Sportshour

When we see our sporting heroes it's often in highly pressurised situations... and yet the look calm, controlled and steely eyed... but what we see on the surface often belies the hard work, dedication and hidden struggles. It's called the "swan effect". All poise and grace on top, whilst paddling furiously underneath. This week the remarkable stories of athletes who take control despite the struggles and challenges are unseen by us fans. Exactly two years ago we sat down with film director Helen Tither who had something of a pipe dream. To tell the story of soccer team, The Manchester Corinthians. The woman's team, based just a couple of miles from the BBC Sport Studios, dominated around the world...and all while its players including Monica Curran were officially banned from participating in the sport. Well fast forward to present day and "Corinthians: We Were the Champions" premiered on the big screen in March 2026 and so it was time to invite Helen and Monica back on the show Joanna Garland is a young ten

Growing up, Katrina Webb was crazy about sport. But aged eighteen she had a choice to make. Did she continue to hide her disability? Or embrace it and excel in disability sport. She chose the latter and just year later she would go to the Atlanta Paralympics and win two gold medals, embracing what made her different as a strength. Team GB skeleton racer, and Milan-Cortina gold medallist, Tabitha Stoecker offers insight into carving (or sliding!) a unique path in one of the world’s most thrilling winter sports. A late night scroll on social media led to a new start in a sport where speed and fearlessness are everything.Growing up in sweltering Phoenix, Arizona; Alison Levine was a long way from the polar explorers she loved reading about. But, after heart surgery, she was determined to make her dream a reality. She went on to lead the first American all-women expedition up Everest, challenging conventions and drawing strength from adversity in some of the world's harshest environments.And Great Britain basebal

The Seven Summits are considered one of the greatest challenges in mountaineering worldwide. It takes some effort to to conquer the highest peaks on all seven continents. Imagine doing that as double above-knee amputate! Well that's the extraordinary achievement of Nepalese-British adventurer Hari Budha Magar who recently made history, again, by reaching the summit of Mount Vinson in Antarctica, thus successfully completing his “Seven Summits” mission. He tells us about is extraordinary story from the depths of despair to literally being on top of the world.The first Winter Paralympics were held in the Swedish town of Örnsköldsvik in 1976. Nearly two-hundred competitors came from 16 countries. We hear from two blind skiing competitors with very different experiences - Finnish multi-gold medallist, Pertti Sankilampi, and Londoner Mike Brace, who learnt his sport shortly before the Games.Paralympic gold medallist Matt "The Armless Archer" Stutzman is back with a new series of his podcast Rising Phoenix. This ti

When Steve Bate received a life-changing diagnosis he knew there wasn’t much he could do about his condition, but he had total control over what happened next. Making every moment count and taking on his biggest challenges, Bate has gone on to solo climb El Capitan and became a multi-medal Paralympian cyclist for Team GB.Ramiro Mora Romero, a weightlifter who represented the Refugee Olympic Team at Paris 2024, shares his journey of displacement, determination, and hope on the sport’s biggest stage. Overcoming a lack of access to training facilities and uncertainty over his future to become a champion.Blind colour commentator and broadcaster Allan Wylie shows how a perceived barrier can become a strength; using knowledge, awareness and passion to provide in-depth insight for the sports he loves. Allan's story proves that commentary is less about seeing the game, and more about feeling it.Stories that reveal that mindset, courage and community can turn life’s toughest obstacles into triumphs.(Photo: Ramiro Mora

Here on Not by the Playbook we know "communication is key". Making sure what we say is clear and concise is one of the crucial elements to an enjoyable show. And that's true of most areas of life, the better people communicate the better the outcome, even when the message is hard to hear or difficult to digest. This week, having travelled the world finding the most inspiring stories from the world of sport, we have found all our guest have one thing in common. They are masters of communication!A good explanation can change the way we perceive the world. If something is communicated well enough it can alter our understanding of the concept of something we had held to be true forever. Take the idea of winning. Pretty straight forward, right?! The person who comes first, who beats all the others. The champion. Well Water polo legend Tony Azevedo certainly fits that description. A five-time Olympian he's considered one of the best to have played the game and yet now, as a coach he has a very different message ab

