Today’s guest is Jodie Ounsley – a professional rugby player and Honorary President of UK Deaf Sport, who will also be a Gladiator in the new series that returns to the BBC later this year.
Jodie is a powerful role model for women and girls and talks openly about her deafness and how it’s impacted her life on and off the pitch.
She explains how she’s unintentionally been training for Gladiators all her life and how she’s preparing for the public profile that comes with becoming ‘Fury’ in the new series.
Jodie began her sporting career as a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champion before representing the UK in athletics at the Deaf Olympics. Five times Coal Carrying Champion, she then moved on to rugby where she’s represented England at 7s and now plays for the Exeter Chiefs in the Premier 15s.
Alongside her success in sport, Jodie was awarded the Young Deaf Sports Personality of the Year and was also included in the BBC Woman’s Hour Power List 2023 which recognised 30 outstanding women in sport.
Jodie’s videos on TikTok, where she shares her life as a young woman living with hearing loss, have been viewed almost 5 million times.
Thank you to Sport England who support The Game Changers Podcast with a National Lottery award.
Thank you to Sport England who support The Game Changers Podcast with a National Lottery award.
Find out more about The Game Changers podcast here: https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/thegamechangers
Hosted by Sue Anstiss
Produced by Sam Walker, What Goes On Media
A Fearless Women production
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Esme Morgan & Charlotte O'Neill: Leading the way in women's football
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Jackie Oatley: Changing career to follow your passion
Lauren Steadman: How para athletes change society's perceptions
Tanni Grey-Thompson: Calling out sports governing bodies for lack of diversity
Steph Houghton: Lessons learnt as a captain of club & country
Mo Hunt: The journey to professional rugby
Lisa O'Keefe: Uniting women’s sport across the world
Kristen Dusting: The cultural and community impact of roller derby
Sabrina Pace-Humphreys: Running Towards Inclusivity
Sue Redfern: Breaking boundaries for cricket umpires
Claire Taggart: The impact of Boccia – a totally inclusive sport
Jess Carter: The reality of life as a Lioness
Series 16 of The Game Changers
2023 Highlights
Kelly Smith: Why talking openly about mental health is so important
Casey Stoney: On embracing mistakes & the desire to keep learning
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