The Study Edition: Smarter Not Harder

Friday Fuel - August 1

Before we dive in, a quick word about our latest interview guest. William Wadsworth is a Cambridge-educated cognitive psychologist who specialises in how students learn best. He’s the founder of Exam Study Expert—a leading platform that combines cutting-edge research with real-world strategies to help students thrive. Through his podcast, coaching, and resources, William has helped tens of thousands of learners around the world improve their performance without burning out. Whether your child is sitting NCEA, GCSEs, or school-based assessments, his practical tools are designed to make learning stick—and reduce the stress.

Sport and school—two words that often pull youth athletes in different directions. One demands sweat, discipline, and repetition. The other requires focus, recall, and structure. Trying to balance them? That can feel overwhelming, especially during exam season. But it doesn’t have to be.

This week, we’re looking into the science of smart studying with expert William Wadsworth. William helps students learn more effectively, with less stress, using practical, evidence-based strategies. He’s one of the leading voices in exam preparation—and the insights he shares are incredibly valuable for both youth athletes and their parents who are navigating the pressures of school, sport, and success.

🔥 Personal Fuel

When I think back to how I studied at school, I cringe a little. I used to spend hours copying out notes, rewriting the same things over and over again, thinking that was the best way to learn. It felt like I was doing the work—but in hindsight, I wasn’t actually engaging my brain in any meaningful way. I was just going through the motions.

Now, watching my kids navigate school and study has been eye-opening.

• Will, my youngest, often studies with music on. I used to think it was a distraction, but for him, certain types of instrumental music seem to help him get in the zone. Still, we have our boundaries. When he asks to study with the TV playing in the background, that’s where I draw the line!

• Bella, on the other hand, is already using strategies that align with William’s research. She swears by active recall and has even developed her own sensory hacks—chewing gum while studying and again during tests to trigger memory, or using a specific perfume to anchor her brain to her revision sessions. I don’t know if it’s scientifically proven, but it’s working for her.

Ben and I both agree: we wish we had discovered William’s work years ago. For ourselves, and definitely for our kids. If you haven’t explored his site or podcast yet, please do. It’s packed with smart, simple tools that help athletes perform academically and athletically.

📘 William’s Top Study Tips for Athletes

These aren't generic study tips. William tailors his advice around how the brain actually works and how to maximise learning with minimal stress.

1. Active Recall > Passive Review

Highlighting and rereading feel safe—but they're not very effective. Active recall means pulling information out of your brain: flashcards, quiz-yourself sessions, or teaching the topic aloud. It’s like practising penalty shots without knowing where the goalie is—retrieval practice sharpens your reflexes.

2. Spaced Repetition

The opposite of cramming. Instead of one big revision session, space out your study over several days or weeks. Revisit material just before you’re likely to forget it. Each review deepens memory. Athletes train regularly for a reason—same rule applies here.

3. Minimise Distractions

The brain needs silence to reach deep focus. Phones, pings, and social scrolling break that cycle. William recommends short, focused bursts—like the Pomodoro technique (25 minutes study, 5-minute break). Music? If it's instrumental, maybe. TV? Never.

4. Create Exam-Like Conditions

If you always study in bed with snacks and noise, your brain gets used to that environment. So when you sit an exam in silence, upright at a desk, it's unfamiliar. Train your brain like you train for a match—in the same conditions you’ll compete in.

5. Fuel Your Brain

You wouldn't show up to training exhausted and unfed. The same goes for study. Sleep, hydration, and good food keep your brain firing on all cylinders. Memory improves. Focus lasts longer. Mood stays balanced.

👨‍👧 Ways Parents Can Help

Parents play a critical role in supporting young athletes' study habits. Here’s how you can be part of the solution:

🔢 Talk strategy – Ask how they're learning, not just what they're learning. Get curious. Are they using flashcards? Practice questions? How are they reviewing?

🏠 Create a distraction-free study space – A tidy desk, good lighting, and minimal noise go a long way. Make it feel like a zone for thinking.

💡 Promote routines – Encourage sleep, breaks, movement, and hydration. Brains don’t thrive on all-nighters.

🔄 Normalize mistakes – Struggling with material isn’t failure. It’s feedback. Remind your child that, like sport, progress takes patience and persistence.

🙌 Praise the effort – Results are one thing. But sticking to a plan, using good strategies, and staying consistent? That’s gold.

📄 Print the Cheat Sheet – Put William’s one-page success guide somewhere visible. Let it anchor conversations and habits.

🗣️ Ask The Community Prompt

🧠 What study tricks work in your house? Gum? Flashcards? Dance breaks? Share your family’s best brain-boosting tips with us—we’d love to feature a few in an upcoming Friday Fuel!

Let’s build a playbook of real strategies that work from real families in our community.

🔊 Athlete Quote

Kobe approached learning like he approached basketball: with intensity and attention to detail. That mindset translates perfectly to the classroom. Preparation isn’t a one-time thing. It’s a habit.

🎯 This Week’s Challenge

⚡ Try one of William’s proven strategies:
Use active recall, spaced repetition, or set up a distraction-free study zone. Test it out this week and let us know what changed—big or small.

Sometimes, the smallest shifts lead to the biggest results.

📣 Coming Soon

🎧 In a few weeks, we’ll be dropping our interview with Skye Eddy from Soccer Parenting.
We unpack what kids need most from parents, how to navigate sideline stress, and why your voice matters in their sporting experience. It’s a must-listen for every sports parent.

🫹 Behind the Scenes

On the home front, Ben has been hard at work building our website for when our products are ready to launch. It’s been a steep learning curve—coding, layout design, integrations—it’s a whole different type of performance prep!

Behind the scenes, we’ve also been navigating the not-so-glamorous world of manufacturing. One manufacturer we were hopeful about ended up being way out of budget. Another, who initially sounded like a perfect fit, came back saying they didn’t have the capacity to take us on right now. It’s been frustrating at times—but we’re still pushing forward. We’re currently in talks with a couple of promising new leads. Fingers crossed!

This part of the journey—the waiting, the pivoting, the learning—is all part of building something meaningful. Thanks for sticking with us as we keep shaping what’s coming next.

🎧 Your Next Step

🎧 Listen to our full conversation with William Wadsworth →

🎥 WATCH NOW: Interview with William Wadsworth →

Download the 2022 Exam Success Cheat Sheet below. This free resource outlines the 6 Pillars of Student Success: plan, mindset, routine, focus, retrieval, and spacing. Every pillar is actionable. Every technique, a win for sport-study balance.

What you’ll take away:

• Study hacks based on real science

• Easy steps to reduce stress and boost memory

• Tools for sport-study balance

• Encouragement to keep going, even when it’s hard

💪 Final Whistle

Great athletes know how to train. Great students know how to study. But the best of the best? They do both—with discipline, heart, and intention.

Let’s raise youth who can tackle a test like a tournament—with a clear plan, calm nerves, and confidence in their preparation.

See you next week,
— Billinda & Ben
The Game Changer

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