Linda Ashmore, Ironman competitor and age-group world champion, shows us that qualifying for the world stage can come later in life.Team GB cyclist and bobsledder Victoria Williamson shares her journey from a devastating crash to redefining herself beyond elite sport, embracing a new path in health and fitness.Former Premier League footballer Jody Craddock reveals how he is building a second career as a professional artist and discovering creativity beyond the pitch.Basketball storyteller Leigh Ellis, founder of the Basketball Passport, on playing pickup games around the world and the power of sport to bring people together.Each story exploring reinvention, identity and the courage it takes to leap into something new.(Photo: Triathletes compete in the 3.8km swim during the Ironman World Championships on 10 October, 2015, Kailua Kona, Hawaii. Credit: Jason Rappaport/Getty Images)

Wrap up warm, because this week all our stories are about winter sports. We'll go cross-country skiing in Italy, play ice hockey on the equator and have a snowball fight in Finland!When Canadian cross-country skiers Beckie Scott and Sara Renner lined up for the Women's team sprint at 2006 Winter Olympics, they wouldn’t have anticipated help from a medal rival. But, after disaster struck, it was a Norwegian coach who was there to help. Proving that even the coldest environments can produce the warmest displays of sportsmanship. An Olympic team of one. Shiva Keshavan was the only member of India’s 1998 Winter Olympics in Japan. A 16-year-old representing a nation of over a billion. Shiva’s sport? Luge, one of the most dangerous winter sport disciplines with athletes facing speeds of up to 145 kilometers an hour. After winning a silver medal at Beijing 2022, para-snowboard star Lisa DeJong turned her inspiring journey into a children’s book. Drawing on her own experiences, the story shows the importance of repre

Sometimes realising your dream can all be a bit much. Leonard Russell was drafter 14th overall when the Patriots signed him. The franchise was on the brink of a historic dynasty and Russell was right there, winning the NFL Rookie of the Year in 1991. But being at the top causes its own challenges. Leonard turned to illegal substances to deal with the pressures., and it didn't take long before it had taken his career, marriage and very nearly his life. Ejected from the NFL and sat in a jail cell Leonard realised he needed a radical change of life. Leonard Russell's story is one of revival and responsibility. His comeback is inspirational and shows what can be achieved no matter how far you fallHow do we as individuals balance the challenges thrown at us in life and not engage in damaging behaviour. For Steve Wright there was an added layer of difficulty. His job as an NFL player required him to act in and occupy an aggressive state of mind. But flicking a switch to go from his natural mild mannered to threaten

February, the month of love, the one with the fewest days and the in the northern hemisphere the last month of winter, but what you might not have realised is that February might also be the most exciting month of the year. And we have the guests to prove it! February hosts two massive sporting events, the Winter Olympics in Italy and the Super Bowl in California. So wrap up warm as we head to the ice and snow of Lombardy, and then get your sun lotion as we head to the Bay area and the Super BowlIranian skier Samaneh Beyrami Baher is all set to compete in the grueling cross country skiing event at the Winter Olympics in Italy. This is the second time Samaneh has qualified for the Games. When Iran's flag barer at the 2018 Games she caused a sensation with her emotional entrance at the Opening Ceremony. She tells us about her rigorous training, the challenges she's has had to overcome and why she's so confident in a new set of skis she's just received from Olympic champion Jessica Diggins.American Football and

A record breaking NFL star, the woman who won bronze in only her third ever marathon and the swimmer who took on the drug cheats and won! This week all our guest have outstanding tales to tell, and they all come from the same US state! The great state of WisconsinEven before his NFL career was over Joe Thomas had bought up land in his native Wisconsin ready for what came after football. Joe's return came after a record breaking stint with the Cleveland Browns. Over 10 years he never missed a play, becoming the first, and only player to play ten thousand consecutive snaps! Ten Thousand! In a row! Well since retiring about ten years ago Joe has put that kind of dedication into his new career rearing beef.. And considering his status in the game, it's no surprise his business is called Hall of Fame Beef!Whilst it was common to see runner Molly Siedel in and around the village of Hartland on the banks of the Bark River in Wisconsin, no one expected to see her on the podium at the Olympics in Tokyo. Not least Mol

