🏸 Off Mic with Gail Emms

The Queen of Shuttlecocks – A Journey of Rediscovery in Sport

When Olympic silver medalist Gail Emms joined me and Dan Biggar on A Load of BS on Sport, the conversation quickly veered into the raw, unspoken parts of being a former athlete. It’s a journey not often discussed—the transition from the podium to the real world—and Emms gave us a candid, emotional look behind the curtain. Her journey from badminton to pickleball isn’t just about changing sports; it’s about rediscovering joy, battling identity struggles, and learning to find peace after the limelight fades.

🤯 The Struggles of Post-Retirement Identity

For elite athletes, the moment the crowd stops cheering is when the real struggle begins. Emms opened up about the loss of identity she experienced after retiring from professional badminton.

“Walking away from the sport you love is harder than losing a final,” she said, capturing the essence of what it’s like to leave a career that once defined every part of your life. The pressure to perform, the constant need to succeed—when it all disappears, you're left asking, "What now?"

In a world that suddenly seemed indifferent to her accomplishments, Emms found herself questioning everything. The accolades that once came so easily weren’t enough to fill the void that retirement had left behind. And, as she would soon discover, filling that void isn’t as easy as finding another sport to play.

🏆 Rediscovering the Joy of Sport

For many former athletes, the transition from competition to retirement is full of psychological landmines. But Emms managed to find her way back, not through the structure of competitive badminton, but by embracing something entirely new: pickleball.

The shift wasn’t just physical. It was emotional. “I lost a part of myself,” Emms admitted, acknowledging that rediscovering the joy of sport can be harder than it sounds. But pickleball offered her something that badminton no longer did—freedom. No expectations, no pressure, just the raw thrill of playing for the sake of playing.

“I’ve found something a little bit special,” Emms said, reflecting on the newfound joy that comes with rediscovering a sport without the weight of external validation. And despite her age, Emms is back in the competition scene, playing in tournaments and holding her own against younger players. Proof that you never truly leave sport—you just find a new way to connect with it.

🎓 Losing Isn't Failing—It's Learning

One of the most powerful messages Emms shared during the podcast was the importance of learning from losses, a lesson passed down from her mother, a pioneering footballer for the Lionesses. For Emms, losing in sport was never a failure—it was an opportunity to grow.

“Losing isn’t failing, losing is learning,” she said, a mantra she applied both to her sporting career and her post-retirement life.

This mentality became a cornerstone of her success, and it’s a valuable reminder to anyone navigating the ups and downs of life.

It’s not about avoiding failure—it’s about what you do with it when it happens. This mindset is something Emms carried with her, even when the odds were stacked against her, and it’s a lesson that can be applied far beyond the world of sports.

🌹 The Beauty of Finding Your Tribe

Another key theme that emerged during the conversation was the importance of community and team dynamics. For Emms, sport was about more than just the individual—it was about the team. She credits the chemistry she had with her doubles partner Nathan Robertson as the key to her success. They were an unstoppable force, not because they were the best players on paper, but because they shared a bond that was almost telepathic.

“You just know where they are. You just feel it,” Emms explained, a sentiment that resonates with athletes across all sports. Sometimes, the magic between teammates isn’t about skill—it’s about the energy and the connection.

Now, as she dives into pickleball, Emms is once again finding that sense of belonging. She’s reconnecting with the joy of sport, surrounded by a community of like-minded individuals who, like her, are playing for the love of the game.

🥒 From Olympian to Pickleballer: A Different Kind of Success

Success in the post-competitive world looks different for Emms. It’s no longer about winning medals or climbing the ranks—it’s about finding fulfilment in the little moments.

“Success is completely changed,” she said, reflecting on her journey. Some days, success is simply getting her kids to school or spending time with friends. It’s a reminder that life after sport doesn’t have to be about pushing for perfection. It’s about finding contentment in the everyday.

For Emms, that shift in perspective has been crucial. She’s no longer chasing the unattainable goal of being perfect every day; instead, she’s learning to appreciate the days when she hits 75% or even 50%. And in doing so, she’s found a new kind of peace.

🧘‍♀️ Conclusion: Finding Peace in Post-Retirement Life

Gail Emms’ story is a powerful reminder that life after sports doesn’t have to be a struggle. While the transition is difficult, it’s also a chance for reinvention. Emms found that reinvention not through clinging to the past but by embracing the future—by finding joy in a new sport, by reconnecting with her community, and by rediscovering the happiness she once found in badminton.

Her journey proves that success isn’t just about medals or championships—it’s about finding peace, learning to live with imperfections, and embracing the joy of sport, no matter the form it takes.

So here’s to Gail Emms: the Queen of Cock & Balls, a woman who continues to redefine what it means to be a champion. And a reminder to us all that the best victories are the ones we achieve off the court.

Listen to/watch the full episode:

YouTube

Spotify

Apple

Have a great week,
Daniel