The Active Journey
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The Active Journey
08 - Isaak Dalglish: Representing Team GB and Promoting Parasport
Today, we are in the studio with Isaak Dalglish, a power badminton player representing Team GB! 🌟 Isaak shares his incredible journey from discovering badminton at age seven to competing on the international stage.
A conversation about his experiences, the challenges he's overcome, and his vision for the future of parasport. Plus, hear about his Hollywood adventures and his commitment to driving inclusion in sports.
If you liked this episode, and want to know more about Mark and his amazing organisation Active Sports Group, then follow him, and make sure to keep listening for more updates, discussions and sports related content!
Edited with finesse by Mike at Making Digital Real
In today's episode I'm honoured to have been joined by Isaak Dalglish, a power badminton player representing Team GB. Isaak's journey from discovering badminton at the age of seven to compete on the international stage is a testament both to his resilience and dedication to drive inclusion in sport. Join us as we explore his experiences, the challenges he's overcome, and his vision for the future of parasport. Okay, series two, episode two. I'm delighted to welcome Isaak Dalglish to the active Journey podcast. Isaak How you doing?
Isaak Dalglish:How you doing, man?
Mark Whitwood:Good. Really looking forward to chatting to you this morning about your journey in Paris sports, your GB experiences you've got so much to share. And also some Hollywood movie experience as well, I believe. Yeah, it's just it's endless in it. Yeah.
Isaak Dalglish:I mean, my IMDb would be three pages long.
Mark Whitwood:Right? Well, well, it's gonna be really excited to learn more about it. So firstly, could you just help share your journey in para badminton? Because I think that's where sort of myself and other people might first sort of recognise and know you from what first inspired you to take up the sport? And how did that end up then progressing into elite level?
Isaak Dalglish:Yeah, so when I was, when I was born, I was born with a condition of dwarfism. Specifically a commonplace. Yeah. Which is the most common type of dwarfism. And obviously, it was a bit of a shock to all my family. But obviously, obviously, you can't change that. So when I was around for obviously, my childhood was was was perfect. No issues, obviously, primary school, there was, there was a few adaptations and the same as high school, but nothing major. When I was seven, my family got in touch with a charity called the dwarf Sports Association of the United Kingdom, which is a charity for people with dwarfism that want to get involved in sports. And it's just a very major sports grassroots when you want to get involved in. But it's not just that it's more social aspects as well, meaning people will want to do awesome, especially for the kids with families that might struggle to find any education. Me, you know, the families with dwarfism. So it was important for my family to meet other people. It wasn't the same as yourself.
Mark Whitwood:Sure. How old were you then? Was that your seventh then? Yeah.
Isaak Dalglish:So yeah, I vaguely remember it. But, like, my first memory, and still to this day of meeting people my age with dwarfism, that I still meet today, still meet every other week, every every three weeks. Just from across the UK. Yeah. So sometimes we drive into Berlingo thing is because there's very few people with dwarfism, you, it's important to see them and just drive for hours.
Mark Whitwood:So we use at primary school and like you say, first met
Isaak Dalglish:around year four, year five, until I was fully aware.
Mark Whitwood:What was that like for you? It was it was so fun to share.
Isaak Dalglish:There's a national dwarf games every year, and that's just like, massive for everyone. It's like a weekend for $300 and it's just a weekend where you can be yourself in this like convenient sports with the same height and date, not away from that weekend, day by day or week by week if you if you can play your sport stay in primary school without which it just, you know, you're not going to get anywhere but my family have always been brought up just get yourself involved because when you're when you're competing against people with average age, you know, when you when you're competing against people dwarfs him, you know, you've got you've had that train and stuff like that, and that when I speak about Bubblebum ism that helped me when I was when I was in high school training with the average high in college training with the other Italian and yeah, so I did that. And then badminton was kind of a balancing as a sport is very accessible for everyone. So it was just for wheelchairs can do it several polls, people dwarfism. So there was a very good, a very good background and accessibility for that. And I was very lucky because there was a lot of people dwarves in the my age that were doing it was about Taylor was at the age of 10. So that's when I first picked
Mark Whitwood:up the badminton racket. Right? Okay, was that local near wicked? Yeah, we used to go down that rabbit part. Yeah, opposite DW stay and go down to the
Isaak Dalglish:local clubs. My sister used to go, whose appetite and then one day I just drag them around. And luckily, they added this disability infrastructure. So they were aware of train for physical, mental, mentally disabled people so and it wasn't just it was some time it was just hitting the balloon stuff with and being begging for a shovel. Boy, yeah, I loved it. And that was just once a week and then thinking yes, six, maybe once or twice a week. And then yeah from I just got a bit of love for it.
