How To Understand Neurodiversity Better In Football Refereeing
Nathan Sherratt – Mental Health Ambassador, Autism Charity Trustee and Speaker.
Nathan is an active football referee with an off the field story which he uses to inspire and improve the lives of referees of all ages and levels. As the founder of The Third Team, he is dedicated to empowering referees by equipping them with essential skills in resilience and mental toughness, helping them enhance their performance and nurture their mental wellbeing. Through workshops and coaching, he brings these transformative messages not only to referees, but also to students and professionals across schools, colleges, universities, and industry—using the world of refereeing as a powerful platform for personal growth and mental health awareness.
Today, the conversation delves into the experiences of a neurodiverse referee, referee educator and coach, Nathan Sherratt, the owner of The Third Team. We discuss the challenges faced in education, the workplace, and on the pitch, highlighting the importance of structure and accountability. David and Nathan also emphasise the need for understanding and support, particularly from clubs, organisations and governing bodies such as the FA, to better accommodate neurodivergent individuals in sports. Nathan goes on to share personal strategies for managing sensory challenges and the significance of self-care, including physical activities like walking and golf. The importance of continuous learning, adaptability, and the value of support networks in achieving success is also a feature of the episode.
Key Learning Points:
- Explore ways to manage the sensory challenges, such as the cold weather or noisy crowds.
- Neurodiverse traits can change over time.
- Every individual’s experience of living with autism is different.
- Adapting the use of comms kits in professional games and the difficulty of managing multiple conversations simultaneously should be considered by the FA when thinking about supporting Neurodiverse referees and assistant referees.
- It is important for governing bodies to invest in supporting and educating people who are neurodiverse to future-proof specific individuals in sports.
Connect with Nathan Sherratt
Connect with David Charlton
Join David @ The Sports Psychology Hub
Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIN
Podcast Episodes To Encourage A Positive Sporting Experience
Ep285: Adam Batstone – Football Coaches: How To Help Neurodiverse Players Thrive
Ep249: Dr Edward Hall – Understanding Workplace Collaboration In Coaching In Team Sports
Ep105: Hannah Bromley – Overcoming Psychological Challenges in Professional Women’s Football
Ep065: Dr Amy Izycky – Encouraging Mentally Healthy Cultures in Sport
Other Valuable Resources To Encourage A Positive Sporting Experience
Click the button below to join The Sports Psychology Hub a Facebook group that David hosts to help ambitious athletes, serious sport coaches, sporting parents, sports psychologists and mental game coaches to support each other.
IF YOU ENJOYED TODAY'S SHOW PLEASE SHARE
SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON YOUR FAVOURITE AUDIO PLATFORM
Also, kindly consider taking the 60-seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes, they’re extremely helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and we read every single one of them!
Best Wishes
David Charlton
Global Sports Psychologist who is located near Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK and willing to travel Internationally. David also uses online video conferencing software (Zoom, Facetime, WhatsApp) on a regular basis and has clients who he has supported in USA, Canada, South America, UAE, Australia and New Zealand.
Managing Director – Inspiring Sporting Excellence and Founder of The Sports Psychology Hub. With over 15 years experience supporting athletes, coaches, parents and teams to achieve their goals, quickly.
T: +44 7734 697769
