Facebook Youtube Instagram Linkedin Pinterest
Facebook Twitter Youtube Instagram Linkedin Pinterest

6 Ways to Set Boundaries that Support Athlete Well-Being

Coaches

Melissa Streno headshot.Your role as a coach doesn’t begin and end with practice and game days, and your responsibilities extend far beyond skills, drills, wins, and losses. When it comes to keeping athletes healthy and motivated, boundaries are essential and you can help athletes create boundaries for themselves, as well as establish team boundaries that promote both mental and physical well-being.

Here, TrueSport Expert and licensed clinical psychologist, Dr. Melissa Streno, explains how coaches can make simple adjustments to how they interact with their athletes to improve mental and physical well-being on and off the playing field.

 

1. Hold a pre-season or early season team meeting

Team boundaries should be clearly stated from the very beginning, says Streno. Athletes should never have to wonder about things like communication protocols, the ability to skip a practice or competition if needed, or what’s expected of them outside of regularly scheduled practice sessions. At the beginning of each season, hold a team meeting and lay out these boundaries and rules, and make sure that athletes and families have access to a document or email for future reference.

 

2. Encourage honesty about health

Often, athletes are nervous to share how they are feeling physically and mentally with a coach because they think they will be benched. Streno explains that while this may lead to more athlete participation in the short-term as athletes push through injuries, illness, and even mental health issues, this lack of communication can lead to more serious injuries, illness, and issues for athletes in the long-term.

From the start, ensure athletes know that they won’t be punished for needing a break. It’s often better to let an athlete skip practice one day to recover from a cold or a minor muscle strain rather than forcing them to play through it, since that can potentially exacerbate the issue. Some athletes may even need occasional mental rest days, simply because the demands of school, work, and sport are weighing on them. Streno notes that it is important to truly stick to your word here and not penalize athletes who do miss practice for health reasons.

 

3. Set your own communication boundaries—and stick to them

Female coach with teen girl softball team in a huddle.Let athletes know the best way to communicate with you and with each other about team issues, says Streno. Should they email, or is there a team WhatsApp? During what hours can they expect a prompt response? This helps preserve your own boundaries—no coach wants to receive texts at midnight from an athlete asking about start time in the morning—and helps your athletes see what healthy boundary-setting looks like.

However, Streno is quick to note that once you make the boundaries clear, you have to practice what you preach. If you say that athletes should only expect responses from you via email during certain hours of the day, make sure that you’re not sending emails outside of those times. You can even consider scheduling emails to model boundary-setting while maintaining some flexibility for yourself.

 

4. Plan how and when you will communicate important news

Athletes shouldn’t be kept in the dark about when and how start lists and lineups for upcoming games will be posted, says Streno. There should be predetermined systems in place, so that students know that two days before the game, the starting lineup will be posted outside of the locker room by 4 p.m. There shouldn’t be surprises or anxiety around the timing and style of already stressful news: Students shouldn’t be checking emails, texts, and bulletin boards, anxiously guessing when and where the news will drop. Remember, young athletes are already inundated with huge amounts of information coming at them in all directions, so making your communications as clear as possible can be extremely beneficial.

 

5. Help set expectations around “extra” activities

Unfortunately, a lot of young athletes are caught up in a “keeping up with the Joneses” mentality around things like extra coaching, regular chiropractor visits, working with sports psychologists, and playing for multiple teams. “I have athletes who are pulled out of school early to go to training before their other training, then they don’t get home until 9 p.m., have dinner, do homework, get to bed at midnight, and get up at 5 a.m. to do it all over again,” she says. “No wonder injuries and burnout are happening so frequently.” Make sure that your athletes understand that these extras will not necessarily guarantee them better results or better spots within the starting lineup, says Streno.

 

6. Evaluate why athletes are pushing the boundaries

Finally, the key to setting strong boundaries for your athletes is to assess which boundaries are and aren’t working. If your athletes are constantly texting you with questions after hours, this may seem like a boundary violation, but upon further reflection, you may realize that they’re asking vital questions that you have failed to address in the appropriate channels. So, their seemingly problematic communication is actually based on a lack of communication on your part. Similarly, if several athletes are consistently asking to skip practice due to mental fatigue, you may need to check in on why they need the break. Are they over-scheduled elsewhere, or is the team dynamic emotionally taxing?

