Rachel Dugdale is a mainstay in Northern Ireland’s defence, and rightly so with a wealth of experience under her belt which includes playing in the FA Women’s Championship for the last eight years.
The 27-year-old made her debut for NI back in 2016 against Slovakia. With 37 caps now to her name, the next challenge is to help secure her side’s place in the 2025 UEFA European Championships with the play-off matches in October. She also was part of the team that helped NI qualify for their first ever Euros back in 2022.
Domestically, Rachel has had stints at Doncaster Rovers where she won league in 2018, Charlton Athletic where she captained the first ever professional team, Coventry United and most recently Reading. Her footballing career, like most athletes in women’s sports, has not all been plain sailing, with the player left jobless this summer after months of financial uncertainly at Reading FC, and then the failure of a 11th hour take over bid. Two months later, it was a Blackburn Rovers shirt on her back but as Rachel testifies; “It has been a difficult period, moving my life four hours up north in the space of a few days. Finding somewhere to rent on the salary while also paying a mortgage down south hasn’t been easy but it’s certainly helped me build even more resilience and a determination to make the most the opportunity on the pitch”.
An ACL injury in 2022 while training for Charlton was also a particularly testing time. ACL injuries are not uncommon in women’s football but this was a longer than usual injury where she spent 12 months on the side-lines, and it cruelly ended any chance of playing for NI at the 2022 Euros.
However, during this period, Rachel spent the time wisely not only rehabbing but launching Prowess Marketing – a highly successful marketing agency that helps busy entrepreneurs take their business to the next level. She added: “I really enjoy the contrast of physically pushing myself on the pitch and then switching mindsets when I get home and open my laptop”.
Of course, Rachel battled back from injury and after some impressive performances for Reading last season, she launched herself back into the international reckoning and is now hoping the new season will bring more accolades.
Away from the pitch, Rachel, who has a degree in Philosophy, Politics & Economics as well a Masters in Business Leadership & Administration, enjoys talking about football and women’s sport, and working for media outlets She is an excellent speaker, and is well qualified to share her experiences. Whether it’s talking about leadership, overcoming adversity, diversity, equality or being a prominent figure in the challenging world of a male dominated sport, she has a story you want to hear.
Rachel’s speaking topics include: leadership, diversity and equality, understanding pressure, the psychology of winning, transferring skills, pressure management, working in a male environment and challenging perceptions.
Hertfordshire
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