Mark Whitwood:How did that progress Then did you start competing was it competing?
Isaak Dalglish:See the light Olympic experience days at the minute? Especially with I think it was 2012 when obviously London they had like people coming in coaching and they did say that I had a real talent for I was I was very good at like even a year for was very good at like cricket. I was I was good at like catching with one hand so that I knew I had some really good hand eye coordination. So then around like year seven, year eight, I was easily picked up the badminton team, but I was never like, go into like performance centres. And then there's a time and then we're good at schools and like, Yeah, this is this was when I was like, I was still like, I wasn't growing. And like when you get hit year seven, year eight, you've got kids that are like, getting really tired now, but I was beating that. And this was still not knowing I was still not going to a Performance Centre or I was being trained twice a week, I just set a club which is an ACO. And then
Mark Whitwood:what what in terms of when you said you you beat in all the other children that Yeah, how did you find that? Easy to do them? Are you? Is it your mobility realm?
Isaak Dalglish:Yeah, because obviously Badminton is it's you got to be quick, you've got speed in that job with the distance COVID isn't as like a 60 metre. For example, if I was doing 20 metre travel during that time you're adapting and shear, the distance of it would be cut would be closer than a 60 metre. Yeah, just because my mind was speeding reaction time is quite good. So then a year I got picked to go Performance Centre in Bolton, which is like all the junior counter plays that are quite good. And obviously, a disability infrastructure they let me in. Yeah, I was getting really good. At that point, I was really enjoying that I was, I was still beating like kids, at 13 years old, they were getting good as well and getting like college standard. And I just had an adaptive and adaptive ability to kind of beat them mentally. And maybe I'll speak about it later about obviously, wherever there's my disability when I was younger, knowing how to over overcome and adapts B and then carried on carried on. And then there was a few disability assignments in in. It's called the Four Nations. So there'll be three months of your time in England, tiny Scotland on an island on in Wales. And that would be against all the wolves. I've gotten good at that was really good at junior level. And then I think November the November 2013. was when I made my first international cap
Mark Whitwood:for Team GB. Oh, yeah. Wow. Well, what did it mean to you then to represent? Well, CG and pirates? Yeah,
Isaak Dalglish:it was 1314. Maths. I'm a whole family came because I was I'm quite independent person, but I wouldn't my family's couldn't watch. Yeah, just just at that age.
Mark Whitwood:It must have been so proud to come in and watch it.
Isaak Dalglish:Yeah. Because a lot of that was well, that was on the team. I've known them since. So say if I was 10, a lot of them were 20. Okay, he's got boy, he was good to see them and finally get on that level that they were there. It was good. It was they were saying it's really good to see me at that level. Now.
