FCN Ambassador Louise Capicotto Leads the Way in Educating Coaches About Eating Disorders

 

 

 

FCN Academy Coach Louise Capicotto has been leading the way in raising awareness of and educating coaches around the World about Eating Disorders.  Louise, who has been a member of the FCN team since the Summer of 2017, has recently delivered two webinars and a workshop (as well as a host of social media information) about how to support athletes with Eating Disorders.

 

Louise who is a BPS Chartered Sport and Exercises Psychologist, an England Athletics Coaching Assistant, an Assistant Weightlifting Coach at Loughborough AU as well as an Ambassador for UK Eating Disorder Charity ‘Beat’, delivered some incredibly honest, heart felt and inspirational accounts of her own personal battle with eating disorders.   Along with academic and research based information from her background as a Psychologist, Louise has delivered some exceptional education opportunities for over 150 coaches.

Louise has led the way for coach educating in the UK on this challenging topic after a number of athlete-welfare stories came out of the British Sporting media.  Whilst no governing bodies seemed to be tackling the issue, Louise went ahead to share her experience and knowledge.

 

The initial webinar delivered by the FCN Academy back in December 2017, had so much demand that a second webinar was delivered on the same topic in January 2018.  The feedback from those who attended was fantastic, and Louise’s work proved to be much needed.

 

“It was really helpful in understanding the conditions, gave really practical advice on how to support athletes, and helped me understand my own relationship with sport and exercise so much better! She is absolutely an incredible role model – so intelligent and brave!! “

 

“Very useful and a really thought provoking talk by Louise. I’m at the very start of my coaching journey ( I’m a newly qualified assistant coach) and I am very glad I chanced across this. I help with young athletes endurance training, with the athletes aged between 11-16, boys and girls so it was especially relevant. The prospect of being able to spot and intervene in a timely manner before issues spiral to the situation Louise found herself in is a good motivator to get skilled up on this.”

 

 

Louise’s work caught the attention of Scottish Athletics, who, in light of an article published in Athletics Weekly (a British Track and Field Magazine) by athlete Bobby Clay, invited Louise to present an Eating Disorders workshop in Edinburgh, the weekend of the Great Edinburgh XCountry.  Over 70 coaches attended the workshop which was also attended by Jayne Nisbet, a former Scottish high-jump internationalist who suffered from an eating disorder throughout much of her career.

 

Louise was asked by a National Scottish newspaper why she thought it was important to share her experience:

 

 

“My own personal experience is really helpful because sometimes, if it’s someone from the outside, they don’t necessarily know quite what to say or how to act.  And I’d like to breakdown some of the myths that are out there. People think that it’s often about comparing yourself to fitness models or people on television but eating disorders are rarely about that, it’s much more about your self-worth. Athletes have a lot of traits that put them at risk of disordered eating and eating disorders and so we want to encourage coaches to promote a more supportive training environment where it’s not only about performance, it’s also about enjoyment and personal development.”

 

 

Over the 2 webinars and the workshop in Edinburgh, the FCN and Louise have educated over 150 coaches on the dangers of eating disorders, how to recognise them and how to support athletes through them.  The FCN will continue their work with Louise in this area and hope to raise more much needed awareness about the issue around the world.

 

Congratulations to Louise!

 


 

WEBINAR | Supporting Athletes With Eating Disorders

 

 

 

Recording Coming Soon….