And I wasn’t alone – this summer of sport has witnessed a boost in podcast listeners, and more coverage of the women flourishing within it. My love of history led me to the Quite Unsuitable for Females podcast where the women’s game is delved into, as far back as the 1920s.

There are some impressive stats too; women’s cycling is now the 4th most followed sport and a recent announcement that England’s cricketers will get the same match fees as men.

You’ll find a common thread throughout my six recommendations below of chugging away – mostly at a grassroots level – to get women the recognition they deserve. From stories to deep analysis and commentary, these podcasts work to demystify the realm of female sport.

So if there’s a class of sport you’ve been pondering on – whether it is boxing, golf or something more extreme – dig in and be inspired to take that first step by adding these shows to your sports podcast collection.

The Women Who Fight podcast

Hosts Shanti Gorton and Marina Mavrou explore the lives of female fighters around the world. Guests range from a 76-year old judoka to a retired boxer teaching her craft to girls in Iraq. Some ‘fight’ for the pure joy and some to spread the take-up of combat sports in the unlikeliest of places. Each story is unique, with the hosts chipping away at the why behind the ‘fight’’. To cap off each episode, guests are asked, “What are you fighting for?”. With plenty to choose from and leading with curiosity and boldness, this podcast packs more than a punch. Listen now >>

Spindrift

Bike enthusiast, Aoife Glass, brings female cycling to the fore. Interviews include pro-riders to industry experts, and it is the stories and landscapes that take centre-stage. Aoife’s passion and knowledge shine throughout. Topics range from riding perimenopause to those competing at an elite level. With the triumphant return of the Tour de Femmes in 2022, there is a growing appetite for women’s cycling. Catch the episode with Vendangi Kulkarni, on becoming the youngest woman to cycle the world at age 20. There’s a real desire to demystify cycling and encourage women to give it a go! Listen now >>

The Netball Show

This podcast follows the domestic and international netball calendar. Bite-sized commentary, interviews and analysis unpick players’ abilities along with their selection journey. Recent coverage follows the World Cup in Cape Town, with the Roses conceding to Australia in the finals, as well as exciting talk on the next generation of Roses. With over 800 episodes to choose from, you can pick up where you want, or like me, follow the recent Roses’ climb to the finals. Netball has picked up pace over the last few years, with crowds getting bigger and tickets selling out faster. Listen now >>

Women’s Rugby Pod

Broadcaster Johnnie Hammond and England player Rachael Burford (“Burf”) present the first global women’s rugby podcast. News, interviews, and coverage are delivered as they happen across the world. Johnnie’s interview with Jodie Ounsley – the first deaf woman to represent England – is nothing short of inspiring. With the game evolving, there are discussions on bigger crowds and sponsors – hello TikTok! For those wanting regular commentary on the game and those more interested in the storytelling, this podcast doesn’t disappoint. Johnnie’s empathy combined with his knowledge of the game are exceptional. Listen now >>

Why Golf: Opinion Matters

TV presenter Di Stewart interviews a guest each episode, offering thoughtful discussions and opinions. She effortlessly builds rapport with well-known figures, including Helen Skelton and Jamie Dornan – a highlight of the show. While topics like accessibility and the tradition of having a drink on the course may be unfamiliar to some (myself included), it adds an intriguing layer to the pod. What stands out is the removal of common misconceptions – like needing to be rich to play (more about being time-rich) – and interesting facts like golfers living 5 years longer. There’s one clear message here: golf is good for everyone. Listen now >>

Big Kick Energy

Comedians, Maisie Adam and Suzi Ruffell, pick up on the buzz around the FIFA Women’s World Cup. The combination of one being a football fan and the other a newbie to the sport, brings an element of inclusivity. Their Northern and Southern humour blends beautifully – Maise more self-deprecating and Suzi more inclined to quips. Answering listener questions while building momentum as the Lionesses progressed make this a must listen. Excitingly, they have just announced they’ll be back with commentary on the domestic game. You won’t be short on laughs or chants! (‘Mary, Earps, Earps, Earps’). A gem. Listen now >>

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Zainab relishes anything to do with storytelling, whether in the form of podcasts, articles, or books (“anything to do with people and stories, I’m in”). Although born and raised in London, Manchester has been home for the last six years. With over a decade’s experience in the NGO sector, her passion for social justice still remains strong. She now devotes more time to her great loves: writing, travelling, and trying every food she can. Find out more about Zainab >>

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Who are you and what’s your podcast about?