Mark Whitwood:Were there any challenges though in in like those early years of playing badminton, para badminton, when, like you just said, then you put perhaps playing against Jaws who maybe 10 years old? Who did that create a challenge? Was there any difference there? Or could you just naturally then go and compete against them as well. Other
Isaak Dalglish:times I found was you couldn't you couldn't get a dwarf or you couldn't get a part of Amazon every weekend. Right? So it'd be every three months every four months to go back to the real world. To be fair, it was yeah, it was obviously difficult. Yeah, sometimes losing second round, even first round against kids with with terrible attitude and like, not the best technique, but just because the physically more taller and stronger that we can beat and mentally sometimes frustrate me. While I was there. I knew in the back of my mind. Keep going couple of weeks at a time and then as we get closer and closer to power on its own as well. I know I'd be getting to finals, stuff like that. Yeah,
Mark Whitwood:sure. So what was the feeling like when you first done the college then for Team GB? I remember when you got your kit and
Isaak Dalglish:it was weird because that was the first time I've actually got a kit like I added like a few sponsors at that time. And a few people helped me out on my GoFundMe and that blue light I see that proper cat with the name of the bar. Yeah, not really proud of going over that. But coming back was like not because all three teachers asked him about me and like a home home roommates obviously still think about today. And that was more of a proud moment but well, maybe on pa at the same. He's like coming back showing an interest in what what it is like to go over there and international tournament. Well, yeah, it was like a whirlwind one. wanting to learn now and well? Yeah, well,
Mark Whitwood:so you went to Dortmund first. But I know you've been to Dubai, haven't you? You've been travelled all over everything. Yeah. So
Isaak Dalglish:it was darling, like when I was in year nine year 10. And then obviously, obviously, you've got to ground yourself a little bit. So out, obviously, we made the exams in that. But my, my teachers are like, you can still you can still balance your exams and utilise them. And so that I think he was like year 11, where you're at year 10, year 11, where I was going out on my own stay only your destinations. And I was going out on my own learning with the team about how it is to compete and so on and how to be an athlete. And then obviously college came along, competed against they'll still have it How was going around your. And then it was back it was it was at uni then where I have a first taste of like, Asia. Obviously I speak about that later like that. The Asia, in Asia, but bones is massive, like so huge.
Mark Whitwood:I go to Japan, research one of the top three passports.
Isaak Dalglish:Yeah, it's just massive stuff all over the country, like in India, they sell abundance of schools over there. So you get scholarships. Going
Mark Whitwood:back to that idea, like your training regime, he talks about like fitting in education, like the training all around education, and that, you know, great to have the support from your family and teachers as well. So I access it already. But what what did a typical training day or week look for you when you were at school, but most recently, you know, and we'll come to that you've been on the pathway for the Olympics as well haven't is it? Is it proper? Yeah. So time has
Isaak Dalglish:passed and move of asked to move work. Train three days after first. Firstly, unit 13 units are which 2018 Both Sheffield, so that was two days ahead sale. And then I'd have to go to Sheffield. And I struggle with that because the university side marks are dropping and lecturers are getting really, really worried about it because I was doing two days of unit and then three days training back at uni for the weekend, two days and they were at the end of the first year they were really struggling you have to make a decision whether you want to you want to continue to get a new degree or aka you have to commit to your balancing. So this was a point where it's hard, isn't it? Yeah, that was a real tough because it was a crucial point because I was getting really good. I was getting to semifinals of European competitions. I was I was mentally and I was really progressing. So I had a long hard think about it suppose to be coaches, and they said, and then the day realistically, you probably you're probably not going to make the call for the next couple of days. So he said just take 10 minutes 10 armscye unit degree you can always welcome in fireplace, always welcome to mana whether you need to go to uni for two, three months and study, you can always come back and release some steam. So did that got me a degree and then that's when things as constant like I got asked to move full time I got funding from UK Sport.
Mark Whitwood:Was that easy to get the funding challenge for a lot of Yeah,
Isaak Dalglish:he's challenged a lot of people. I mean, I had evidence, like, like I say, my, let's say my sci fi, I think I backed it off. So it was an unfair place to coaches and performance directors. They do most of it to get that for me. So it was April sort of COVID hit and then luckily elite sport comeback earlier. So it was I think it was June 2020 on May 2020 I made the move Sheffield moved into one of the players
Mark Whitwood:in fact for people listening that don't understand Sheffield is a hub of athletes from across the country isn't it? Yeah and across all different sports as well as massive
Isaak Dalglish:so it's called the English Institute of Sport. A lot of politics sports in their wheelchair basketball power to be able to have as part of an intern you've got the GD box in so you've got a large individual athletic so athlete says I know Jessica NSL see you know loads of times honestly Joshua and when I see no new answer Joshua turned up because he was Free Range Rovers Yeah, he was he was a nice guy, but not just that the strength and conditioning like cause the power of exports were there. The SEC and the nutrition was so specific to each different environments
Mark Whitwood:but did you enjoy being in that environment?
