What County Trials Taught Me About Showing Up (Even When You Don’t Get In)

I went to county trials for the first time ever. I didn’t get picked. And honestly? It was one of the best things I’ve done in a long time.In this episode, I’m reflecting on what it actually meant to put myself in that room surrounded by some of the best women’s rugby players in Sussex and what I took away from the experience beyond the result. Because if you only measure success by whether you got selected, you’re missing the point.I’m talking through five things that county trials reminded me about performance, mindset, and showing up as yourself: why the only person you really need to prove anything to is you, how positive feedback can genuinely change the trajectory of your game, why having fun is a legitimate performance strategy, what being authentic actually looks like when the pressure is on, and how to reframe a disappointment into your next move.There’s also a bit about my nickname (it’s Minge, and yes, there’s an explanation), why I went to trials with my hair down, and what I did the moment I found out I hadn’t made the squad.If you’ve ever been knocked back, missed out on selection, or just found yourself questioning whether you’re good enough this one’s for you.