Sport, Chaplaincy and Holistic Support: The Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP) in English Professional Football

Abstract

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Safeguarding, Chaplaincy and English Professional Football

“…In this role, chaplains offer practical, spiritual and pastoral support, as well as providing assistance with wider lifestyle issues (Gamble et al 2013;Nesti and Sulley 2015). At times, players and staff may be reticent to engage with such support on account of the mistaken perception that the chaplain is there to proselytise their faith and research suggests that club managers may be influential in this respect (Roe and Parker 2016). In their study of the relationship between sports chaplains and sport psychologists in the English Premier League, Gamble et al (2013) found that chaplains felt that their role may be either empowered or disempowered depending on the attitude of a team manager towards them.…”

“…One of the ways in which this often plays out within the context of English professional football is via the neutrality and independence of the chaplain's position in relation to club hierarchies and decision making processes (Weir 2016). Unlike other support services, chaplains are not typically employed by the clubs that they serve and do not therefore report directly to management on matters of welfare or performance (Roe and Parker 2016). Professional footballers can be reluctant to speak to those with decision-making responsibilities (i.e., club management and coaching staff) about personal issues due to the impact that this may have on team selection and/or career progression (Nesti and Sulley 2015).…”

“…Two respondents from Championship clubs stated that having a club chaplain was recognized as 'good practice' by League Football Education (the governing body of academy curricular) and by Ofsted (the UK government accountability body for curricular delivery). It could be argued that this is due to the chaplain focusing on the wider welfare of players through the provision of consistent pastoral support as opposed to performance issues (Roe and Parker 2016). In turn respondents provided examples of their club chaplains conducting religious ceremonies such as carol services, weddings and funerals as well as the pastoral care services that surrounded these significant life events.…”

“…For example, Edith Ford spoke candidly about how at one time, Sunnyside Rovers staff used to 'run for cover' when the club chaplain appeared. In their qualitative study of one English Premier League Academy, Roe and Parker (2016) argue that some players may be reluctant to utilise the chaplain due to their fears of their evangelistic agenda. Edith Ford went on to explain how she had come to view her club chaplain as faith-based, but not faith-biased.…”

“…As well as providing a sense of objectivity and impartiality, it could be argued that a further benefit of chaplains not being directly employed by clubs is the added layer of independence from management and coaching staff that this provides (Gamble et al 2013;Roe and Parker 2016), something which Jon Clark reflected upon: I think sometimes the boys would be frightened to say [to a member of the management or coaching staff]: 'This has happened at the weekend, so I've been involved in this situation' as an example. 'Cos, if the club find out, they won't be happy.…”