Isaak Dalglish:It was intense for you knew that the you knew you weren't on your own because the athletes were going
Mark Whitwood:through it as well. You could share it with other people
Isaak Dalglish:as a whole move around. Maybe suddenly athletes maybe it won't one time in the SEC room and you cheer cart you go golf coffees together, you share experiences, but yeah, typical Experience, typical natural one would be to check in as a day, monitor fly day, maybe now it's all that nine to 11. chill out for a bit, maybe two to four. And you'd have three SSC sessions a week, you'd have your physio, your rehab, depending on your individual programmes if you're injured or not. And yeah, but then sometimes, obviously, time, time has changed. So sometimes you changed suddenly. Because if we was to go to Japan, in two weeks time, we need to get up body clock a little bit. So the science behind it was unreal.
Mark Whitwood:How could you personalise it, especially when you're studying as well? How do you manage to like balance the sport and life together, Isaac, because it's, yeah,
Isaak Dalglish:it was obviously to do that to the system. When I was at uni, I'd say it was I was a big fish in a small company. But when I went to Sheffield, biggest, it's a lot more people, I was in the same boat kind of thing with other athletes, some of our athletes that have achieved more than me. So I would say I was a small fish in a bigger pond, maybe struggled a little bit there. And at the time, because my phone, I was only on like, smaller funded. So I had to maybe work at the weekend. So I had to do a little bit of coaching and working, delivery driving an Indian friend of ours, which I actually really enjoyed both sides of that both sides of life enjoy being in like the elite athlete and seeing will Bailey anti docile, Jessica and his hell, then also the weekend being grounded in like, wow, like, well, this is other people. I've seen that the chefs working really hard. It was it's weird, like, but it was it was good. And the motivation came from obviously seeing the elite athletes working too hard, trying to get your heart rate and trying to squat so much. But then also the weekend just yeah, you often
Mark Whitwood:see people working hard and away from all of that. Yeah. Did that help you unwind to check in from the the intensity of that elite sport environment, just being able to go and have fun and have a laugh in a restaurant working with other people?
Isaak Dalglish:Because people that know me, they know my personality, or I'm very extrovert person. I'm like, I hate being on the air. And it's like, if it's 9pm He's like, I can't I can't go to bed or like, twiddle my fingers. I'm like, Who? Who can I call for a coffee? And I know people listen to you guys would have gotten it now. But I just my personality. He wants to go for his IBM all he wants to do so. A slide? Yeah. Use me for swimming to see a slide. You got to be busy, busy, busy. And that's where you get the best art. And so that's why I personally prefer to just but then at the end of the day, looking back at it, I would say the coaches did realise that it was it was burning me out and both candles at the end of that. Yeah. Talking
Mark Whitwood:about coaches in people that have had a big impact in your life so far as who? Who would be your role models or mentors that have helped you through your badminton career and have an influence on the journey that you've been on?
Isaak Dalglish:It's good question because see a lot of the time podcasts, role models and a commitment like famous people celebrities, but for me, I'm pretty sure two parts to that. I always say my home roommates are home friends who just interest me not for my dwarfism on disability. For who I was straightaway even for my year four year five and credit to their families as well for growing up their kids say you don't judge people for what they look like stuff like that. So on my home mates, my uni friends stuff always helped me. Were in time as lead family massive when I can drive taking songs, my coaches through thick and thin blood sweat like they see they see me like they see me like in times of need where the proper anxious about certain things. I get worried about certain toilets, worried about finances and the same they've helped me out so much the coaches your coach, Coach athlete relationship, that's my that's what I said. Psychologists again, massive they know us rific and then they know some stuff that obviously you don't tell even your closest friends obviously systems are destroyed. In every athlete in the world. The intensity, the your thoughts are very much intensified. Because you've got to hit deadlines, you've got to at times, you've got to go away sometimes it's a bit lonely, sometimes you miss family, you sometimes it's stuff that you tell the psychologist that like it's important and it's important to speak up, especially in this day and age
Mark Whitwood:for me as it like listening to you and like knowing some of your journey like obviously having to cope from being at primary school with dwarfism and then going moving into secondary school and some of the challenges that you faced, clearly from a really young age, resilience, you're used to that within your makeup in terms of like, you know, dealing with the school environment and then I guess, you using that resilience that you've been building up there as you've We've become different ways of living and working through the week and then taking that into the environments that you've been in an elite sport where it's just so intense and resilient mindset is
Isaak Dalglish:massive another needed in it. Yeah. And were great to me family, extended family, like, they were always saying did like, just like you can do whatever you want to do, if you put your mind to achieve absolutely
Mark Whitwood:love that and you have done as well Haven't you totally just,
Isaak Dalglish:it's, it's been a credit to have resilience and adversity is massive. Because, like, I know, people will often struggle, but in a society that obviously people are going to look at your people are going to judge you on people, especially nights out stuff like that might say something bad. And I've always bought them bought, like, do not resell it, because it just makes it worse. Other people that we do overs and I've really struggled dividing in the streets. And not just that, obviously, my vagina mates, they've read that really protective, and a lot of the time. And so it's a lot of them taking off with that. And usually, because I'm used to, I'm used to it now. And I can let it slide for me average. I mean, it's obviously sometimes they don't see it as often. So again, yeah, it's just learning that I've got sometimes a better life than that, knowing that I've travelled the world more than than whoever was looking at me, and that have achieved more. And that's just in the back of the mind when those situations happen.
