E22 - Chris Jones and Adam Pengilly: Identity in the midst of retirement

Episode 3 sees Danno chatting to former rugby wildman turned youth coach Chris Jones and ex-Winter Olympian Adam Pengilly. The pair enjoyed successful, but vastly different careers in top-level sport, with Adam a skeleton slider and Chris an uncompromising prop.

But both are only too aware of the challenges faced by elite sportspeople on retirement. Chris talks about trying to fill a void in his life left behind by rugby, while for Adam, it was easy to think that part of his identity had disappeared.

Chris and Adam’s accounts will resonate with many top-level sportspeople who are making the difficult transition to that next stage of life.

Listen in as they talk about

Struggling to keep playing due to injury (2mins 20secs)

The emotional impact of knowing you have to retire (2.55)

The lows of going through that transition (6.00)

Getting your head around no longer being an athlete (10.08)

Thinking part of you was now ‘gone’ (12.05)

Helping other sportspeople move on (15.15)

The impact Christian faith has had on all of this (17.20)

And much more..