Coach the Person, Then the Player

Hey Just Tri babes,

This week, I reflected on my development, playing career, and coaching journey. I bet you can only imagine the rabbit holes I encountered during the moments of in depth introspection. The process of reflection allowed me to gain more awareness on some pivotable points and understand memories that shaped who I am today and why I'm so passionate about building the Just Tri Performance platform for female athletes.

First, it'll be important to have some background about me and my experiences. Hi, my name is Lindsay. I am the Founder of Just Tri Performance. Long before I received a master's degree and U.S. Soccer A-Youth Coaching License, I grew up in a small coastal town in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. Ever since I was a young girl, I felt pressure to get good grades, to look and act in certain ways, and excel in sports and other activities. There were times I would struggle and I didn't know where to turn to for help so naturally I internalized it and keep pushing harder. These struggles weren't limited to the classroom or out on the playing field, court, and track, but all areas of my life. 

As I've grown up, I've learned that living up to everyone else's expectations is an impossible task. Yet, that's the board message females hear throughout life. You need to work hard to succeed and even harder to be successful in a "man's world" (i.e. male dominated profession). Women rarely feel good enough. This lack of confidence and uncertainty can leave us weary and paralyzed as we pursue our greatest dreams and desires. If any of this is relatable, know you're not alone. Females around the world experience this pressure to constantly perform, create, achieve, etc. and this chronic stress can lead to anxiety, insomnia, weight gain, and irregular periods. These disorders are only managed after the symptoms are diagnosed and fail to resolve the root cause - it's a systemic issue. 

It wasn't until recently, that I gave myself permission to first, stop letting other people's opinions and cultural conditioning define how I perceived success and second, seek out a coach or mentor for help. The hurdles and things I perceived as threats, earlier in life, could have been managed if I had a person that I could trust, ask questions and seek guidance from (other than my mom and dad - they're a couple GOATs). This person could have helped me establish an identity, understand my values, and develop coping mechanisms. 

Cue the coach...

Obviously, I'm biased but I believe coaches and mentors are vital to supporting a young athlete's development. Every athlete a coach interacts with will be influenced by them. It's a huge responsibility... A coach usually has a greater, if not the greatest, impact on an athlete's life. The way coaches approach their players and establish the team environment is crucial to development, especially the players' mental and physical health. Women (and their bodies) deserve to be recognized, appreciated, celebrated, and liberated from these limiting cultural constructs. As a coach, you can nurture her development, foster her sense of identity, and ignite her passions by taking these initial three (3) steps. 

Start Here:

1. Learn about the Menstrual Cycle

The more you understand about the cyclical nature of your female athletes, the more effective your coaching will be. It goes beyond player load management, it's about your comfort level and acknowledgement when coaching female athletes. Training program designs, nutrition, hydration, general conversation, etc. should stem from this base knowledge. Talking about periods should be as normal as having them.

Cycle Basics:

Cycle lengths can differ between females and can fluctuate depending on stress levels for a singular female. The textbook length of a cycle is 28 days.

- Menstruation (Bleed Phase) - lasts 3-7 days and starts the cycle (Day 1 to Day 7)

- Follicular Phase (Low Hormone Phase) - includes the Bleed Phase and lasts another 6-10 days (Day 1 to Day 14-16)

- Ovulatory Phase (i.e. ovulation is when the egg is released from ovary) - lasts 24-36 hours and usually falls in the middle of the cycle (Day 14 to Day 16)

- Luteal Phase (High Hormone Phase) - lasts 14 days in length (Day 14 to Day 28)

 2. Get to know your Players

Each player has their own story. Take time to understand their unique history and journey. Be kind. Be welcoming. Be curious. Be engaged. And be willing to share stories about yourself. Being vulnerable is awkward and difficult but is essential to a solid foundation and deeper connection. Taking time and being intentional will allow both of you to establish TRUST within each other and the process. The process is about being, not just doing. And the coach-player relationship is a massive part of it.

3. Create a Plan

Each individual makes up the team. Add an Individual Development Plan (IDP) to your coaching toolkit. IDPs afford the player an objective view on their current status, areas of improvement, and in turn, they will begin to appreciate the process.

Chasing a dream or an unconventional future should be invigorating, not draining. Setting yourself up for success will involve some planning and being more intentional. Once you identify your own personal mission, your identity, your strengths and areas for improvement, you'll have a map to your future self!

Athletes, you need to be prepared to have these conversations with your coaches. If they're not actively seeking you out, you should reach out to them. Take ownership in your developmental process.

Coaches, it's not about you. It's about your athletes. You are essentially a vehicle or a step in their journey. Build them up. Leave them feeling empowered and ready for whatever challenges they may face in the future. 

In closing, as you return to your club practices and school teams in the next couple weeks, set your intentions early. Establish short and long-term goals and objectives. Create a plan to execute them. Take a breathe and have fun! Good luck in your upcoming season!!!

Thank you for taking some time to read this week's blog :)

I hope you have a great week! Have fun and be safe! And as always, Just Tri!!

Yours in Sport,

Lindsay

P.S. Help support and grow my business by following the Just Tri Performance social media pages on Instagram, TikTok, and subscribe on YouTube!!

Instagram: @just_tri365 | TikTok: @justtri_performance | YouTube