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At 18, just a week after his A-level results, Stevie Ward was in the toilet at Wembley Stadium, minutes from his Challenge Cup debut in front of 80,000 people.
Terrified and looking for answers, he asked himself, “What am I going to do here?” The answer came in a note slipped under the door—from Brian McDermott, the most successful Super League coach ever.
That note revealed the key to elite performance that Stevie believes we all intuitively know we have, but haven’t been shown how to get there. Stevie shows the audience how we all deny our full potential by playing it safe instead of actually “playing our own game”. Stevie’s keynotes inspire self-reflection and responsibility as they understand it is not just his story- it is theirs too.
Stevie’s rugby career is the stuff of legend: youngest-ever Grand Final winner, two Challenge Cups, three Grand Final victories, and captain of Leeds Rhinos by 26. But behind the trophies were ten surgeries and deep mental health struggles. These challenges led him to launch Mantality, a movement to break the stigma around men’s mental health.
Since then, Stevie has inspired organizations like Warner Bros. Discovery, NHS, and Southampton FC through his speaking and consultancy. After retiring in 2021 Stevie went on to present with Sky Sports News regularly covering Rugby League, hosted the first of it’s kind in the Concussion Roundtable and starred in his own documentary – Living with Concussion. Stevie’s life has taken him from sharing stages with Prince Harry, to featuring in a Boy George song and being roasted by Ricky Gervais, all before 30.
Stevie’s keynotes cover resilience, teamwork, leadership and psychological safety. With raw authenticity and passion he helps leaders and teams expose their true potential
Stevie Ward reveals that authenticity is key to performance and fulfilment, even in challenging times. Based on his experiences as a coach and motivational speaker, he offers a game plan for teams and individuals to unlock their true potential and align with company goals.
Through his “3 C’s framework,” audiences will learn to cultivate context, connection, and choice to live authentically and achieve true performance.
This topic emphasizes creating a psychologically safe environment that balances well-being and performance. Drawing from his experience as a rugby league captain, Stevie shares practical strategies for fostering collaboration, instilling trust, and supporting team members’ physical and mental well-being. Attendees will learn key principles of effective leadership, such as the importance of genuine trust, communication, and empathy. They’ll discover how to create an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing ideas and concerns, fostering a culture of trust and reducing fear in critical moments.
Stevie Ward explores the two types of resilience essential for lasting success and fulfilment in personal and professional lives. Drawing from his experiences of overcoming numerous injuries and staying at the top, he shares insights into the physical and emotional aspects of toughness and their role in building a resilient mindset. Through inspiring stories and practical advice, audiences will learn to apply resilience in their lives, leaving them empowered and motivated to tackle any challenge.
Since 2016, Stevie Ward has advocated for mental health awareness and action, developing a framework for individuals and teams to take responsibility for their well-being. By creating a system and environment that addresses and celebrates mood and emotional health fluctuations, we can shatter the stigma around genuine feelings and excel. Gen Z and millennials expect caring and authentic environments, so we must cater to the world as it is and will be, not as it was.
Thank you for such a powerful and engaging session! I particularly enjoyed the mix of vulnerability, energy and fun throughout, it made your message feel very human and safe. This session was a great way to bring resilience and psychological safety to life, and give people practical tools going forward.”
What is really noticeable is that how the freedom to be vulnerable and be yourself really resonated as did your style and how you presented subjects that aren’t really spoken about in the police – you really made people think and definitely will have changed some viewpoints for the better.”
Inspirational Speakers has been providing high profile keynote speakers and entertainers for over 25 years.
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Stratford-Upon-Avon, CV37 1RD
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020 7993 2724
Sporting Champions introduces world class Inspired Athletes for the Schools and the education sector.
