Exploring Teenage Wellness Through Sport with Beau

Teenage Wellness Through Sport: A 17-Year-Old's Honest Mental Health Strategies with Beau

Discover profound wellness wisdom from an unexpected source - a 17-year-old who's mastered using sport for genuine mental health support. Join me for a rare and precious conversation with Beau, who shares how watching and playing sport has become his primary strategy for managing stress, building connections, and maintaining emotional wellbeing.

What You'll Experience:

• How sport provides "mental space" beyond just physical benefits
• Why meaningful conversations happen more naturally during activity
• Real strategies for using sport to manage exam stress and life pressures
• The social wellness benefits of watching games and traveling to matches
• Honest insights about what works (and what doesn't) for teenage mental health
• How taking breaks from stress actually helps your brain find solutions

Episode Highlights:

• Beau's journey from mum-encouraged participation to genuine wellness practice
• Why golf offers different benefits than team sports like football and rugby
• How sport creates safe spaces for opening up with friends
• The mental clarity that comes from stepping away from homework pressure
• Why fresh air and movement beat sitting indoors for problem-solving
• His refreshingly honest take on meditation and what doesn't work for him

Perfect for parents wanting to understand teenage wellness, young people seeking accessible mental health strategies, or anyone curious about how simple practices can provide profound support. Beau's emotional intelligence and authentic voice remind us that wisdom comes from many sources - and sometimes the most effective wellness tools are the most accessible ones.

Timestamps: 

00:00 Introduction - Why this conversation matters 

03:00 How Beau got into sport (spoiler: it started with mum!) 

05:00 When he realised sport was more than just physical activity 

05:30 Using football breaks during intense GCSE revision 

06:00 Why conversations flow better during activity than face-to-face 

07:00 Watching sport and traveling to away games 

09:00 The stress relief cycle: before, during, and after sport 

11:00 His message to parents and young people 

12:00 Fresh air vs staying indoors - the mental difference 

14:00 School support systems and Duke of Edinburgh Award 

16:00 What doesn't work: his honest take on meditation 

18:00 Looking ahead to A-levels and university pressure 1

9:00 African drumming and trying new things 

21:00 Final thoughts and encouragement

In a world where young men's mental health often goes unnoticed until crisis point, this conversation offers hope, practical strategies, and the importance of listening to younger voices.

Thanks for listening.

Transcript

Exploring teenage wellness through sports with Beau

​[00:00:00] 

Sarah: When was the last time you heard a teenage boy speak openly about his mental health and the strategies that genuinely help him cope with life's pressures? It's rarer than maybe it should be, which is what makes todays conversation so, so precious. Welcome back to Exploring Ways to Wellness. I'm Sarah, and today I'm truly honoured to share space with Beau.

A 17-year-old who's contacted me wanting to talk about sport, both watching and playing, and how they've become his primary wellness practice. This isn't your typical exercise is good for you conversation. Beau shares insights that may make you reconsider aspects you think you know about the relationship between movement, mental [00:01:00] health, and genuine stress relief. He'll tell you about navigating exam stress, the unexpected benefits of travelling to away games, and why some of his most meaningful conversations happen in less expected settings.

These aren't just teenage observations. They're universal truths that many of us have forgotten and maybe could do with the reminder by appreciating younger voices and experiences more often In a world where young men's mental health often goes unnoticed until crisis point Beau's openness about what genuinely helps him

navigate life's pressures is both refreshing and crucial. What struck me most about this conversation you're about to hear was Beau's emotional intelligence. His understanding that wellness strategies don't have to be complicated or forced, and his honest reflections on what works for him and what [00:02:00] doesn't.

Within a culture where we often overlook young people's voices, especially young men, talking about mental wellness Beau's openness feels both brave and essential. His insights about connection, stress relief, and finding what genuinely makes you feel good, transcend age and circumstance. This conversation might just change how you think about the teenager in your life, the role of sport in wellness, or the wisdom that comes from simply paying attention to

what genuinely helps you feel better.