Mark Whitwood:It must be, must be really hard, but great that you've got, you know, support systems in place as well to help each other and help help deal with that, like, inclusion in sport. They realise it like what does that look like in terms of in terms of the current state? If, if, if included in sport, particularly for athletes with disabilities? Is there any improvements that you'd like to see? Yeah,
Isaak Dalglish:I think I think at the minute obviously not just took step away from badminton, I'm working with coach for access sports. I'm really enjoying it and we're really enjoying learning skills, different skills, different ethnicities, different disability, the minute is massive, I don't know if it's to do with the generation but the amount of varied range of disabilities now is massive. Yeah,
Mark Whitwood:I mean, I think statistically, at the moment, it within a primary school class, they're saying almost 10 children within a, an average class size of up to 30, to have some form of disability. And, and that's some of those are not identified as well. And when we're when we're working with young children, you know, we we become more aware of them, don't you but it's like, hey, it's it's increasing, isn't it?
Isaak Dalglish:I experienced a the other day, really good. I experienced I recognise two kids with cerebral palsy. And the first thing the first thing he said to me was, you've got to watch them I've got several palsy. And honestly, I was well, credit is just
Mark Whitwood:unbelievable. Brilliant. And what were the teachers like they were they with you as well then
Isaak Dalglish:just just because I always ask when is there anything that needs to be aware of or and they just say no street just just they're just they just love sport, they love physical activity. Just know the farm to credit especially 10 years ago, you won't get this you would get the odd kid in the class sack in the make out the other kid. But this these these kids at the minute whether it's the PERT the average height kids that they're given extra duty of care to look to the person with with the needs that they may map really well to the teachers or the school framework or the families that are bringing up just
Mark Whitwood:education is getting a lot better, a lot better. Are there any improvements so that you would like to see like more opportunities made available?
Isaak Dalglish:Obviously, TVs equipment
Mark Whitwood:and things that are accessible within all schools for people with additional needs do you think that there's enough there like going into a school if we were to go off to school this morning and we were going in and having a look at what PE equipment that they've gotten if we were going to take a class now would you would you feel that the be any restrictions or barriers potentially there that
Isaak Dalglish:not necessarily just I think just more and more quiet more conservative, so you get these experience days Kimbark for example, great sport, very accessible for everyone T ball to eat anybody was able to get a wheelchair and I was just absolutely belting it and use it longer than some other kids and even sort of the ability of the average I'm struggling even with baseball so well yeah, I just say more experienced, more experienced days for your last your last sport so Tebow can ball cough or bounce goes for union Union a lot of union union players play that but yeah part of just
Mark Whitwood:more variety how I became a part of that page was to get a game and then have to show me how to play
Isaak Dalglish:rocky long have you played that? One set of badminton one set it's a one game tables has one set of tennis ones that squash one gay
Mark Whitwood:Oh in the Play console three brilliant now that I've done that what would be your memorable moments or achievements and so far
Isaak Dalglish:me events balance
Mark Whitwood:around improvements
Isaak Dalglish:maybe getting my first singles international medal doubles was a double doubles as doubles I was always good an extrovert person very good at communicating logo with a teammate but singles obviously hard you're on your own you're intrusive thoughts are well good enough. But that yeah signals that was as far as international and I'm waiting to see did and it was beat in the world and way more than before and on the way. And that was that was I did that twice in two weeks to the students nationals and excited to regionals. Brandon I was copying me away from it was fourth personality year 2019. I met Ben Stokes. Hey, I'm jealous. Honestly, because I don't watch it as well.
