Sports Leadership: Are We Lost? | Andrea Neil | TEDxSurrey

In this captivating talk, Andrea Neil, a former Canadian World Cup soccer player and coach, shares her transformative journey from a child with physical challenges to a world-class athlete.
She explores the toxic side of sports, emphasizing the damaging effects of dominating leadership styles, bullying, and abuse. Drawing a sharp contrast, she advocates for heart-centered leadership focused on positive development and support.
Andrea provides personal experiences, revealing the dark aspects of the sporting world and calling for a shift towards respectful competition and a culture of encouragement. Highlighting the impact of mentors and the potential for positive transformation, she urges parents, coaches, and mentors to create a nurturing environment for future generations in sports and life. Andrea Neil, the first woman soccer player inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame, boasts a remarkable career as a player, captain, and coach for the Canadian Women’s National Team. Participating in five FIFA World Cups over two decades, she held the record for the most international appearances by any Canadian soccer player upon retirement. Honored with the Order of Sport award, Andrea is not just a dedicated mother but a visionary committed to transforming sports and society. Focused on nurturing the next generation, she envisions a world of empathy, fairness, integrity, and respect, where leadership aligns with a higher purpose. Andrea actively safeguards young participants from potential perils in sports, striving for a coaching and leadership culture that fosters their full human potential. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@amaterasubeauty]

Andrea, you are always a huge inspiration! Thank you for sharing this beautiful presentation.

[@AndreaNeil_]

Thank you so much for this, Sara. It was an honour to serve in this way. Thank you for the inspiration that you bring to this world through your work and your way.

[@lexgeronaaa]

A truly insightful perspective on the current state of sports leadership, offering valuable guidance on fostering a healthier and more positive sporting environment. It's inspiring to see that success in sports isn't solely defined by victory but also by the character displayed on the field. This generation is incredibly grateful for your advocacy in shaping a better future for sports. 🙏🏻💗

[@AndreaNeil_]

Lex, thank you for your kind and generous feedback. I'm genuinely grateful that the talk resonated with you. True success in sports goes beyond winning and encompasses integrity and character. I am deeply committed to advocating for a future where sports leadership prioritizes values such as humility, honesty, and empathy to foster healthier and more positive sporting environments. I appreciate you taking the time to comment. Thank you sincerely!!

[@AngelaBooy]

What a gift this perspective on sport and life is. What a gift YOU are, Andrea! As a coach, teacher, and therapist my own life's work has been supporting those who have experienced institutional harm in both life and sport. Your message resonates deep, there IS a different way! We can enjoy the incredible benefits of competition and excellence in sports and corporate settings and in leadership and in our personal lives too, without domination, control, mandatory compliance, and fear. We CAN foster humility, empathy, and honesty within individuals and in teams that preserve the integrity of the game, that invite belonging and inclusion toward tremendous success. Andrea, you are a living example of "wearing a jersey WELL". Thank you for risking, for sharing vulnerably, for showing us all that strength can look like gentleness and safety and that excellence in sport, in winning, CAN be achieved through TRANSFORMATION! When I imagine being championed to become more whole, confident, and adaptable, being supported in my own process of transformation, within a team context, to grow and change in positive ways and to support others in doing the same... I imagine a pretty spectacular place to be. Thank you for shining the spotlight on this issue. As a Canadian (post Olympic scandal), I can say I am longing for a day when our sporting leaders and institutions clear out anyone with the archaic "win at all costs" attitude and replace them with transformational leaders like you. Thank you so much for reminding us what winning really looks like.

[@AndreaNeil_]

Angela, I'm deeply touched by your kind words and profound understanding of the message I aimed to convey. Your recognition that there's "a different way" in sports and life resonates strongly. I'm inspired by your work supporting those who've experienced institutional harm - it aligns perfectly with the transformational process we must seek in sports and life leadership. Your aligned vision of fostering humility, empathy, and honesty while preserving game integrity is integral to what we need to work towards embodying as leaders. I'm moved by your insight that "strength can look like gentleness and safety and that excellence in sport, in winning, CAN be achieved through transformation!" Thank you for supporting this transformative approach. Your words remind me why this message is important and inspire me to continue advocating for positive change in sports culture and beyond. Thank you for the work that you do and for your generosity in sharing.