Sarah: So welcome back to Exploring Ways to Wellness. I was so impressed when I was contacted by this young man who wanted to talk about his wellness techniques, and I am really, I. [00:03:00] I really feel privileged and grateful that he's chosen to speak to us today. So I hope you'll join me in embracing all Beau has to say.

Welcome Beau to the episode. 

Beau: Oh, hi. Thank you for having me, 

Sarah: Beau. You contacted me about the fact that you enjoy watching and playing sports. Would you like to tell me a little bit more about how you got into those? And what it is you'd like to say to us today? 

Beau: So I've gone into sport at a very young age.

Started playing off football and rugby fun. Nice to get out and about physically active and fun. Kept on playing sport for numerous years and it just helps me to like reduce stress and everything, get you away. And, uh, if you have like homework due school. You just put that aside and just go out, have fun, fun with your mates, nice [00:04:00] social interactions, and just talk about what you've been doing each week.

Sarah: Yeah. Wow. You've covered, you've covered so much there already. If we could pick some of those things apart. So it's the so football and rugby were the primary things that you turned to

Beau: i, I'm not playing rugby now. I'm just not good enough for it. And plus my grades wasn't that great, but I, um, I was been playing more golf recently.

You just go by yourself. I was going around the 18 hitting some golf balls. Fun. 

Sarah: Yeah. Nice. Excellent. And so you did it initially for physical benefits, is that right? 

Beau: Uh, yes, of course. My mum wanted me to do it. 

Sarah: Yeah. Yeah I guess when you're younger

there's follow what mum wants to do or definitely reject everything mum suggests you do. 

Beau: Yeah. 

Sarah: So at what point did you notice that it had additional benefits [00:05:00] to the physical ones? Was there a time you suddenly thought, oh, hang on, I'm getting a lot more outta this. 

Beau: I think towards my GCSE exams.

Like when you had like football matches and training it just nice break from revision all day and just to talk about what you've been doing and as everyone's ready for exams and like just take focus off it and it is, it helps me relax and everything. 

Sarah: Yeah. Yeah. 

Beau: Even at lunchtime at school and like having lessons, just going out on the field, Astros to play football with friends.

It's really fun. 

Sarah: So that social aspect sounds like it's really key. 

Beau: Yeah, it is. It is really enjoyable as well. 

Sarah: Yeah. So do you find like that with your friends you are more likely to open up to each other while you're playing sport than just kind of sitting round a table lunch or something like that? 

Beau: I think in some ways yes, in some [00:06:00] ways, no.

Uh, you could talk about stuff that is in your head, but. It would help you in many ways, if not, something's wrong and like

if you need help or anything that you could refer 'em to someone. 

Sarah: Yeah. Yeah. I guess it takes the pressure off, doesn't it? 'cause you're not like one-to-one staring at each other in the face. Like if you're just having a kick about with the ball. 

Beau: No, it's, no, it's not. You can just, just have a nice friendly chat.

Talk about the football's been happening on the weekend. If you're going on a, like on a away day with your mates, you talk about what, what experience you've had then it is a nice thing to talk about. 

Sarah: Yeah. Yeah. So you've touched on there, it's not just the physical act of playing it when you're watching it as well.

It's an opportunity to kind of start up those conversations. 

Beau: Yeah.

I feel like watching sports is a key factor. Me and and my mate Fraser [00:07:00] were going to Cov games together and Dan, which is nice and fun, like we talk about the matches, talk about what we've been doing, and we've plan our away days together like we've been to Swansea and Hull together.

Preston, that's a nice, nice way to get out and do something rather just sit down. And just not do anything. 

Sarah: Yeah. Yeah. And these days there is a temptation, isn't there? We've got so much kind of distraction with phones and computer games and things. There are lots of ways that we can be sociable in different ways, but to get out and kind of see the world, see the country, um, and do that also with, with sport in mind can open things up by the sounds of things.

