Sky Academy launch confidence campaign

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Sky Academy have launched a nationwide confidence month which includes a series of initiatives that use the power of TV, creativity and sport to help young people unlock their potential. Since launching in November 2013, Sky Academy has helped over 250,000 young people across the UK and Ireland.

Confidence is something we all struggle with at different times and in different ways, so Sportsister’s Sacha Shipway met up with Sky Academy Sports Scholars Savannah Marshall and Elise Christie to get their advice on how you can improve your confidence.

Savannah Marshall

Savannah, nicknamed the Silent Assassin, is a British boxer from Hartlepool who won Britain’s first ever boxing world title.

What has made you confident?

“The only thing I can really think of is the knowledge that I’ve trained hard. That’s what makes me confident – knowing that I’ve left no stone unturned, that I’m the fittest I’ve ever been and that I’ve done everything I can to win.”

Before you started winning, what made you confident?

“I really didn’t think I could win anything. I used to think: ‘If I don’t hit her first, she’s going to hit me.’ So it was more of a survival thing, than a confidence thing.”

What has helped your confidence most when competing?

“It has changed so much throughout my career. At the start I used to think: ‘I’m going to lose, I’m going to lose, I’m going to lose.’ Now, I run through what I’m going to do and how I’m going to win. So I think: ‘I’m quicker than her, so I’m going to use my speed.

It’s changed so much as I’ve got older. In the past year I haven’t been winning and my head has dropped and when you go through a bad patch you need your confidence the most – this is where being a Sky Sports Scholar has helped.

It’s amazing! They’ve supported me in so many ways – with the psychology side, the strength and conditioning side – it’s just amazing.”

What kind of a message would you give to someone you want to inspire?

If you’re dedicated and you want to win, stick at it and it will pay off in the future.

Elise Christie

Elise Christie is a two time Olympian and world silver medalist in Speed Skating

What has affected or improved your confidence the most?

“On the negative side I got a lot of online abuse after the Sochi Winter Olympics and that really affected my confidence. [This refers to the when Elise was penalized in three of her races]. A lot of people can be boosted or deterred by outside things or people you don’t even know, so the one thing I really learnt from my experience in Sochi is that you can’t allow yourself to be affected by exterior things – confidence has to come from within.”

How does being a Sky Sports Scholar help you?

‘Right now, I’m injured and normally that’s stressful, and would mean that my funding would be cut lower if I wasn’t competing, but to have Sky as a backup is amazing. The stress is gone and I can just focus on getting better and getting back to training when I’m ready to.”

Sacha Shipway, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine

Sky Academy Confidence Month aims to help one million people by 2020. For more information, go to sky.com/academy

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