Using Lego® Serious Play® to explore women’s mental health and physical well-being in semi-elite association football in England

This study uses Lego® Serious Play® (LSP), to explore the lived experiences facing women’s participation in semi-elite Association Football in England. It investigates how women navigate the transition process, both into and out of professional sporting environments, and the subsequent impact this can have on both their mental health and physical well-being, and their sporting careers. By adopting a creative multi-sensory methodology, Lego® Serious Play® (LSP), the focus is upon the Lego® and not the individual player. Data was collected from fifteen women players based at a semi-elite Association Football club in the South of England. The results highlight several key themes associated with mental health, physical wellbeing and anxiety issues surrounding the transition process in the women’s game. The study's originality and uniqueness stem from the methodological approach being applied in a sport setting, rather than the subject area itself, women’s Association Football. This is the first study to trial Lego® Serious Play® (LSP) in high-performance sport and highlights the diverse potential of using creative play-based methodologies in broader sport and leisure contexts.