Life is full of challenges. Some are caused by circumstances we have no control over. Sometimes our struggles are rooted in long held social attitudes that can take generations to change... and then there are those problems that come entirely from within ourselves, when our minds or bodies work differently from others. We've searched the globe to find 5 athletes with extraordinary tales of challenges they have overcome in every one of those categories.Basketballer Daniel Edozie is a former Division One college baller who also represented England on the international stage... but Daniel led a nomadic life as a child. He was born in the UK, and then taken to America by his mother but ended up being abandoned and living on the streets of Skid Row in Los Angles. Daniels ability to navigate such a dangerous place at such a young age is remarkable. So how did he take control of his own destiny and set his sights on sporting greatness?Runner Lauren Fleshman had a long and successful athletics career, including bein

Sometimes the odds seem so stacked up, and the challenges so large you can lose your sense of self when trying to navigate a path to success. So this week we set aside all doubters, embrace the impossible and hear how those who were told they couldn't do it proved everyone wrong.Kelsie Whitmore is at the heart of a development in baseball that has been many years in the making. In 1943 a professional women's league started and lasted for 10 years, it was successful, if you've seen the Hollywood movie, A League of Their Own" with Tom Hanks, Geena Davis and Madonna then you'll already know. Well fast forward 70 odd years and women's professional baseball is back! The "WPBL" or Women's Pro Baseball League is set to launch later this year with four initial teams based in Boston, New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. The inaugural draft has just been held where San Francisco chose Kelsie Whitmore as the very first pick. No real surprise because alongside representing the USA. Kelsie was the first woman to appe

We look back on a year full of inspirational stories from around the world and interviews with people defying the odds!Inspirational stories from around the world. Interviews with people defying the odds Discover Not by the Playbook - the podcast which seeks out the most incredible stories from sportspeople and athletes. We bring you interviews with the sporting heroes who have achieved success in the face of seemingly impossible challenges. Formerly known as Sportshour, Not by the Playbook is brought to you by the BBC, the world's most trusted international news provider. Tune in to hear from some of the most famous names in sport on subjects you've never heard them discuss before. You don't have to be an Olympic gold champion to have an extraordinary story – we also scour the globe for inspiring individuals who make a difference through sport. Whether you’re a football or soccer fan, tennis lover, golf aficionado or cricket addict, you’ll find inspiration in the stories of resilience, determination, and di

Hockey means different things to different people. In India it's second only to cricket in terms of popularity, but no the kind that is played on Ice... In Canada the frozen form of the game is the national sport, and has made worldwide stars on many of it's players, but those who represent the Canadian field hockey team are not well known. As we roam the globe we realise one thing really binds the two versions of the sport, amazing and inspiring storiesIn 2015 ice hockey player Daniel Carcillo was still living his dream playing for the Chicago Blackhawks and winning Stanley Cups. But despite having his named etched on the Staley Cup again in 2015 the year proved to be his last on the ice. Not even winning the most sort after prize in Ice hockey could hide the trauma he was going through. In February of that year he lost his best friend and former team mate Steve Montador. It was later revealed Montador had suffered with CTE, a degenerative brain condition is caused by concussions, something he and Daniel wer

Having scoured the globe for the best stories from the world of sport we've decided to just drop in and hang about. Don't you think the best and most unexpected conversations often arise from just briefly stopping by? But our guests are far from slouches, in fact they are some of the most inspiring, innovative and industrious people you could ever wish to meet!We start by dropping in on a new world record holder. Brazilian Sandro Diaz is one of those athletes whose brain seems to work slightly differently to most others, and in a most wonderful way. A skateboarder of great experience, he's 50 years old, he recently fulfilled a dream he'd had for decades. For this story it's important to learn some of the lingo ... most importantly the "drop in"... that's how you get going from the top of a ramp. You balance on the edge, shift your weight forward and off you go hurtling down the ramp on your skateboard. In competition it might be six or eight feet. That's nothing to Sandro, who has just "dropped in" from 260 f