I’m Matt Barr, and I make a podcast called Looking Sideways, in which I interview people from the world of action sports and other related endeavours, as my unofficial tagline has it.

Although as a listener once said in a review they left, “Looking Sideways is ‘just’ about action sports in the same way that Moby Dick is ‘just’ a book about a load of blokes in a boat chasing a whale”. Which is the kind of slightly poncey, highfalutin’ literary metaphor I can get behind (and frequently employ on the show).

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

Probably Guardian Football Weekly. I’m a football fan, and I still listen to a lot of football podcasts, and that was what initially got me hooked. I still listen to it every week to this day.

Why did you decide to start podcasting in the first place?

A couple of reasons really. Firstly, I just thought it was a good idea to try and do something slightly cerebral based around action sports. I’ve been working in that industry since the mid-90s, and when the digital shift came in the early 2000s, the media in the industry was decimated pretty quickly, and replaced by a lot of lowest common denominator view-chasing clickbait. Which has it’s place, for sure, but I always thought there was room for something a bit more thoughtful. A podcast like Looking Sideways seemed like the perfect vehicle for it.

I was also pretty bored, after twenty years of working as a journalist, of having to battle to get my ideas published. So I thought I’d cut out the middle man and just do something where I got to unapologetically explore my own ideas. Six years later, I continue to be completely amazed at how into it people are, and how loyal my audience is.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

Scriptnotes was really what gave me the idea for Looking Sideways. I was writing a film script at the time, and I was impressed with the way presenters John August and Craig Mazin were so unapologetically geeky and incredibly open and generous about their craft and knowledge. I also loved the way they involved their similarly geeky audience, to create a real sense of community. That was a big influence when I decided to start Looking Sideways.

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

Probably somebody like author Jon Krakaeur, who wrote Into Thin Air and Into The Wild, I’ve wanted him on for years. He’s a passionate snowboarder and backcountry skier, as well as somebody with a quietly looming influence over outdoor culture. Musician Ben Howard is also somebody I’d love to chat to, mainly because I’m lucky enough to count him as a friend, I’ve been asking him for years and he always says no, and I know he has a brilliant story that would surprise people.

I’m always being asked to interview people such as Kelly Slater or Tony Hawk, but there are plenty of big shows out there that do that, so I’m not too interested in that personally.

Which episode would you say is the perfect introduction to your podcast?

I’d say my conversation with astronaut and surfer Christina Koch, soon to be the first woman to go to the moon, is perfectly representative of what I’m trying to do with Looking Sideways. Christina is a passionate surfer who spent her spare time on the ISS taking pictures of her favourite surf shots from orbit. So I contacted her through Nasa and asked if she’d be up for a chat. She did and we had this incredible conversation about how it felt to spend 328 days in space, the moral implications of space travel, and how exactly you take a photo of Pipeline while travelling at 17,000 mph on the International Space Station. So ‘action sports’ are just a way into something bigger and more interesting, which is why I’ve been so fascinated and into surfing, skating and snowboarding my whole life.

Where can the Pod Bible readers find out more about you?

My Substack page www.lookingsideways.substack.com would be a great place to start. Switching everything that back in June 2022 was pretty transformative for the podcast, as it was a way I could combine the audio with writing. I also began to offered paid subscriptions, as I’ve always been pretty militant about not having awful, sub local radio adverts that everybody skips on the show to pay for it. So Substack has been brilliant for me.

Listen to Looking Sideways Action Sports Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps >>

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