Mike Cooper | Dealing with pressure

England forward Mike Cooper discusses some of the biggest mental challenges an elite sportsperson will face, and his thoughts on managing tough situations...

Mike Cooper has been a long-time supporters of Offload, the mental fitness programme from Rugby League Cares that has made a positive difference to the lives of thousands of people since its launch in 2017.

In this two-minute launch video, Mike tackles some of the issues around pressure and coping with the expectations of others.

Being a Rugby League player is not a nine to five job, it's 24/7 and there are always occasions when you take things home with you.

Quote

"For the longest time, I thought asking for help was a sign of weakness because that’s kind of what society teaches us. That’s especially true from an athlete’s perspective. If we ask for help, then we’re not this big macho athlete that people can look up to. Well, you know what? If someone wants to call me weak for asking for help, that’s their problem. Because I’m saving my own life"

- Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps

Mike Cooper | Dealing with pressure

Mike Cooper has been a long-time supporters of Offload, the mental fitness programme from Rugby League Cares that has made a positive difference to the lives of thousands of people since its launch in 2017.

Further reading

Quote

Related Articles

Josh Jones | My mental health

Coping with competitive pressure

Athlete 365 | Mental health toolkit