For nearly 50 years drivers have attempted to navigate the Paris to Dakar Rally. It is an off-road endurance event over all types of terrain from tarmac to gravel to sand. You can take part in a car or on a motor bike, but if you do not have the right skills and support team around you then you can find yourself lost in the Sahara desert. In 2001 German Jutta Kleinschmidt became the first, and still the only woman to win the event, but that is not the twist in her story.The cult classic film Escape to Victory from the early 1980s features the unexpected mix of Hollywood mega stars Silvester Stallone, Michael Caine and football legend Pele, with a plot set in Nazi occupied France. We hear from John Smith who has recently published a book called Escape: A Love Letter to a Cult Football Classic. Badminton is a sport watched and loved by millions of people. It is a sport dominated by athletes from the far East, but at the Athens Games of 2004 Britain's Gail Emms, along side her partner Nathan Robertson, were on t

***The first part of this interview discusses topics that some may find distressing*** At 6ft 4' and over 300 pounds, Welshwoman Rebecca Roberts is the current, and three times winner of the World's Strongest Woman Championship. But for Rebecca competing in displays of great strength is about more than just showing the world that healthy women can have body shapes of all types and sizes. For her the sport was her saviour, a way to boost her self esteem and self worth, and reclaim what had been so cruelly taken from her. Britain's Emma Finucane did not just have to overcome the physical challenges to become an Olympic champion in Paris, she had to battle her way through the stigma of developing a body built for cycling, where legs are the engine and the muscles, something that does not fit with what a stereotype of what a woman's body should look like. The global fitness industry is estimated to be worth more than $250 billion and growing. But with so much money at stake, not to mention the health of humanit

Dame Laura Kenny is the most decorated female cyclist in Olympic history with 5 gold and one silver medal. Alongside her husband Sir Jason Kenny who has 7 golds and two silvers, they are the most golden family in Olympic history! Both are now retired and are busy raising their three children. But far from falling away from the public eye, Dame Laura has used her platform to talk about subjects that are considered taboo, like her ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage. Talking openly is something that has helped Laura throughout her life and career and it could have been very very different. As a child Laura suffered with asthma, a chronic respiratory condition which resulted in her having a collapsed lung. For many it would have put them off from pushing themselves athletically, but for Laura that wasn't an option.Marlie Packer was a member of the squad of the recently crowned Rugby Union World Champions. The Red Roses enjoyed the ultimate success by beating Canada in a final watched by a record breaking crowd of

Imagine being10 metres in the air wearing nothing more than a pair of swimming trunks, with the eyes of thousands of fans staring up. It's 2008 and the Beijing Olympics are in full flow. We're at the aquatic centre as the final round of dives are taking place. Unsurprisingly there is huge backing for the pair of Chinese divers who are sitting in the top spots. Australia's Matthew Mitchum is the penultimate diver. An Olympic medal and a lifetimes dream is there for the taking. He talks us through that moment and keeping cool and executing when it really matters. Mitchum dived into the record book that day. Not only had he set an Olympic record he had won the first Olympic gold medal won by an openly gay athlete. But the media interest in him was there in the build-up to those Beijing games. Answering one question spontaneously and truthfully changed everything for Australia's golden boy.Brazilian Roger Gracie is one of jiu-jitsu's most decorated athletes. A ten time world champion, many say he is the greatest

They say there are two types of people, those who see the glass half-empty, and those who see it half-full. Which one are you? For this edition of Not by the Playbook all our guests see their glass not just half full but positively overflowing! For them, staying positive is a way of life. They'd tell you that with the right mindset you can achieve anything. Don't believe them? Well we have four female athletes whose unshakeable belief in themselves has given them life after trauma. When cheerleading is mentioned it might conjure up an image of the super pretty, super popular "mean girl" in high school shaking pom poms, but the competitive sport of cheerleading is very different. Physically demanding, technically challenging and fiercely competitive. Makayla Noble knows all about it. She was a high school 'All-American' for three consecutive years and when on to take part in the 2019 Cheer World Championship and then one day in September 2021 whilst practicing everything changed.They say ignorance is bliss, th