UK Coaching released a video recently exploring Female Athletes’ Experience and Perceptions of the Menstrual Cycle. The video, narrated by the Welsh Institute of Performance Science’s Natalie Brown, explores how confident and comfortable female participants are in discussing the menstrual cycle;
This subject is becoming increasingly popular to support the wellbeing and health of female players in sport. As a coach in Polo, the menstrual cycle should be considered alongside other performance factors (such as physical condition, fatigue- physical and mental etc). Therefore, improving your confidence in understanding the menstrual cycle can have a positive effect on supporting your players to manage their symptoms and challenges, both in training and competition.
It is good practice to increase openness and comfort of conversations with players. Creating this culture may take time and require the need to work as part of wider coaching team.