-
How Wearable Fitness Trackers Are Changing Athlete Performance and Recovery
Wearable fitness trackers have become a staple in everyday wear, but more noticeably in professional sports, promising real-time insights into performance, recovery, and injury risk. Before the development of wearable trackers, coaches had to monitor athletes on the field to make conclusions about their performance and overall well-being. Today, some wearable trackers report on over…
-
The Rules are The Rules
Unfortunately, we will not see Sha’Carri Richardson compete in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics later this month. Richardson is the fastest female athlete in the United States and quite possibly the world. But she broke the rules. You probably have heard of this already, as it has been all over the news. Richardson found out about…
-
But Rules Are Rules
A positive marijuana test and a month-long suspension has evolved to more than it initially seemed. From ridiculous claims by journalist Claire Lehmann that Sha’Carri’s “strong nails and hair” were evidence of steroid abuse to another that suggested her predicament was just another example of “anti-Blackness”. Lehman’s comments suggest also that just because the World…
-
Like It’s Not Hard!
Covid19 has messed a lot of things up for a lot of people, not least the people who have tragically lost their lives to the disease. Humanity has needed to adapt to new procedures and new rules, to keep us all as safe as possible and bring this beast to it’s knees. It’s such a…
-
The Sports Coach as a Leader: Aligning Personal and Organizational Cultures
American swimming coach Megan Oesting has been sacked after being in post with SwimMAC Carolina for only 9 months. Differences in her management style and cultural stance have been cited as the main reasons. According to Madeleine Lepesant of Swim Swam it seems that a new approach to the coaching, which involved Oesting working with…
-
Another Swing and Miss
Well, it was about time Major League Baseball took a stand! Clear and decisive action is required when players behave poorly. Without it, we risk anarchy. It’s essential to send a message to let the players know that improper conduct will not be tolerated and let the fans know that the league is serious about…
-
What’s Actually Going on in Front of the Coach?
I was astonished last week when learning that Simone Emanuel https://swimswam.com/after-exhausting-year-olympic-champ-simone-manuel-out-of-100-free-final/ had been diagnosed with Overtraining Syndrome. I was left wondering how a nation such as the US (famed for its domination in swimming at the Olympics) could get it so wrong with Simone’s training. Sadly too many Swim Clubs in the UK still think…
-
Grateful for the Dog Days
It happens every year around this time, but typically a little later and a tad bit less intense. The sun aligns with the star system Sirius and brings heat, drought, sudden thunderstorms, lethargy, fever, mad dogs, and bad luck. The dog days of summer have begun. It was 108 degrees in Portland, Oregon, last Saturday…
-
Pay to Play?
Have youth sports become a pay to play business model? Are resources equally available to youth of all economic backgrounds? I would argue not. many club teams have scholarship opportunities, but is that enough, when other parents are able to pay for additional specialized training, better equipment, and some times other travel teams? This in…
-
The Athlete’s Voice
This past week has been a remarkable one in sports. An active NFL player came out as gay. A superstar gymnast took the penultimate step toward becoming the greatest of all time in her sport by competing to honor of and to remind the world, including her own national governing body, of her teammates who…
-
Allegiances & Ideals
An argument has erupted in the United States over Gwen Berry’s protest against the nation’s anthem and the flag at the Olympic track and field trials. The hammer thrower also placed a black t-shirt over her face that read “Activist Athlete” and now faces the very real prospect of being ousted from the Olympic team.…
-
The Benefit of Experience
“Youth is full of sport, age’s breath is short; youth is nimble, age is lame; Youth is hot and bold, age is weak and cold; Youth is wild, and age is tame.” – William Shakespeare Veteran equestrian competitor Andrew Hoy might disagree with Shakespeare on that, he has just been included in the Australian Olympic…
-
The Team Fixers
It’s apparent that the coach exerts a major influence on the cohesiveness of the team when looking at the recent history of the New South Wales Waratahs. To their detriment the team has been coach-less for the better part of 2021 so far following the sacking of Rob Penney back in March and the departure…
-
Sports Coach: The Road to Mastery
The road to mastery is a long and winding road that requires, not only technical knowledge and understanding, but these two components applied over time. We have all met sports coaches that race through qualifications collecting knowledge, like bees collect pollen, but are incompetent. We have also met sports coaches who have years of experience…
-
It’s About Time!
The United States Supreme Court ruled unanimously last Monday not to allow the NCAA to prohibit its student-athletes from receiving benefits related to their education. This decision opens the way to ending the current practice of making huge profits without sharing the proceeds with the players who earned them. There’s no doubt that this is…
-
The High Price of National Pride
The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) will strive to deliver national pride and inspiration through international sporting success.” – AIS Last month the budget documents for Australia’s involvement in the Tokyo Olympic Games were released. The outlay is expected to be massive. In total this year, the Australian Federal Government has committed $350 million on…
-
The Fairer Sex?
“I think it’s a fantastic time to break that glass ceiling and see more females in male-dominated areas.” – Eloise Sheridan Women are not better than men, this is an unequivocal fact, and it is true that men can do some things better than women. But an inclusive culture will not preclude a woman from…
-
Innocence Transcends Differences … And Then We Grow Up
I work at a high school and I was assigned a duty to watch an area during the two-day athletics carnival. The first thing I noticed as I stood thinking of all the very important things on my desk that I should be doing, was their behavior. The standard of support and enthusiasm the kids…
-
An Abundance of Missed Opportunity
Here in the United States, we are all pretending we are back to normal now. It’s liberating and refreshing. And for the fully vaccinated, well-deserved. But, unfortunately, the party-crashers are threatening to spoil the fun for the guests. Sporting events have shaped the public’s perception of the COVID-19 pandemic. We knew things were getting serious…
-
Treat Others How You Wanted to be Treated
Major League Baseball seems to have been in the news a lot lately, mostly for their crackdown on pitchers and illegal substances. Awhile back the White Sox Player Yermin Mercedes broke an “unwritten” rule of baseball by swinging at a 3-0 pitch that resulted in a home run, and the White Sox were already winning…
-
The Art of War
I think it’s fair to assume that a healthy culture includes respect for ourselves and for each other. The sporting world should operate under much the same premise. When fighters ‘talk smack’ to and about each other, is that part of the show? Is it a concerted effort to distract or ‘put-off’ the competition? Or…
-
The Weight of a New World on Her Shoulders
Transgender weightlifter, Laurel Hubbard transitioned eight years ago at the age of 35. Since then, she has successfully met all of the requirements of the International Olympic Committee’s regulations for trans athletes and fair competition. The IOC policy specifies conditions under which those who transition from male to female can be eligible to compete in…