Beau: I think there's lots of range of sport that people can get into. Like it's not specialised in one sport like football, like people can play netball, [00:08:00] cricket, ice hockey. There's lots of sports for you participated in. 

Sarah: Yeah, exactly. There is a whole world of sports out there, isn't there? I love it when the Olympics comes round and it has those additional couple of sports and it's things you might not have even thought about.

And, uh, suddenly people are wanting to try more things out. So are there other sports that you've tried? 

Beau: Uh, I've tried tennis, so we we just pick book a court and just do a match there, like a set. Then, um. Hockey at school, which is compulsory. It's all right, but not, I don't find that enjoyable anymore.

But like, uh, when I go to Florida, sometimes I play like flag football, which is just tag American football. Okay. 

Sarah: Which 

Beau: is nice and fun. You get to see what type of sports played in America and everything. 

Sarah: Yeah. That's really nice as well to tie it [00:09:00] in with your travel. Yeah. And um, and you mentioned as well the stress relief you feel from it.

So I'd be interested to hear about, like how you feel before you're doing the sport or watching the sport versus after? 

Beau: Well, I believe even whilst watching or playing sport is a nice way to reduce stress because say before the match you are stressing about meeting a deadline for homework or anything.

Uh, you'd be stressed because like. You might not get it in, but when you go to sport, the stress can be relieved 'cause you're thinking of something else. But you would be focused on like watching the football, watching a rugby match. Then after the game, you'd still be talking about it for maybe a couple of hours or so, discussing what might have happened on the match.

And then sadly, you've gotta go back to the stress for part of it and complete it. 

Sarah: But I guess hopefully in taking yourself away for a little bit, it's helped you kind of [00:10:00] relieve some of that stress. So you're coming at the homework or the task sort of feeling better to begin with. 

Beau: Yeah. And plus you would get a new thought maybe in mind when you've taken a break.

You wouldn't be a bit angry, not knowing one mark. Then maybe a couple hours later you would be like, oh yeah, I know that. 

Sarah: Yeah. Brilliant. Yeah, so it gives you a different perspective, but it also can give you that thinking time. Yeah. With the problems working away in the background while you're distracting yourself.

Beau: Yeah. It's, it, it's really fun. 

Sarah: Excellent. And have you got any sort of key messages you'd like people to take away today? Both for people your age, but also people my age that might think, oh he is watching sports again. When he should be doing his homework what would you like us to keep in mind?

Beau: I would just [00:11:00] say, just get into the world of sport. either, watching or playing. It just reduces everything. You would have fun with your friends, fun with family, like just going to the football is a nice experience to have because some people in the world have not had the opportunities to have that.

Whilst we would have the privilege of going to watch our favourite team play and everything, and people my age, which I would just say to participate in sport as much as you can, even if you don't like it, at least do like a walk or run. Around the park or down the road something. 

Sarah: Yeah, just give it a go.

And as you, as you mentioned earlier, there's like so many different sports out there 

Beau: Yeah, plus it's like physical benefits from it, like dopamine, you would feel good after it. Maybe certain adaptations of the body or something like that. And mentally you would feel so much greater.

Sarah: Yeah. Have you got [00:12:00] any examples of a time when you've realised that you're getting particularly stressed or that things aren't going great and you've turned to sport and then been able to tackle them afterwards?

Beau: Whatever, uh, maybe like do coursework or something. It is just when you got like a week left or maybe a month left, just a nice step away from it and go play. Sport, I believe is much better and just sitting down on a computer like hours are an on end just typing away. 

Sarah: Yeah, I guess the fresh air as well.

If you are, if you're outside doing something. Do you find that has a benefit? 

Beau: Yeah, I think it's a, a major benefit. It is. If you're stuck in indoors all day, like lockdown it, it, people get like cabin fever, but it's just not, I didn't feel great in lockdown, so I would go outside, just play football in the back garden or just go walk around in the field and it's just nice thing to do.[00:13:00] 

Like taking the dogs out for a walk. It is a nice thing to do. See them running around everything. 

