# 34 - Inspiring the Next Generation: Breaking Cycles, Core Values, and the Matilda's Legacy in Sport with Corey Gaidzionis

Sport Is Life

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Episode Summary

In this episode, Ian and Corey explore his work in male-dominated industries, emphasising the value of emotional intelligence and mental health awareness. He describes his personal journey, which includes coaching his son in soccer and coping with demanding parents. Corey emphasises the Matildas' achievement in youth sports engagement, citing a large increase in registrations. He also discusses a horrific working occurrence that prompted him to focus on mental health awareness.

• Learn how the Matildas' success has led to a significant increase in youth sports participation, with 400 kids signing up for a season after their win in Perth.
• Understand the differences in coaching approaches among various soccer clubs and the impact of these differences on young players' experiences.
• Recognise the importance of pushing young athletes to extend themselves and the challenges of balancing this with their desire to win.
• Learn how finding a supportive community through bike riding and the role of shared interests in building meaningful relationships.

About the Guest:

Corey’s most important role in his life is to be a great father and husband, His mission is to “Create Positive Social Change using simple tools to teach Emotional Intelligence”. Corey changed his career in 2015 from working in construction, in varied management roles across project and sales management, he found himself on a merry go round of stress that saw him burn out multiple times.

An incident at work where a co-worker passed away from an industrial accident, impacted Corey deeply and led him onto a path of discovery around healing his own trauma and taking those lesson into the world and start impacting the world through the development of programs and community to empower people to start having healthy conversation around mental health.

In 2021 Corey wrote “The Little Book of Big Emotions” a guide for children and parents to have conversation about Big Emotions with a common language. The feedback from parents has been “This book is not just for kids” and is currently developing a program for the education sector on teaching emotional intelligence through Micro lessons. www.bigemotionsacademy.com

Over the past 8 years he has worked men through Men’s Circles and one on one coaching, led hundreds of teenagers on Into Adulthood Rites of passage experiences and currently a business partner with FIFO Mental Health Group, which involves going to mine sites and holding Mental Health conversations with teams and leadership groups. He is excited to announce that they will be launching a new program EQ leadership in Mining on the 1 st April 2024.

Link/s:

https://www.fifomentalhealthgroup.com/mastermind

https://www.fifomentalhealthgroup.com

About the Host:

Ian Hawkins, host of "Sport Is Life," is dedicated to showing how sports can transform lives. With extensive experience as an athlete, a coach, PE teacher, community volunteer, and manager at Fox Sports, Ian brings a wealth of knowledge to the podcast. His journey began in his backyard, mentored by his older brother, and has since evolved into coaching elite athletes and business leaders. Ian's commitment to sports and personal development is evident in his roles as a performance coach and active community member. Through "Sport Is Life," Ian shares inspiring stories and valuable lessons to help listeners apply sports principles to all areas of life.

Check Me Out On:

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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SportIsLife-IanHawkins

Theme Music Artist:

One Day Kings https://www.instagram.com/onedaykings/

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