____________________________

Takeaway

As a coach, you’re in a unique position to help athletes learn to manage their own boundaries, and to set boundaries for the whole team that will help improve overall wellness. These boundaries aren’t just good for the athletes; they can also benefit you and lead to better team performance.

Related Content

Loading...
1 2 … 17
Truesport talks mental wellness and sport systems prioritizing athlete mental health

Join our FREE virtual event as we explore the importance of sport systems that prioritize athlete mental health.

REGISTER NOW!

Goal-Setting Lesson Video Transcript

Hi. I’m Trevon, Trey, Jennifer. Team USA wheelchair basketball player, Paralympian, and TrueSport Athlete. Today, I want to talk to you about goal setting. And there are three things that I would like you to know. First, successful athletes set goals and a planned roadmap. Second, goals should be written down, assessed over time, and changed if necessary. And third, goals need to be challenging in order to be worthwhile. As a freshman at Edinboro University, I was a part of a team that made the national championship game. And at that time, I recognized I was the low man on the totem pole, but I felt in my heart that I knew my dreams were so much bigger than winning a national title. I wanted to make Team USA. I knew what achieving my lofty goal was not going to be easy and that I would need to work hard every day.

So, as a reminder, I created a pyramid of goals that I kept right above my bed. This pyramid reminded me of the accomplishments that I was working towards and visually represented my need to create a solid foundation underneath me before reaching the top. In the bottom roll of my pyramid of goals I listed goals such as obtaining my bachelor’s degree, becoming a scholar athlete award recipient, and becoming an All-American. The middle row listed winning a national title and playing for a professional team. And at the top row, the most challenging of them all, I listed becoming a gold medalist for Team USA.

By understanding that there are smaller stepping stones to achieving my ultimate goal of being on Team USA, I was able to stay motivated and to stay focused on completing the smaller stepping stones fully before moving onto the next one. Now I’ll be the first to admit that not every goal that I listed on my pyramid was accomplished, but seeing my goals every day when I went to bed, I was able to push through the days that I felt like doing nothing in hopes of achieving the bigger picture. Remember, create a clear goal roadmap, assess your goals often, and continue to challenge yourself. I hope that you never stopped dreaming big or reaching for the stars. And I look forward to seeing where your roadmap takes you.

Body Image Lesson Video Transcript

Hi, I’m Kara Winger, Olympic javelin thrower, and TrueSport Athlete. Today, I want to talk to you about body image, and I have three things I’d like you to know. First, healthy thoughts often lead to healthier bodies. Second, there are varying body types and no one’s body is exactly like another. And third, true beauty goes deeper than the skin. As a multi-time Olympian, I’ve experienced a lot of variation and progression in my training. My coaches and I adapt to my training frequently, all with the goal of supporting my long-term success and health in the sport of javelin. I’m talking to you about body image today because sometimes even with the best of intentions and a common goal in mind, the changes you make to your training habits can prove to be detrimental if made for the wrong reasons. In the lead up to the 2012 Olympic trials, I was told in order to improve my performance on the field, I should try to become a leaner, skinnier version of myself.

So, I changed my diet. I went along with what I was being told to do, even though I’d had great success at a slightly heavier weight and higher body fat percentage and became much leaner than ever before. It seemed like a successful change at first, but I didn’t have nearly the results I’d had before. And I believe becoming leaner than my body naturally wanted to be was what caused my ACL to tear. In the end, it cost me heavily going into the 2012 London games. The takeaway for me, and hopefully for you, is that it’s important to know what works for you and your body and to not compare yourself to others. You should do your research and experiment with your diet to find what makes you feel the best, rather than focusing on what you look like. Today, if I feel like having a chocolate chip cookie, I have one, just not every day.

I’ve learned what a properly balanced meal for my body looks like and I recognize food as the fuel that keeps me throwing. I hydrate and allow myself time to recover. And I listen to and communicate with my body so that I can be the best version of myself. In the end, you are in control of how you see, treat, and respond to your body. We only get one and it’s amazing to discover how many things our bodies can do. Be a true sport athlete. Love who you are in this moment and get excited for all the places your body will take you.

