Sport and physical activity should be an inclusive, welcoming and safe space for everyone. Yet for many people, opportunities to participate and lead in sport and physical activity is limited, this can be exacerbated for women and girls.
Driven by lived experience and a passion for tackling inequalities for girls and women, we spoke to Lydia Shale, former Activities and Opportunities Student Executive Officer at Leeds University Union, to find out more about her journey, early career ambitions and commitment to a changing sporting landscape for women and girls.
Lydia's story
Growing up, Lydia had always been involved in sport. She recalls spending most of her time playing football and participating in other activities.
However, at the age of 14 Lydia’s relationship with sport changed drastically. She was diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), a neurological condition that left her unable to walk for seven months and required intense rehabilitation.
“I felt like I lost part of my identity when I stopped playing football.”
After spending a few years out of football, she decided to reach out to her local county FA to see if there were any opportunities for her to participate again. To her disappointment, there was nothing available to meet her needs. So, she decided to reconnect with her old football coach, who helped her in ways beyond measure and started her on her leadership and coaching journey.
“The coach was so fantastic and was so accommodating to my needs, when he asked me to come back I could barely stand up. He took the time to research my disorder and adapted sessions so I could get involved.”
After experiencing first hand the barriers young women face in football Lydia decided to take an opportunity at Durham Youth Council. Shortly afterwards, she joined the FA National Youth Council to represent young people in football and support them into leadership positions where possible.
At first, coaching didn’t come naturally to Lydia, but over time her confidence started to grow. Lydia quickly became the club’s Head of Women and Girls Football Development and felt at home with this opportunity, aligning well with her personal passions and professional motivations.
Lydia most recently worked as an Activities and Opportunities Student Exec Officer at Leeds University Union. Her role was focused on driving extracurricular activities for 40,000 students. She now channels her energy and enthusiasm into Leeds Laces FC, where she provides inclusive football opportunities for women and the LGBTQ+ community. Lydia continues to focus on widening access for underrepresented groups.
“At first, I just wanted to work in football, but now I see how you can use sport for a wider purpose.”
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Leader wellbeing
Starting out on a leadership journey can be an isolating experience. Lydia’s come to understand that her wellbeing is tied to the boundaries she sets for herself and others.
“Earlier in my leadership journey, it was easy to prioritise work at the expense of everything else, but I’ve learned that you can’t pour from an empty cup.”
Making space for her social and family life has been essential, not just for her own wellbeing, but to sustain the impact of her work tackling inequalities. It’s a lengthy and consuming challenge, so wellbeing has to be prioritised.
“I’ve realised that leading a movement means you need to bring people with you, you can't do it alone. That sense of connection is something I now actively protect, rather than sacrifice.”
Facing challenges
Lydia’s faced several challenges both professionally and personally in her journey so far. These have included:
Age based assumptions
As a young leader, Lydia often finds herself in rooms with people that aren’t her age. Whilst youth voices have been amplified across the sector, she sometimes finds it difficult to ensure that her voice is being heard in decision making spaces.
“I don’t want to be that person who just ticks a box. I want to be able to contribute.”
Rather than being discouraged, Lydia remains committed to making youth representation meaningful within the sports sector.
Disability
Lydia’s experience with FND since the age of 14 continues to shape her life and leadership. As she stepped back into football and leadership roles, Lydia felt like she had to prove herself by demonstrating that her disability does not define her ability to meaningfully contribute. Lydia describes this as a continual challenge in new environments, particularly when public speaking, feeling as though people make judgements on her wheelchair use.
Workload
As someone whose mind is always active, Lydia has struggled to slow things down and manage her time. Occasionally this had led her to feeling overwhelmed. Her enthusiasm, passion and commitments can be a lot to manage, but she’s gradually realised that sustainable leadership involves setting boundaries and making adequate space to process these ideas, solutions and changes.
“I’m always juggling ten million things. It’s something that I’m still learning to manage – I haven’t grasped it 100% yet.”
Top tips
1 - Passion is more important than knowledge
Knowledge can develop over time, but passion is what drives you as a leader. Lydia believes that caring deeply and being passionate about what you do can help you overcome adversity and create lasting change.
2 - Set boundaries
Leading change, particularly when it’s supporting underrepresented groups, takes a lot. Protecting your wellbeing is just as important. Lydia advises other leaders to set clear boundaries around their time and energy to sustain their impact and avoid burnout.
3 - Believe in yourself
Lydia is certain that you don’t need to have all the answers to lead effectively. Back your lived experience and believe in what you have to offer.
“There are things you won’t know as a leader. Never underestimate why you are there and the impact you can have.”
In this segment, we asked the last leader we spoke to to leave a question for the next, they said: What leadership qualities do you think matter most for driving EDI in sport today?
“Passion - You need to care about what you do if you work in EDI. Particularly if you’re in a leadership position. Collaboration and consultation are also important. From consulting with students, I realised that if I was to do it alone, I wouldn't be able to.”
What's next?
Lydia continues to build momentum in tackling inequalities for girls and women in sport by creating meaningful opportunities and giving them a platform to be heard. This year, she hosted the Women in Sport Panel for the second time, building on last year’s event from 50 to 115 attendees.
In addition, she’s hoping to grow and expand Leeds Laces FC and other sports development opportunities. She aims to influence programmes and pathways for young girls and female leaders in sport, ensuring their inclusivity and accessibility from the outset. Lydia will continue to champion youth voice as a powerful tool for social and systemic change.
Do you have a leadership story you'd like to share? We'd love to hear from you, email us at leadingthemovement@sportengland.org and we'll be in touch!
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