Sarah: Yeah. So things like taking the dogs for a walk that's quite a regular thing, isn't it? You, you having to do that every day, which can, is an opportunity to kind of have that boost. Yeah. But do you find it's a good idea to then be aware that a stressful situation is coming up and like almost timetable something in?

Beau: I know people say. Timetable, but realistically, I never follow it, sadly. But it's 

Sarah: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I, 

Beau: I never really feel like doing stay motivated to do it, so I usually just go on my own time and do something, what Yeah. I feel I need to work on. 

Sarah: Yeah. So you do, you realise there's a need for it and you just go at that moment rather than scheduling in during your week.

I [00:14:00] know. I need it. To go and do something physical with my friends. And I guess, I guess it helps that school to some extent, have things running that you are involved in. 

Beau: Yeah, there, there are tons of like extracurricular activities at school like that are available to lots of people at school.

There's, um, got DofE for example. You volunteer, be physically active and learn a new skill, which is a nice thing to do. Like I volunteered coaching and made like year nine to do bronze and did football and learn sign language and then I can just change in. Each year is a nice thing to do. And uh, with the expedition as well, you have to have fun. fun time with your mates.

Explore the outdoors. Become organised, have leadership skills like you learn so much on expeditions that you can put into everyday life. 

Sarah: Amazing. So you'd really encourage [00:15:00] people to look out for those opportunities that are at schools such as DofE? 

Beau: Yes, I do agree. It's a nice thing to get a part of. 

Even if say you're part of a team outside of school, you would always have like a special bond with like your coach or something.

Like you would just have a nice conversation with them, before and after, which is a nice thing to do. Like they would support you. No, no matter what, if something's a problem. 

Sarah: Yeah. Yeah. Again, it's important isn't it, to have those relationships outside your family. That mean if something comes up you have multiple options to, to bring them up and get some advice on how to physically and emotionally improve anything that might, might be happening in your life.

Beau: Yeah. 

Sarah: So is there anything that you've tried that hasn't worked? 

Beau: Maybe about meditation. Okay. Tried it once and feel like I just I didn't enjoy it [00:16:00] and it was nothing I could really do to get out of it. Like I, it was just at school and I just remember seeing my uncle doing it at home.

I was like, I don't get how you can just sit there in silence and just not fall asleep with your eyes closed or something. 

Sarah: Okay. So is that the style of meditation where you sit in silence? Yeah, because I'm saying that, 'cause I can relate to that. My husband meditates and I've struggled with that style of meditation.

I need the, uh, guided meditation where they talk you through, you know, think about this, think about that. And then it's a way of. Sort of redirecting my attention without me trying to have silence. 'cause there's so many thoughts can be going on. So is that something that you tried because they'd suggested it at school or something because your uncle was doing it?

You thought you'd give it a go? Uh, 

Beau: it was at school then I think it was like before school there, my uncle was doing. I was like, [00:17:00] what is this guy doing? Like, its a bit weird. And then at school it was just compulsory. It was like what you said, you got the verbal stuff or sat in silence, but I just really didn't get the grasp of it.

Sarah: Yeah, so in both cases it didn't really work for you, but you've got your other things so you can turn to those instead. And it all forms, parts, doesn't it, of our sort of toolkits and things may change over time. Yeah, you've got your A Levels coming up in the next year.

Has that made you conscious of I need to have some things in place because ultimately it may be a little bit more stressful? 

Beau: Well, um, I've been to open days at university and um, my mum keeps on saying like, uh, if you wanna go to these unis, you gotta really knuckle down, work hard. Which I do agree, but she does agree with going outside, having a nice time, [00:18:00] but she, she just wants to sit, make me, uh, make me succeed.

Sarah: Yes. Yeah. Yeah. I think, I think any parent listening will understand there needs to be some sort of balance and I guess at your age, it's working together to make sure that you can have a bit of both really to. Do the study to an extent that you can realise your potential, but also appreciate the sort of, the mental emotional side needs to be nurtured as well so that you can do that learning.

