{"id":28292,"date":"2024-11-15T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-11-15T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/performance-institute\/?post_type=podcast&p=28292"},"modified":"2025-12-15T05:16:07","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T05:16:07","slug":"we-have-to-give-female-athletes-the-tools-they-need-to-succeed","status":"publish","type":"podcast","link":"https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/performance-institute\/podcasts\/we-have-to-give-female-athletes-the-tools-they-need-to-succeed\/","title":{"rendered":"Performance in Practice: \u2018We Have to Give Female Athletes the Tools they Need to Succeed\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
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\n 15 Nov 2024 <\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>Podcasts<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Performance in Practice: \u2018We Have to Give Female Athletes the Tools they Need to Succeed\u2019<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n \n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Category<\/div>\n Human Performance<\/a> <\/div>\n
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Esther Goldsmith and Dr Natalie Brown discuss the work of Sport Wales\u2019 Female Health and Performance Team.<\/p>\n \n \n \n

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Predictably, when Sport Wales formed its Female Health & Performance team, some asked why there was no male equivalent.<\/h6>\n

The truth is that male physiology and psychology has long been viewed as the default across sport.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor so many years we haven\u2019t thought about females as being different,\u201d says Esther Goldsmith, who works for Sport Wales, on the latest episode of the Leaders Performance Podcast.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you think about it, it doesn\u2019t make sense because it\u2019s obvious we\u2019re different.\u201d<\/p>\n

This lack of understanding or consideration makes one ponder just how much potential is being left on the table by female athletes. The menstrual cycle, for example, was seen as a taboo and was historically not taken into consideration when female athletes trained, performed or recovered.<\/p>\n

In seeking to redress that imbalance, Sport Wales is empowering female Welsh athletes from the grassroots through to podium potential with the support they need to succeed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re just trying to open up some of those conversations and improve the comfort and awareness of the athlete in order to help,\u201d says Dr Natalie Brown, who works alongside Goldsmith.<\/p>\n

Both spoke of Sport Wales\u2019 efforts to normalise conversations about a whole range of female health issues (10:00) including pelvic floor health and stress incontinence (36:00), while busting common myths along the way (21:00).<\/p>\n

Goldsmith and Brown also discuss the importance of encouraging behavioural change through meeting the athlete where they are in their beliefs and values (15:00); helping coaches with any potential discomfort as they learn and become aware of the needs of their athletes (31:00); as well as the question of sports bras in a market without universal standards (26:00).<\/p>\n

They offer useful tips for any sports organisation regardless of their budget or level of resource but the important thing is to start having the conversation. Now.<\/p>\n