[@JasonBeck-h1b]

Andrea represents the best qualities of sport, always working to improve sport in general and lifting up everyone she encounters. We are so proud to call her one of the BC Sports Hall of Fame's Honoured Members, inducted in 2012. Her Ted Talk here is SOOOO well done. And even more relevant today given the recent coaching/drone controversy the Canadian women's national soccer team has faced recently. I've always thought Andrea was a great speaker and this talk only reinforces that. I love her book analogy she uses in this talk. Will definitely remember that one.

[@AndreaNeil_]

Jason, thank you for your incredibly kind words and ongoing support. I feel deeply honoured to be part of the BC Sports Hall of Fame and grateful for the platform it provides to advocate for positive change in sports. Your recognition of the talk's relevance means a lot, especially from someone knowledgeable about sports history and its impact. Thank you for your continued efforts in preserving and sharing the rich legacy of BC sports. Your work at the Hall of Fame plays a crucial role in inspiring future generations of athletes and leaders. Thank you for your generosity.

[@drandrewmiki]

Your talk is an amazing perspective on how sport has such a powerful impact on people - especially our children. I love your vision on high performance and how it can be achieved through positivity if coaching and leadership are aligned. Watching my teenage kids' soccer/basketball teams over the years has shown me how far we need to go as we've seen many players/teams coached in negative/destructive ways like you describe. Your message is so important and you're a true ambassador of sport! Thank you for your continued leadership and bringing this important message forward!

[@AndreaNeil_]

Dear Andrew, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for your generous feedback. Your perspective underscores sports' profound influence, particularly on the next generation. Your observations about negative coaching experiences within your children's sports teams deeply resonate. They poignantly remind us of the critical need to cultivate positive and constructive coaching environments that nurture the potential of every young athlete through the ups and downs of sport and life. Your recognition of the importance of this message is genuinely encouraging. Thank you again for your support and standing with me in this endeavour to shape a brighter future for the next generation, both on and off the field. With care, Andrea

[@Dthomson-s5j]

Wow!! Congratulations! Very Succinct, clear, and powerfully delivered!! Yea! Thank you Andrea! May your message help lead the way to change.

[@AndreaNeil_]

Thank you for your enthusiastic feedback! I share your hope that this message will contribute to positive change in sports leadership and beyond. Thank you for taking the time to watch and comment. Your support means a great deal and motivates me to continue this work.

[@carlapellegrini1059]

Thanks for giving us all hope for a more people- and heart-centered sport environment for us, Andrea!

[@AndreaNeil_]

Thank you so much, Carla. This means so much coming from you. Thank you for all that you're doing to make this world a better place.

[@CanadasSportsHallofFame]

A true ambassador for sport not only in Canada, but in general. Bravo, Andrea 👏

[@WeFilmEventsCA]

Well said!

[@AndreaNeil_]

Thank you so much for your incredibly kind words! It's been an honour to represent Canada and the values and spirit of sport on a broader scale. I'm grateful for the support and encouragement.

[@pameladangelmaier8182]

With a heart-centred attitude and the courage to speak up, step up and do the right thing - we can move mountains. You've already paved the way for others to do this and may your legacy continue! What an inspiring talk. Thank you Andrea!

[@AndreaNeil_]

Thank you, Pamela. I really appreciate your heartfelt sentiments, your support and care. Thank you for your work in this world.

