EA5 founder Zak Sylvester was invited to deliver a guest workshop at the University College of Football Business at their Wembley Stadium campus, as part of their Sport Psychology and Player Care Conference.
Across the day, students engaged with leading practitioners and alumni working across football and motorsport, with Zak contributing both through an interactive workshop and as part of the closing panel on player care in elite sport.
Making psychology something you can feel
The workshop was designed to be interactive from the outset.
Alongside a live psychology assessment with professional footballer and UCFB alumnus Kieron Lake-Bryan, students were introduced to a guided exercise that invited them to slow down, focus on their breathing, and notice their state in real time.
Rather than speaking about psychology, the intention was to allow students to experience it directly.
This approach was reflected in the feedback from those in the room.
Millie Daniels, a Football Business and Media student at UCFB, described the session as “a really engaging session on athlete wellbeing and performance psychology.”
Connor Evangulov, a Sports Psychology student at UCFB, shared that “in just 20 minutes I learned so much,” highlighting how impactful it can be when these ideas are brought to life in a practical way.
Bridging the gap between learning and application
Sport psychology is a core part of modern athlete development, yet much of it is still experienced in a classroom setting.
What became clear throughout the session is that students value the opportunity to connect what they are learning to something tangible and relevant.
Connor Evangulov reflected that hearing from practitioners and engaging in the session gave “a great indication as to what my life could look and sound like in the future,” reinforcing the importance of connecting education to real environments and lived experience.
From an institutional perspective, this was also recognised.
Ashvinder Virdee, Senior Careers and Employability Planning Advisor at UCFB, described the conference as “a fantastic way to close the UCFB Premier Events series,” highlighting the value of sessions that combine academic insight with practical engagement.
Simon Fitzjohn, Senior Employability and Career Planning Manager at UCFB Wembley, added that it was “a fantastic event” and highlighted the workshop as part of a day that brought together “athlete wellbeing and performance psychology” with real world application.
Contributing to the future of athlete development
The day concluded with a panel discussion titled The Mind Game: Sports Psychology and Player Care in Elite Sport, where Zak joined practitioners working directly within high performance environments across football and motorsport.
Across both the workshop and the panel, there was a consistent theme.
Athletes are not only required to perform physically, but to manage pressure, navigate uncertainty, and understand themselves at a deeper level. The ability to slow down, reflect, and regulate their state is becoming increasingly important.
By bringing guided audio experiences and practical reflection into environments like UCFB, EA5 is contributing to this shift. Not by replacing existing education, but by complementing it with something students can engage with immediately.
Extending beyond the classroom
What stood out across the day was not just the content, but the level of engagement.
Students remained present, asked thoughtful questions, and contributed to discussions throughout. There was a clear appetite for learning that goes beyond theory and into something more practical and personal.
For EA5, this reflects the role we are continuing to play across schools, universities, and performance environments.
Supporting individuals not just to learn about psychology, but to experience it in a way that is simple, practical, and relevant to their day to day lives.
Getting involved
For students, the starting point is simple. Take a few minutes, listen to a guided audio, and notice the difference for yourself.
For institutions, it starts with a conversation.
If you are looking to bring a more practical and engaging approach to wellbeing and performance into your environment, we would welcome the opportunity to explore how EA5 can support your students.
