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Case Study | Ashleigh Plumptre OON

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A Six-Year Journey of Identity, Truth, and Human Performance

Prepared by Louis Harrington

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1. Background — The External Success, The Internal Divide

 

When our work began, Ashleigh was already competing at an elite level:

  • England youth international

  • NCAA National Champion with the University of Southern California

  • Future Women’s Super League defender with Leicester City

Her career trajectory was remarkable, yet behind the achievements was a quieter inner conflict — a tension between public excellence and private questions of identity, belonging, purpose, and peace.

As she rose into global recognition, the expectations increased.
Representing Nigeria, carrying heritage, and performing on the world stage brought both clarity and complexity.

The starting point was simple yet profound:

“Who am I becoming through all of this?”

That question seeded the work that followed.

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2. The Work — A Human Process, Not a Program

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Over six years, our work unfolded through:

  • hundreds of hours of dialogue

  • honest confrontation

  • emotional exploration

  • identity work

  • reflective practices

  • holding space for truths rarely spoken in elite sport

There were no templates.
No one-size-fits-all techniques.
This was human work, not performance hacking.

The process became the foundation for what would later evolve into
The Seven Movements of Human Performance, though at the time, it was simply two people exploring truth, fear, identity, and potential.

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3. Key Themes in the Journey

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Identity & Heritage

Working through the layers of culture, representation, and belonging — especially as her connection to Nigeria deepened — required real courage and emotional clarity.

Perfectionism & Vulnerability

We dismantled the belief that worth is tied to doing everything flawlessly.

Emotional Honesty

Learning to articulate what she once internalised alone.

Inner Freedom

Trading control for trust, pressure for presence.

Leadership Through Authenticity

Leadership emerged not from status, but from sincerity, empathy, and lived values.

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4. Notable Shifts — What Changed Over Time

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Across years of committed inner work, Ashleigh experienced profound shifts:

1. Integrated Identity

A unified sense of self — as a woman, as an athlete, as a Nigerian international — replacing earlier fragmentation.

2. Emotional Equilibrium

A steadiness that allowed performance under pressure without losing connection to herself.

3. Cultural Confidence

Representing Nigeria became a grounding force, culminating in moments of national pride such as winning the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

4. Leadership Evolution

Her voice strengthened.
Her presence deepened.
Her influence grew organically within teams and communities.

5. Freedom in Performance

On the pitch, she began to play from expression, not fear — a shift visible to teammates, coaches, and supporters alike.

 

5. Professional & Human Outcomes

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Ashleigh’s journey demonstrates that inner transformation inevitably creates outer impact.

Professional Achievements

  • Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Champion with Nigeria

  • Recipient of the OON (Order of the Niger) — one of Nigeria’s national honours

  • NCAA National Champion with USC

  • WSL Professional with Leicester City

  • Key figure in Nigeria’s continued global rise in women’s football

Human Outcomes

  • A grounded, coherent sense of identity

  • Emotional honesty and self-respect

  • Clear, values-led decision-making

  • Deepened faith and intuitive trust

  • Leadership rooted in humility, presence, and connection

These accomplishments were not the goal of the work —
they were the expression of a more aligned human being.

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6. What This Case Study Reveals About Human Performance

 

Ashleigh’s journey reflects a central truth:

Performance is the outer expression of inner alignment.
When identity, emotion, truth, and purpose align — excellence follows naturally.

Her evolution shows:

  • the power of long-term human connection

  • the necessity of safe, non-judgmental space

  • the transformative capacity of confronting uncomfortable truths

  • the depth that emerges when an athlete is supported as a whole human being

This case study is ultimately not about football.
It is about what becomes possible when a human being is finally free to grow.

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