What NOT to do when coaching girls: Talk about Weight or Body Issues

What NOT to do when coaching girls #3.

When I was playing NCAA Division III soccer in the late nineties, my male soccer coach required that the entire team have their body fat percentage measured with skin calipers in the athletic training room. He assured us that the numbers were private and that only the athletic trainer, coaches and the athlete would know. However, any sense of confidentiality was blown by the fact that players whose body fat was above 22% were required to meet at the field at 6:00am and run for 45 minutes. This was dubbed the “fat club.”

I am blessed with thin genes but some of my teammates were not so fortunate. As women in our thirties now, we still talk about the impact those body fat tests had on us so many years ago. Some women laugh about it. Some are pretty embarrassed. All of us seem to intuitively understand that it was not the most effective way for our coach to handle fitness testing. However, to this day, our soccer coach probably has no clue that his body fat testing regime and the fat club running group could have been detrimental to women’s body image and self-esteem.

While most coaches probably wouldn’t engage in body fat testing now (I hope not), there are other subtle things that coaches can say or do that can impact a girls’ body image for better or for worse. Saying “you would be faster if you lost 10 pounds” may be the physical reality, but emotionally, the girl has just received another message that her body is not good enough the way it is. Girls are inundated daily with images and messages that they are too fat, too short, not pretty enough.

As I’ve stated before, girls listen and they are coachable. So if their coach says they should lose weight, they are motivated to do it. And then they receive approval. Which can begin an ugly cycle of weight loss, affirmation, and motivation to lose even more weight. An innocent remark can have major consequences.

So as a coach, if you are truly concerned with a player’s weight, say something to their parents, or mention it to the athletic trainer. Also, you can send an email to the school counselor or nurse. But in my opinion, when coaches  attempt to talk to players about body issues or weight loss, there is room for miscommunication and the effect is potentially harmful. Instead, as coaches, we should strive to create an environment that creates a “safe haven” from negative messages about the female body. Sport and fitness activities should be, ideally, a place where girls can actually feel good about themselves and their bodies.

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