[@MikeMcLenaghen-ti7bd]

Hi Andrea, I had a listen to your recent TEDx Talk and you were excellent! You’ve communicated with grace, clarity, heart and a voice that comes from your personal experiences. Some of the message you were communicating is familiar to me. The way you delivered your message was unique and I’m hopeful that when more athletes and coaches such as yourself are speaking about transformational change and heart-centred leadership there is a greater possibility for change to take place. You are ‘spot on’ in your comment that ‘we do see’ (at least many of us do). Too many aren’t quite awake as much as they need to be and that presents the challenge we are faced with. I believe that leaders in the Sport world, now more than ever, need to be action oriented and be the kind of people who see and understand what the problems are and are motivated to make the changes that clearly need to be made. This won’t be easy and I know you’ve experienced many challenges in your courageous efforts (and many other Canadian women’s soccer team members past and present) to help bring about transformational change in soccer and sport in general. I wish you luck as you keep following the path you are on. As your son said, you want to leave a positive mark on soccer (and sport) for future generations. All the Best, Michael Mclenaghen

[@AndreaNeil_]

Dear Michael, I sincerely appreciate your heartfelt message after watching my TEDx Talk. Your words of encouragement mean a great deal to me. Your insight into the broader implications of the message I shared is spot on. While my talk centred on sports, the themes of transformational change and heart-centred leadership resonate far beyond the confines of athletics. It's about fostering a mindset and a culture that values empathy, authenticity, and a commitment to positive change in all aspects of our lives. Your recognition of the need for action-oriented leadership is crucial in sports and society as a whole. Again, Thank you for your thoughtful words and for being a beacon of inspiration in this collective effort. With respect, Andrea

[@MichaelJTimms]

What a great example of leadership you are Andrea, on and off the field!

[@AndreaNeil_]

Thank you, Michael. This means a lot coming from you. Thank you for your support.

[@peterbaxter857]

Power message to create change in sport through positive transformational Heart-centered leadership. The coaching model of authoritative leadership no longer works in sport nor business nor parenting. Change must happen for safe sport. Andrea Neil makes an impactive Ted talk!

[@AndreaNeil_]

Thank you, Peter, for being a leader in this space. Thank you for your support and for your vision.

[@PaulBallard-km3li]

Andrea, thank you for being a champion on the field and off. As coaches, we have more power than we think. Bringing this topic to the forefront of coaching education (at all levels) is critical. Thank you for all of your work...and for wanting to make a difference.

[@AndreaNeil_]

Paul, your words mean a lot to me. It's a privilege to be part of a community that values what happens on the field and the impact we can have beyond it. I couldn't agree more that coaches wield significant influence, and using that power for positive change is crucial. I'm grateful for the opportunity to contribute and am committed to continuing this vital work. Thank you for your support and for recognizing the importance of bringing these conversations to the forefront of education inside and outside of sports.

[@JuliaLi-vq5de]

Just amazing. Thank you for your powerful words Andrea. Your perspective was metaphorically expressed with not just the sport world but also the commonalities in our everyday life. If we can all pass this message forward, I think we can all wear our jerseys better for the world. 💚

[@andreaneil8418]

Julia, thank you so much for your incredibly kind words! I'm truly touched by your thoughtful comment. Your recognition of the broader applications of the sports metaphor to our everyday lives is exactly what I hoped to convey. Thank you for being a part of this journey. Gratitude!

[@judyjoseph-black7068]

Thanks for continuing to make an important impact in the sporting world, both on and off the field of play. Words to live and coach by... Keep the message going.

[@andreaneil8418]

Thank you so much for your kind words and for taking the time to share your thoughts. It means a lot coming from someone who has had such a significant influence in the sporting world. Thank you for all that you have done and continue to do. You set a beautiful example.

[@joshuagreen3545]

Yeah Andrea. You're my hero.

[@AndreaNeil_]

Thank you, Josh. Your support means and has meant so much.

[@daver744]

Thank you for this insight into the world of sports leadership🙂 such an important piece of the larger sports and education puzzle🌼 amazing❤

[@AndreaNeil_]

Thank you so much for your support. 🙏🏻