Unlocking mental health and wellbeing in an English Premier League football academy using Lego® Serious Play®

Richard Shipway; Holly Henderson

doi:10.1080/23750472.2025.2602498

Unlocking mental health and wellbeing in an English Premier League football academy using Lego® Serious Play®

Richard Shipway^*
, Holly Henderson

^*Corresponding author for this work

Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

Purpose
This study examines the mental health and wellbeing challenges facing young male players in an English Premier League (EPL) football academy.

Methodology
The study utilises a creative multi-sensory methodology, Lego® Serious Play®, where the focus is upon the Lego® (method) and not the individual footballer (subject). Data were collected from academy footballers in the Under-14 age group.

Findings
The results highlight anxieties surrounding the academy registration and progression process within Association Football. Themes focus on (i) ambition and achievement, (ii) overcoming obstacles, (iii) metaphors for success, (iv) continuous improvement, (v) faith and optimism, and (vi) pushing limits to overcome the impossible.

Practical implications
The practical outcomes demonstrate that mental health and wellbeing conversations can be unlocked through play-based approaches. The practical outcomes demonstrate wider potential across various sport and leisure settings, including high-performance sport environments.

Research contributions
The study highlights the potential of using Lego® Serious Play® as a creative experiential methodology to better understand mental health issues in sport and leisure settings.

Originality
This is the first study to use the Lego® Serious Play® methodology in the context of managing sport and leisure organisations.

Original language	English
Number of pages	19
Journal	Managing Sport and Leisure
Early online date	14 Dec 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/23750472.2025.2602498
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 14 Dec 2025

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

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10.1080/23750472.2025.2602498Licence: Creative Commons: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs (CC BY-NC-ND)

ShipwayR2025UnlockingFinal published version, 1.34 MBLicence: Creative Commons: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs (CC BY-NC-ND)

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title = "Unlocking mental health and wellbeing in an English Premier League football academy using Lego{\textregistered} Serious Play{\textregistered}",

abstract = "Purpose This study examines the mental health and wellbeing challenges facing young male players in an English Premier League (EPL) football academy. Methodology The study utilises a creative multi-sensory methodology, Lego{\textregistered} Serious Play{\textregistered}, where the focus is upon the Lego{\textregistered} (method) and not the individual footballer (subject). Data were collected from academy footballers in the Under-14 age group. Findings The results highlight anxieties surrounding the academy registration and progression process within Association Football. Themes focus on (i) ambition and achievement, (ii) overcoming obstacles, (iii) metaphors for success, (iv) continuous improvement, (v) faith and optimism, and (vi) pushing limits to overcome the impossible. Practical implications The practical outcomes demonstrate that mental health and wellbeing conversations can be unlocked through play-based approaches. The practical outcomes demonstrate wider potential across various sport and leisure settings, including high-performance sport environments. Research contributions The study highlights the potential of using Lego{\textregistered} Serious Play{\textregistered} as a creative experiential methodology to better understand mental health issues in sport and leisure settings. Originality This is the first study to use the Lego{\textregistered} Serious Play{\textregistered} methodology in the context of managing sport and leisure organisations.",

author = "Richard Shipway and Holly Henderson",

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doi = "10.1080/23750472.2025.2602498",

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AU - Shipway, Richard

AU - Henderson, Holly

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N2 - Purpose This study examines the mental health and wellbeing challenges facing young male players in an English Premier League (EPL) football academy. Methodology The study utilises a creative multi-sensory methodology, Lego® Serious Play®, where the focus is upon the Lego® (method) and not the individual footballer (subject). Data were collected from academy footballers in the Under-14 age group. Findings The results highlight anxieties surrounding the academy registration and progression process within Association Football. Themes focus on (i) ambition and achievement, (ii) overcoming obstacles, (iii) metaphors for success, (iv) continuous improvement, (v) faith and optimism, and (vi) pushing limits to overcome the impossible. Practical implications The practical outcomes demonstrate that mental health and wellbeing conversations can be unlocked through play-based approaches. The practical outcomes demonstrate wider potential across various sport and leisure settings, including high-performance sport environments. Research contributions The study highlights the potential of using Lego® Serious Play® as a creative experiential methodology to better understand mental health issues in sport and leisure settings. Originality This is the first study to use the Lego® Serious Play® methodology in the context of managing sport and leisure organisations.

AB - Purpose This study examines the mental health and wellbeing challenges facing young male players in an English Premier League (EPL) football academy. Methodology The study utilises a creative multi-sensory methodology, Lego® Serious Play®, where the focus is upon the Lego® (method) and not the individual footballer (subject). Data were collected from academy footballers in the Under-14 age group. Findings The results highlight anxieties surrounding the academy registration and progression process within Association Football. Themes focus on (i) ambition and achievement, (ii) overcoming obstacles, (iii) metaphors for success, (iv) continuous improvement, (v) faith and optimism, and (vi) pushing limits to overcome the impossible. Practical implications The practical outcomes demonstrate that mental health and wellbeing conversations can be unlocked through play-based approaches. The practical outcomes demonstrate wider potential across various sport and leisure settings, including high-performance sport environments. Research contributions The study highlights the potential of using Lego® Serious Play® as a creative experiential methodology to better understand mental health issues in sport and leisure settings. Originality This is the first study to use the Lego® Serious Play® methodology in the context of managing sport and leisure organisations.

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ER -

Unlocking mental health and wellbeing in an English Premier League football academy using Lego® Serious Play®

Abstract

UN SDGs

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