This Christmas, I went to my village carol service for the first time in 15 years. Not because I don’t enjoy carols Not because I didn’t want to be there. Simply because, for the last decade and a half, it always clashed with my daughter’s Christmas show. If you’re a sport parent, you’ll already understand what that really means. Her Christmas show wasn’t just one evening in December. It took over our lives for weeks. Extra rehearsals layered on top of normal training, costumes to buy,...

Last week, I walked across a stage at the University of Edinburgh and collected my doctoral scroll. If you saw the photos, you probably saw the smiles, the cap, the gown, my kids shouting “Go on Mum!” - the triumphant moment. But as with all triumphs, what you didn’t see is the gravity I had to fight to get there. Because I’m not an “academic type.” I hated school. I struggled in school. And for five long years of my PhD, imposter syndrome sat on my shoulder like a constant shadow. I...

Last week, Felix Smith made history - becoming the first junior British male aerobic gymnast ever to win an individual medal at the European Championships. A bronze that represents far more than a place on the podium; it represents years of invisible work carried out not just by Felix, but by the three essential pillars of youth sport: the coach, the athlete, and the parent. This trio; sometimes called the coach–athlete–parent triangle isn’t glamorous, but it is everything. And when I watched...