It’s a brilliant chat with a fantastic guest, and we think you’re going to love it!

WANT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR GUEST? @HayleyLadd

WANT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE PODCAST? @jack_murley jack.murley@bbc.co.uk

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(354)

Ask Nicola

Olympic boxing legend Nicola Adams is the one answering the questions, guests include Sarah Bern, Lauren Rowles and Dame Kelly Holmes. They chat about dancing with a same-sex partner on Strictly, mana...

31 Jul 202516min

Sarah Bern, Rugby Union Player

England's Red Roses Prop Sarah Bern talks to Nicola Adams about body image, coming out and inclusion.Funny, fierce and full or heart, Sarah reflects on growing up in boys’ teams and what it's like to ...

24 Jul 202526min

Charlie Martin, Racing Driver

Trailblazing trans racing driver and LGBTQ+ activist Charlie Martin talks to Nicola Adams about her journey, from childhood to Le Mans.They dive into identity, mental health, motorsport culture and th...

17 Jul 202526min

Ryan Atkin, Football Referee

Ryan Atkin, the first openly gay professional football referee, joins Nicola Adams to talk coming out, toxic masculinity and how football can be better for everyone.Presenter: Nicola Adams. Producer: ...

9 Jul 202525min

Lauren Rowles, Paralympic Rower

Triple Paralympic gold medalist Lauren Rowles shares her powerful story with Nicola Adams. From feeling shame about her disability and identity to being a champion who embraces queer love and motherho...

2 Jul 202529min

Dame Kelly Holmes, Olympic Athlete

Dame Kelly Holmes shares her extraordinary story, from serving in the British Army under a ban on being gay, to becoming a double Olympic champion. Speaking candidly with Nicola Adams, Dame Kelly talk...

25 Jun 202527min

Introducing… the new LGBT Sport Podcast series

Taking a look at LGBTQ+ issues in sport.Double Olympic gold medal winner Nicola Adams is joined by inspirational people from different sporting backgrounds to chat about their careers and their experi...

25 Jun 20251min

The One with Conor McDermott-Mostowy

When it comes to the ice, Conor McDermott-Mostowy is fast – like, really fast!A national speed-skating champion and a member of US Speedskating who has won medals across the world, the American knows ...

27 Mar 202433min