A Good Sport Lesson Video Transcript

Hi, I’m Izy Isaksen, Team USA, Modern Pentathlon, Olympian, US Army Sergeant, and True Sport Ambassador. Today, I want to talk to you about being a good sport. There are three things I’d like you to know. First, real winners act the same toward their opponent, whether they win or lose. Second, follow the rules and be a gracious winner and respectful loser. And third, sportsmanship reveals your true character.

I started competing in Modern Pentathlon eight years after my older sister and three-time Olympian, Margaux Isaksen, began competing. I soon realized that people often compared the two of us. I would overhear spectators and teammates asking, “Who’s the better athlete,” and “Who’s going to beat the other.” Instead of letting outside pressures create a negative experience for us, I chose to practice winning and losing with grace and respect. I know that it would have been easy to let our hyper competitive mindset affect our relationship, but instead we decided to support and cheer for each other, regardless of our own performance. My experience of competing against and being compared to my older sister, taught me to focus on how to perform at my best, rather than putting wasted energy into wishing for others to fail.

I believe that sportsmanship reveals true character. So, no matter what situation I encounter during competition, I know it’s important to always treat people with respect and be a good sport. Remember, be a fierce competitor, find grace in all your victories and losses. And I hope to see you out there.

What Kind of Coach Do You Want to Be? Video Transcript

Edwin Moses: You’re a coach. Maybe what you want is very simple, for everyone to just run in the right direction, score for their own team, to try and try again and again. Maybe you want your athletes to become all stars. You want them to earn trophies, medals, win titles. You want them to reach the highest height their sport allows. And wanting all of that, of course, that’s good. But as every great coach discovers, developing a great athlete means nurturing, nurturing the even greater person within. Truth is, you have even more influence than you know.

You have the ability to affect even deeper change, to take what’s in your hands and do something even more extraordinary. You can be both the coach who provides the skills needed to win the game and the coach who helps them learn and succeed beyond the sport, to become all stars wherever they land in the future, and to enjoy their lives more now, because the confidence and courage they find working with you will stay with them when they need it the most. There are games to be won, lives to change. Coaches have the power to do both.

I’m Edwin Moses, and the lessons I’ve learned through sport have challenged me, guided me, and shaped my life forever. What kind of coach do you want to be?

THE SIMPLE TRUTH: DECODING THE SUPPLEMENT INDUSTRY VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

At first glance, dietary supplements look the same. They seem safe and healthy, but just because the label says a product is a dietary supplement, that doesn’t mean it’s safe. Unfortunately, you can’t tell whether a product is safe or not just by looking at the label. Most vitamins, minerals, fish oil, and other supplements containing nutrients are probably just fine, but supplements are not evaluated or approved by FDA before they are sold. Although it is rare for vitamins or minerals to be contaminated with drugs, there has been at least one case of a vitamin containing an anabolic steroid.

At the other extreme are products that contain drugs, stimulants, anabolic steroids, or other hormones. Even though these are not technically dietary supplements, many of them are labeled as supplements. For example, body-building products sometimes contain anabolic steroids or Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators, known as SARMs, or other hormones. Some pre-workout or energy products contain illegal stimulants like DMAA, ephedra, or other amphetamine-like stimulants. Weight loss products might contain prescription drugs like sibutramine, or hormones, like human chorionic gonadotropin, also known as hCG. All natural or herbal sexual enhancement products might contain hormones or Viagra-like drugs. Products like these can harm your health and career, but they’re for sale online, in some nutrition stores, and they’re labeled as dietary supplements.

When you pick up a supplement, especially one that promises performance enhancement, you don’t know if it belongs in the “Mostly O.K.” pile or in the “Dangerous” pile. After all, two products might look the same, but one might contain just amino acids and other legitimate ingredients, while the other also contains anabolic steroids. Because of this, FDA has issued a warning about certain categories of supplements: body building products, weight loss products, and sexual enhancement products. Be extremely careful when considering a supplement in one of these categories. We strongly recommend that you avoid products in these categories.

Even when FDA tests supplements and finds dangerous ingredients, companies sometimes refuse to recall them. Sometimes, they simply repackage their product and continue selling it under a new name. Just because a product is on a store shelf doesn’t mean it is safe. You need to do your research and be an informed consumer. The dietary supplement industry is enormous. Supplements that appear to be safe could actually be dangerous products in disguise. If you use dietary supplements without doing your research, you may be taking serious risks with your health and your career. Please visit USADA’s Supplement 411 for more information about dietary supplements.