Mark Whitwood:And you could have done with Ben Stokes yesterday at 22nd
Isaak Dalglish:guy ever lost him? I
Mark Whitwood:know. He's gone through so much as well as Yeah.
Isaak Dalglish:The first time it was like you are being on floor and yeah, through the incidents obviously the storm that is
Mark Whitwood:lost there as well didn't he? He lost his father as well didn't come cancer, suicide.
Isaak Dalglish:And then some issues. From his mom's side. stepdad stuff like that.
Mark Whitwood:Um, what was it like being a sports personality? What were you there for? Were you there as a guest? Yeah,
Isaak Dalglish:I think we had a very, very good yes part of it. It was really good. Galenica Polka sky Hydrometeor free model.
Mark Whitwood:I getting the impression you're a bit of a social animal as well away from badminton. If you've achieved a number of other experiences as well, haven't you? Most recently, I believe you've been in pantomime. Yeah. So. So now is that was that debut in Panther?
Isaak Dalglish:So, obviously,
Mark Whitwood:so were these opportunities, other opportunities that yes, so found? Yeah.
Isaak Dalglish:So obviously, in the dwarf world, people know. A lot of moms know everyone. Agencies are always looking for people who want to be acting, and I always, I used to do drama. I used to do public speaking when I was in Year 11. I used to go to schools and colleges and talk about my disability. So yeah, I got an agent set. And then the first pipeline was in 2001, Thomas wells, with Shirley Ballas from silicon dancing. And then just recently was Glasgow, where the lazy Smith from two doors down and down in Bromley with Gareth get rolling this year with Gareth Gates and lots of knowledge from this morning.
Mark Whitwood:About this Christmas.
Isaak Dalglish:Run the London
Mark Whitwood:a little bit but you've also starred The Witcher in film Seven.
Isaak Dalglish:Which, I don't know if I should tell you this. But Paddington and Star Wars
Mark Whitwood:in the Star Wars movie that's coming out this year. Wow. And he's singing in there. Now.
Isaak Dalglish:I'll do karaoke sometime on the other weekend. 1000 boys.
Mark Whitwood:Are there any future goals though for you now in terms of like, badminton or anything specific. You've taken a break from it at the moment. And obviously like we're on the cusp of Paralympics and Olympic Games this summer in Paris, aren't we? Is that going to light any fires? Again? You're going to be watching that if you've got friends participate in
Isaak Dalglish:qualifying look at Pizza when I seen on the other week. Yeah, we wish them all the best in watching. And yeah, that all lights on fire with combat. You knows?
Mark Whitwood:Is it something that's still interesting? It's in the back of my mind.
Isaak Dalglish:Yeah, it's like maybe, but if not, like obviously working here. inspiring kids. The next generation are off giving back to the community. But I think maybe my future girl would have been good Actually sport work and then maybe welfare by psychology my, I think well, family sport like just Yeah. I
Mark Whitwood:know something that you're doing at the moment really well, Isaac is the promotion of para badminton, though. And badminton in general, as a sport with younger children, what steps do you think could be taken to promote badminton even more widely and encourage greater participation because it's, it's a great sport. I mean, I go and take my daughters to netball on Saturday mornings and the other half of the sports hall. It's got fun. I love saying that these families come and they hire in the courts and they play badminton, same parents have in good fun, doubles or just interacting with the children. They absolutely love it. And every week I see them and it's like, that's great. But like, it'd be it'd be, it'd be brilliant if we could see the sport grow even further like to say that Asia, it's like, it's like football here, isn't it? What can be done
Isaak Dalglish:in my head? One of the head teachers skills that work out yesterday, she it's exactly what I'm about the pattern. So there's a couple of skills and that I'm delivering badminton 1212 kids, but a lot. The first a lot of it is not. This has nothing to do with the British population. But a lot of it is a lot of the kids. I'm coaching them in the from the from Asia, and obviously, because they're understanding badminton. So obviously, people are thought like, primary school age, they don't know about laminates. And so maybe the headline said, it's interesting. And I said, Yeah, I can clock it even before I could clock what kind of coach you'd get before, before I do the sessions. And she said, Can you come in and do this and we'll talk about your life and your badminton story. And I can guarantee we'll get more like, like, British soil, kids playing it, because it's fantastic for but people aren't aware of it as much trouble when you get older is it's one of the it's one of the most passive space sports in Britain, obviously not in the elite spectrum. But you go to a leisure centre on a Thursday evening, and you can't get a call to answer it'd be football or football now.
