England Futsal join forces with Switch The Play to provide athletes with support for life in performance sport
The new partnership will see the UK-based charity provide education and mentoring support to athletes within the England Futsal Performance Pathway.
England Futsal are delighted to announce today an exciting new partnership with Switch the Play Foundation, further strengthening an unwavering commitment to developing and supporting our athletes both on and off the futsal court.
Switch the Play Foundation is the UK's only charity supporting current and former athletes to successfully transition out of professional sports. Through mentoring, training and wellbeing programmes, Switch the Play helps people develop skills, confidence and purpose for life after sport, empowering them to thrive both during and beyond their playing careers.
Vicky Birkby, England Futsal Community C.I.C. Board Director said:
“This partnership is a truly meaningful step forwards for us, and our commitment to athlete care. Having balanced a top-level futsal career with a profession myself, I know the commitments required to both, and the toll that dual-careers can take on your physical and mental wellbeing.
That’s why Switch the Play’s work is so vital. We are confident that their programme and resources will be of great value to all of our athletes and provide them with the tools they need to thrive in their futsal careers but more importantly in their personal and professional lives.”
Rob Young, CEO of Switch the Play Foundation said:
"We are absolutely delighted to be partnering with England Futsal and supporting athletes across their Performance Pathway. At Switch the Play, we believe that every athlete is more than their sport, and it's so important that they feel supported as people as well as players.
We understand the commitment, dedication and sacrifice required to represent your country whilst balancing education, work and everyday life, and we're passionate about helping athletes navigate those challenges with confidence. Through our mentoring and learning and development programme support, we hope to give players the guidance, skills and opportunities they need to flourish both on and off the court.
We can't wait to work alongside England Futsal and be part of helping athletes build fulfilling futures, wherever their journeys take them."
Supporting Performance Athletes
We worked with more than 200 athletes in our performance programme during the 2025/26 season.
Why Switch the Play?
While on-court performances and success are undeniably important for all of the players we work with at England Futsal across our senior and development performance pathways, it is paramount that the person is placed front and centre of whatever we do.
Whether it’s a performance camp, classroom session or international fixture, each individual’s own wellbeing must take precedence over the sport.
Given futsal’s developmental status in England, the vast majority of the players we work with balance busy careers with the significant commitment and dedication it takes to maintain performance at an international level. Early morning or late night gym sessions, extra individual training and long distance travel for club games are all commonplace.
“We understand the commitment, dedication and sacrifice required to represent your country whilst balancing education, work and everyday life, and we’re passionate about helping athletes navigate those challenges with confidence.”
The same applies for our U17 and U19 student athletes, who have the rigours of education, exams and future planning to deal with, while carving their path in futsal.
Maintaining an international sporting career in this way, alongside a full-time day job or education, can understandably have a negative effect on mental wellbeing, causing conflict and stress in their lives.
Through our partnership with Switch the Play, every member of the England Futsal Performance Pathway will now be able to access top of the range mentoring support, educational resources and personal development opportunities that will help them to navigate career difficulties and plan for a future outside of futsal too.
What will the partnership look like?
As part of the partnership, Switch the Play will deliver an introductory online workshop for members of the England Futsal Performance Pathway in July.
Transition 101: Preparing for Life Beyond Sport
Monday 6 July | 7:30pm – 8:30pm
Delivered by Switch the Play's Director of Athlete Services and former professional footballer, Matt Lock, the interactive online workshop will explore athlete identity, career planning and preparing for life beyond sport.
A Tough Balance
Many of our younger athletes at U17/19 level balance their emerging futsal career with stressful and high intensity education.
Moving forward into the new season, Switch the Play will then deliver a series of in-person masterclasses for our athletes on a series of relevant topics such as holistic athlete development and performance lifestyle.
Moreover, every single member of our Performance Pathway aged 16+ will receive free access to Switch the Play’s mentoring programme, where they will be paired up with a skilled mentor to work through any concerns or difficulties they might be experiencing.
That is more than 200 male and female players receiving high quality support to develop themselves as athletes and, most importantly, people.
How do I find out more about Switch the Play?
To find out more about the fantastic work that Switch the Play does across a wide range of sports and sectors, you can visit their website and follow them on LinkedIn.
Thank you to all involved at Switch the Play for bringing this together as we look forward to a successful and rewarding partnership.
