The Prince and Princess of Wales continued their focus on issues related to World Mental Health Day with a sports-themed workshop that teaches athletes to prioritise mental health and learn the resilience of losing.
The couple visited the Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre in Berkshire to take part in a workshop hosted by SportsAid, of which Catherine has been patron for 10 years.
During a meeting with young athletes, William told them “For me, resilience is a mindset. When things go wrong, I go into a different gear.”
Catherine added: “William will know that I take quite a creative approach to resilience. As a mother, making sure I’m speaking to my children and raising the progress and the effort involved I think is quite hard to do, and I think an important message for youngsters is that this growth mindset is so important for all the different challenges they face.”
The royal couple joined in two practical sports workshops, netball and goalball (which is a Paralympic sport for the visually impaired where the ball makes a sound and the lines on the ground are tactile), that helps young athletes learn resilience.
William and Catherine wound up on the same netball team, and William joked that his wife might hit him in the head as she tried to score while noises and distractions played around her—all a test to practice focus.
When the duo tried out goalball, only Catherine managed to score. William’s shot was saved, and he said “It’s really hard, so disorientating, I imagine it’s a fun game though.”
The official social media of Kensington Palace shared photos of the visit, captioning them: “Incredible work from @teamsportsaid recognising that in the world of sport, a strong mind is just as important as a strong body. Mental fitness workshops ensure young athletes have the tools to perform to their best both on and off the field – and help them reach new heights.”
