April's Spotlight Insight: Cultures of Support

Creating Cultures of Support in Sport: Why It Matters for Concussion Safety

Recent research from the University of Winchester has made one thing clear: we need a cultural shift in sport if we want to create safer environments for athletes. A study led by Dr John Batten highlights how transformational leadership — the kind of leadership that empowers and connects — can foster a strong sense of psychological safety within teams. This feeling of safety is key to encouraging athletes to speak up, both about their own concussion symptoms and those of their teammates. 

Dr Matt Smith, co-author of the study and senior lecturer in sport and exercise psychology at the University of Winchester, explains: 

“When athletes feel supported and understood by their coaches and teammates, they are more likely to engage in behaviours that prioritise health, including reporting concussions.” 

We couldn’t agree more. 

At Concussion Toolkit, our own research with students at the University of Bristol found that support networks matter — a lot. When asked what helps most in recovering from a concussion, students ranked support from family and friends as joint second in their hierarchy of needs.

One of our expert interviewees, a performance sport psychologist, reflected: 

“I’ve found that social support plays the biggest role in a successful recovery and return-to-play.” 

These findings point to a powerful truth: supportive cultures don’t just make sport more enjoyable — they make it safer. 

We’ve also been inspired by leaders like Eamon Delvin, founder of Minute9, a communication boutique that helps elite sport environments shape impactful game-day communication and half-time talks. Eamon’s work shows that effective communication isn’t just about tactics — it’s about building trust, creating space for vulnerability, and opening up dialogue around tough topics like injury and recovery. 

So here’s some food for thought: 

As a player: How can you be there for your teammates? How can you make space for vulnerability, ask the right questions, and check in with someone who might be struggling? 

As a coach: What messages are you sending about injury? How do you respond when a player opens up? Are you creating an environment where honesty is valued over playing through pain? 

Creating cultures of support isn’t just a nice idea — it’s a concussion prevention strategy. And it starts with all of us. 

We'd love to hear your thoughts! Write to hello@concussiontoolkit.co.uk