For decades, performance models and athlete support frameworks were built around male pathways. Where female-specific support existed, it was too often an afterthought—a quick adaptation of male templates rather than a solution grounded in female reality. HerForm—an EU-funded project co-developed by Rugby Players Ireland and TWIN—set out to break that cycle by replacing one-size-fits-all assumptions with rigorous research and practical tools.
HerForm was designed by a high-level consortium representing six countries to address one of the most persistent gaps in international women’s sport: the lack of evidence-based, gender-specific support tailored to female athletes and their environments. Nine months into the roll-out of its pioneering online training course, HerForm is proving to be an essential resource for female athletes, coaches, player associations, and governing bodies.
“While women’s sport is advancing at unprecedented speed, dedicated support structures and policies have struggled to keep pace. HerForm was created to bridge this exact gap. The burden now lies with sports organisations and athletes to take these tools, apply them directly to their own environments, and drive lasting, structural progress.”
Wolfgang Stockinger
CEO ⋅ TWIN
Grounded in evidence, driven by lived experience
HerForm was not built in a vacuum. Earlier this year, the project published the open-access research Meeting Career Development Needs of Female Elite Athletes: A Coproductive Approach to Career Support. Evaluating 132 elite female athletes across Europe and Africa, the study provided clear, empirical proof of where high-performance systems leave athletes vulnerable.
While athletes reported feeling well-equipped to maintain social relationships, they highlighted critical preparation gaps in key career milestones, feeling least prepared to manage postpartum return to sport, contract negotiations, and mental health. Findings highlight the need to implement individually tailored support programmes specifically for early- and mid career stage females.
These findings directly informed the 10-hour, 5-module online curriculum available at herform.eu, ensuring every training video, educational podcast, and actionable resource targets the real-world priorities of female athletes:
- Module 1 ⋅ HerFoundations | The concept of Self
- Module 2 ⋅ HerBody&Mind | The concept of female health
- Module 3 ⋅ HerRelationships | The concept of communication
- Module 4 ⋅ HerRights | The concept of safety
- Module 5 ⋅ HerTransitions | The concept of change
A free resource for athletes and their ecosystems
A central pillar of the HerForm initiative is accessibility. High-quality career development tools should not be restricted by budget or geography. The complete, multi-module course remains 100% free of charge. Designed for both individual athletes and the ecosystem that surrounds them—coaches, dual-career advisors, high-performance managers, and player associations—HerForm equips sport systems with the knowledge required to implement meaningful, systemic change.
From grassroots federations expanding their athlete-care programs to top-tier professional environments, the course gives stakeholders an off-the-shelf, expert-backed platform to upskill their personnel and better support female talent.
Recognized impact across Europe and beyond
The response from the international sports community over the past nine months has reinforced the urgency of this work. At the European Sport Congress (EUSC) in Lille, HerForm was awarded the Best Communication Award, with congress evaluators citing the project’s ability to communicate complex, evidence-based solutions into accessible formats for high-performance sports environments.
Furthermore, international interest—including pilot adaptations in South Africa—demonstrates that the structural challenges facing female athletes extend well beyond European borders. By facilitating international dialogues with key policy-makers, high-performance managers, and active athletes, HerForm continues to contribute to a broader global momentum.
What’s next?
Nine months is both a milestone and a reminder that structural evolution requires continuous commitment. Providing the tools is only step one; adoption and contextualization by federations, clubs, and athlete bodies is what drives lasting reform. If you are an athlete, coach, administrator, or service provider in women’s sport, explore the five interactive modules and bring these insights into your environment.
Partner with TWIN
Learn how we can help you integrate athlete care frameworks into your organisation, or conceptualize EU project applications by reaching out directly.
•
•
•