Mark Whitwood:Straight? Well, what you said you've been speaking in schools, what message would you share with young athletes, or just young children in general, particularly those with disabilities? Who would aspire to compete at the highest level and have some of those experiences that you've had?
Isaak Dalglish:So you want like a quote kind of
Mark Whitwood:thing? Yeah. Or is it just anything inspirational to see perhaps, like you said, you're on the field last week with with a child with cerebral palsy and in some of the challenges that that children are becoming aware of perhaps that they're facing right now in primary school? What what inspirational message would you send to them in terms of, you know, not not, you know, what can be achieved? Like, like you said, you can go and do anything currently. But is there anything particularly,
Isaak Dalglish:I just want to be close is just just, just take the next step. That's literally it. Like,
Unknown:you wake up,
Isaak Dalglish:everyone is struggling. Everyone struggles at the minute, especially in today's world, everyone has a bit of anxiety about nervousness about the day or the word they just don't fasten your thoughts. Take the next step, get out your bed, turn the cat along, because once that kettles Are you can make a cup of tea or coffee with the kids. If you're worried about joining a club or sport. Please tell your mom, please can I just go for the first session? You don't know the coach, if you coach might have a disability, I'd coach you might really connect with the coach. You might not connect with the kids, but you might connect with the coach which makes him just come up. So yeah, take the next step. Because you don't know if you don't take the next step. You'll be festering in that thought of not going on. Yeah, it's you can't live your life in the border. Yeah, that's what I'll say. You can't live your life in Bora.
Mark Whitwood:I love that mate. I love that so yeah, yeah, just keep moving. Keep moving, keep trying new things put yourself out if that conference. Yeah, but it's the three. Like, you know, here we're, we're values driven as an organisation but in terms of what we want to do with young people, the three values that you that are important to you in your in your everyday and the people that are around you.
Isaak Dalglish:Yeah, resilience, discipline, growth and growth, resilience. Yeah. No matter what's happening at night, get up and carry on. Whatever. If it's a teacher that said something to you, it's business not personal. So carry on, keep on going. Discipline. behaviour with with athletes and parents and onlys they'll respect you if they respect you, and what was the
Mark Whitwood:growth, growth just
Isaak Dalglish:yet? Keep on keep on. Keep on taking the next step, because what you did last week,
Unknown:if you come up with bubble wrap, you're gonna grow faster massively. Yeah. I've absolutely loved it. It's been so inspiring listening to your story, what you've achieved, you've done so much already. It's incredible and nothing seems to have held you back. And I'm excited to to hear what's next. What can we expect from Isaak Dalglish
Isaak Dalglish:more growth analysis for school may multibeam, a bit more public speaking appearances, more growth on my individual platforms? Who knows might might learn might grow up to badminton, if it's weather played or completed, are working alongside it. But yeah, just inspiring the next generation giving back to the community what gave me a very good childhood, massive.
Mark Whitwood:If people listening want to follow us on social media, or get in touch, where can they find you?
Isaak Dalglish:On Instagram? I've got a weird spelling the way my name is, is ISAAK. An it's Dalglish the way it turned out and Twitter is IDALGLISH
Mark Whitwood:Guys, well worth a follow. There's loads of interesting stuff on there and what to say if you get in touch you might be able to get you some discounted tickets for this this Christmas. Brilliant. All right, Isaak, great having you on mate. Thanks so much for your time.