Beau: Yeah. Yeah. A levels is like a big, big exams coming up, so most teachers would come help you with support. And like there'll be more activities to do. Like at school this year we had like extended studies lessons just to go away from like all the curricular stuff. So I did like African drumming and scientific drawing.

So the African drumming I really enjoyed. It was nice being to learn that with my friends. And [00:19:00] you guys go into separate groups and just make a new tune or something. 

Sarah: Amazing. 

Beau: Yeah. Then like scientific drawing, you just draw like scientific stuff. 

Sarah: Yeah. 

Beau: It was, it's cool, but I, it, it was all right. I believe it wasn't the best thing I chose, but, 

Sarah: well as you're doing, it's trying different things out, isn't it?

I'd love to hear a little bit more, if you wouldn't mind, about the African drumming. So what did that involve? 

Beau: So one of our teachers is um, uh, a drummer and he got like one of the African drums. So he puts up in like a group circle and he would just, we'd all like mimic his tune, like mirror it basically.

Then he'll be like, oh, when you've done this, go go into like little practice rooms and just make your own stuff. Then perform it in front of everyone. So it gives you the confidence to like. Present your own stuff. It's like doing it as like PowerPoint, and everything. Just have the confidence [00:20:00] just to know you are right and try hardest it.

So me and my mates chose African drumming 'cause it sounded cool. And, um, so we, we did that and then we just really enjoyed it and we just practiced it like on our laps and stuff.

Like do like the tunes. 

Sarah: Fantastic. So, uh, will you be getting an African drum for Christmas? 

Beau: Uh, no, not really. I haven't followed it on for a while. 

Sarah: So your drumming experiences, uh, on the shelf for a bit, but you never know in the future. 

Beau: Yeah, I think in year 13 there's some more similarities like that. I dunno what, what, what is yet to come.

Sarah: Okay. Well thank you so much Beau for coming on. It was really interesting to hear about the different ways that you are using techniques such as watching and playing sport both individually and with your friends to boost your wellness and how you are also exploring [00:21:00] other things such as the African drumming and meditation and the scientific drawing and how you're embracing the opportunity to try different things and see what works for you.

Yeah. So thank you very, very much for coming and sharing with us today. 

Beau: Oh yeah. Thank you for having me. 

What an absolute privilege it's been to share Beau's story with you today. In a world where young men's voices around mental health are too often unheard until crisis Beau's openness about what genuinely helps him navigate life's pressures, feels incredibly important to consider.

Here's a young man navigating the intense pressure of GCSEs A Levels looming University expectations, and all the complexities of teenage life. Yet he's [00:22:00] identified and articulated wellness strategies that many adults struggle to find. The wisdom he's shared today isn't just for teenagers, it's for all of us.

His insight that sports provides, not just physical benefits, but mental space to process problems. His understanding that sometimes the best conversations happen when you're engaged in activity together rather than sitting face-to-face. His recognition that taking breaks from stress isn't avoiding responsibility, but actually helping your brain have the space to find problems.

I was particularly moved by his encouragement to just get into the world of sport, either watching or playing, and his recognition that we are privileged to have these opportunities when others don't. His reminder that even if you don't love traditional sports, at least to go for a walk [00:23:00] or run around the park shows such practical wisdom.

What Beau demonstrates beautifully is that wellness doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. Fresh air, physical movement, social connection, and taking breaks from stress. These fundamental human needs are available to most of us if we just remember to prioritise them To Beau a heartfelt thank you for your courage in sharing your story and reminding us that.

Sometimes the most effective wellness strategies are actually the ones that feel natural and joyful, and to every listener, whether you are supporting a young person or seeking wellness strategies for yourself, remember that wisdom comes in many forms and from many voices. Until next time, take care of yourselves and remember.

There's many paths to [00:24:00] wellness and sometimes they're as simple as getting outside, moving your body and spending time with people who make you feel good.