We are delighted to have partnered with the charity, Sports Chaplaincy UK & Ireland, the Christian charity that is part of Global Sports Chaplaincy (GSCA) and who help coordinate and facilitate the work of Sports Chaplains within sport in the UK & Ireland. They work in close partnership with clubs and sport’s governing bodies who recognise the need for quality pastoral and spiritual support and encouragement throughout sport. ‘Serving Sport Through Excellence in Chaplaincy’ is their tag line and this is their heart and DNA.
Sports Chaplaincy UK and Ireland has been in existence for over 30 years across Football, Rugby, Cricket, Hockey, Athletics, Horse Racing, Motor Racing and now GAA as well as many other sports such as Golf, Boxing ,Gyms and Surfing They are trusted across sport in the whole of the UK and Ireland and have a Global reputation.
Approximately 80% of the professional football clubs in the UK and Ireland have a chaplain including the majority of Premiership clubs in each of those nations and over 90% of the clubs in the top 2 tiers of mens football and the top tier of women’s football in Northern Ireland have taking up the opportunity to appoint a club chaplain through the charity.
https://www.nifootballleague.com/chaplaincy/
Whether your club has appointed a sports chaplain at this point or not through the charity, their heart and ours is to ensure this is an accessible service for all of our members across the PFA in Northern Ireland and their families
PFA Northern Ireland Director Michael Carvill commented
“The whole purpose of the PFA NI was built around protecting players’ mental health and wellbeing.
We are here to help players when at their most critical and we feel this partnership with Sports Chaplaincy is essential to protecting our members welfare both during and post career. “
Philip Mitchell, who is the Coordinator for Sports Chaplaincy across Ireland, is a former professional player with Linfield, Glentoran, Lisburn Distillery, Portadown , Ards and Ipswich Town and has been a coach educator for the Irish FA for the last 10 years .In addition to the valuable support your club chaplain provides, Philip along with Tracey Robinson who is also Chaplain to the Northern Ireland Women’s Senior team will provide additional support to not just players at clubs without a chaplain, but to all players.
Philip commented “Having both been around the game for a while now , Tracey and I are aware of the stresses for players on and off the pitch and the encouragement and non judgmental listening ear players often need and appreciate . Delighted to provide this additional player of support for all the PFA members and their families in addition to the personal valuable support that our club chaplains provide on the ground at the vast majority of NIFL clubs”
Philip can be contacted at 07788 254465 and ireland@sportschaplaincy.org.uk
Tracey can be contacted at 07725 145707 and tracey@sportschaplaincy.org.uk
To find out more about the charity, check out the Sports Chaplaincy Ireland link below.
Serving Sport in Ireland – Sports Chaplaincy UK & Ireland 2023/24
Check out also the Sports Chaplaincy UK and Ireland video below.
Sports chaplaincy Video including Neil Lennon on Mental Health
For additional Sports Chaplaincy UK and Ireland Resources, check out the link.
Head in for Success 23-24 Supporting the Wellbeing of the Elite or Dedicated Athlete – Sports Chaplaincy Ireland