Partnering with
Switch The Play Foundation
Supporting athletes as they build a new career in fitness
- Proud Partner of Switch The Play Foundation |
- Industry Leading 5-Star Support |
- The Only Charity of its Kind
- Proud Partner of Switch The Play Foundation |
- Industry Leading 5-Star Support |
- The Only Charity of its Kind
Supporting Athletes Beyond Sport
Switch the Play Foundation is the UK’s only charity dedicated to supporting athletes as they transition into life beyond professional sport. Through personalised mentoring, learning and development programmes, career pathway guidance and mental wellbeing support, they help them develop the skills and confidence needed to thrive in life after sport. By addressing the specific challenges of transition, Switch the Play help athletes find new direction and build a future they’ve chosen for themselves.
The Challenge
A sports career can end in an instant.
More than 70% of sportspeople have that decision made for them; by the end of a contract, deselection from a squad, or a serious injury.
Over half experience financial or mental health struggles within five years of retiring.
That’s the gap this partnership aims to close.
The Evolve & Thrive Programme
Addressing The Challenge
Evolve & Thrive is a nine-month development programme helping professional athletes explore who they are, who they want to be after sport, and what they need to kick-start the next phase of their life. It gives athletes space to reflect, alongside practical learning they can apply immediately.
The programme includes:
- Personalised 1-2-1 mentoring
- Group-based masterclasses
- Career pathway exploration
- Mental wellbeing support
- Access to the ‘Switched On’ community hub
- A bursary worth up to £1,000
15 fully-funded places are available for eligible athletes.
Geva Mentor, CBE
Evolve & Thrive Participant and Former England Roses Netball Player
The Evolve & Thrive Programme came at just the right time. It connected me with a group of like-minded athletes from various sports, all navigating their own version of this transition. It’s been powerful and reassuring to hear and share stories with people who truly understand what it means to leave behind the structure, identity, and intensity of professional sport.
Molly Saunders
Former professional rugby player for the Exeter Chiefs, Wasps, Harlequins and Worcester Warriors
The Evolve & Thrive Programme, along with the Switch the Play team, has opened my eyes and helped me navigate both the challenges I’ve faced and those still to come. More than anything, it’s the sense of connection and genuine support among everyone involved that’s made the biggest difference.
Donnie Macfadyen
Former Scotland International Rugby Union Player
I’m in a much better place now. I feel like I’ve got purpose again. I’ve found something that feels like a really good fit for my own unique skillset – and that is 100% down to Switch the Play.
Where We Come in
Switch the Play supports you through the transition. We handle the qualification that turns it into a career.
Plenty of athletes know they want to stay close to sport and have no idea what the route in actually looks like. A recognised qualification is that route. It’s what turns years of training knowledge and coaching instinct into something an employer can hire, or a business you run yourself.
We won’t pretend the first year is easy. Building a client base takes longer than most people expect, and the early months can feel a long way from the structure you’re used to. What we can tell you is that the qualification is the part you can control, and it’s the part that opens the door.
What It Means For You
- Exclusive discounts on our courses and bundles
- Qualifications across personal training, Pilates, sports massage, nutrition and specialist CPD
- Study online, in person, or a mix of both, so it fits around whatever else you’re managing
- Guaranteed interviews with major UK gym chains once you qualify
- Free personal training insurance, a Graduate Tool-Kit, and business skills workshops when you finish
We’re Switch the Play’s education and career-development partner. Athletes coming through their programmes get preferential access to our qualifications, and a team who understands you’re starting again rather than starting from nothing.
Ready to Explore Your Next Career?
If you’re a Switch the Play participant, you can access 45% off any of our qualifications.
Have a look at what’s available, or speak to our team and we’ll talk you through which route fits what you want to do next.