Athlete Wellbeing - what you need

Athlete Wellbeing - what you need

by Emma Carney (AUS) -
Number of replies: 0

Dear Athletes,

This week we are going to look at athlete wellbeing, what it means and why it is important.

What is Athlete Wellbeing?

Athlete wellbeing is focussed on providing an athlete with both physical and psychological happiness. A properly structured wellbeing program must incorporate an athletes physical, psychological and social health. That means a wellbeing program will support you in your social needs, physical needs and psychological needs. Importantly, your needs are individual to you and therefore, your athlete wellbeing support should be individual to you.

In a sport such as triathlon, it is quite impossible to always be happy. The sheer volume and nature of training can be isolating, relentlessly tough and challenge you both physically and mentally. While these periods of time are challenging, they should not be overwhelming and unmanageable and endless.

So, how do you know that your down time is just that – or whether your environment is contributing to your challenging existence as an athlete? In order to get clarity on this, we need to look at the fundamental support your training squad and daily training environment should provide you.

These include –

  1. Your training environment should provide you with holistic support.

This means your daily training environment should allow you to feel fulfilled with regard to your physical/training needs, your social needs and your psychological needs. Your cultural requirements and values as an individual must also be considered and as a result your support must be individualised to you.

  1. Your training environment must be athlete centric.

You should not feel controlled by your coach or training environment. You should not be restricted by excessive rules, requirements and demands on you. Instead you should feel that you are able to be yourself and that the environment is enhancing your opportunity for healthy physical, social, psychological and triathlon growth development.

Your needs beyond training should be allowed for and this includes education and vocational development, social interests and personal interests.

  1. You should never be subjected to bullying/ashaming or any forms of abuse.

You should, under no circumstances be on the receiving end of abuse from a coach or coaching staff, or fellow training partners. Coaches who behave in a passive aggressive manner by ignoring their athletes are just as abusive as coaches who yells aggressively at their athletes. Your training environment should facilitate your development, and while it may challenge you it should not break you. You must feel included, not isolated. You should never feel ashamed of who you are.

  1. Your training environment should have a culture of trust.

You should feel like you can discuss your personal needs without ridicule or judgement. When there is trust, your motivation to work in that environment is improved because you feel you are valued and that the relationship is authentic. Without trust there is no commitment and you will feel alone.

  1. In your training environment you should clearly know the processes in place to support and develop healthy wellbeing.

It should be very clear to you what areas of support are available and the process to follow to obtain the support. As an athlete you are not required to take up every area of support because everyone else has, you can decide what you need and if you are unsure you can consult with a member of the coaching team. Your needs are individual to you. For those areas in which you feel you need additional support, you should feel comfortable to engage this support through the clear process provided.

  1. You should feel it is ‘safe’ to speak up.

As an athlete it is sometimes difficult to speak up, because of the fear of a reaction from your coach, your peers or your National Federation. If you feel you are in this situation, World Triathlon has a confidential, anonymous point of contact you can use to discuss your circumstances and concerns.  The link for this can be found here

The points above are not exhaustive. You should always feel you are a valuable member of your training environment as an athlete and a human being. Someone else’s behaviour should not be adversely affecting you.

You have a right to be happy and comfortable in your choice to be a world class triathlete and member of the World Triathlon community.

Speak up if you have concerns, because your triathlon community cares for you.

Stay well.

 

Emma