It’s tricky being a young adolescent female athlete. Not only are you navigating your own personal changes but the world around you is changing. Girls can get lost in the mix or worse, they can lose themselves. It is true that it should not matter whether a coach is male or female. A good coach is a good coach. It does matter however whether an athlete is male or female, especially in adolescents. Their minds are in completely different places and to them, who their coach is does matter.
We’re representing a profession that is still a little behind the times, I am certainly lucky to have the support but have met others who fight for their positions daily. It comes down to being the strong female role models that our athletes need. We have the ability to impact both male and female athletes as female coaches. I believe that every girl has the right to do something that makes their eyes light up with passion and fills them up with the courage to fight for their dreams and overcome any obstacles. I had amazing coaches, majority of them were male and helped me see these goals. Little did I know what girls worldwide were experiencing and it was through awareness from very dedicated girl sport organizations that I saw the statistics.
You are instantly changed, you become an advocate for the girls in your sport; you don’t want to treat them specially but you do have to recognize the differences. The question that now lies within our hands is what kind of experience are we going to provide for them. It is important to remember that these kids are the future and as coaches we have the ability to mold and shape them. As a Development coach, I try my best to recognize that each athlete is an individual and has their own unique features and personalities but we as a training group are one.
Part 2 coming soon…
Bio: Ornmadee has a huge passion canoe/kayaking. She is a Youth Development and Masters coach in Bedford, Nova Scotia, Canada. She loves being in the sun and sitting in the coach boat, watching her athletes paddle by with gritted teeth and glistening skin. Ornmadee’s tough days are spent in the pouring rain with two different types of coats on, while her athletes steam up with frigid water with their energy and heat and she would not trade it for anything else.
