TrueSport: September 2021 - Leadership

Is your athlete a member of a national governing body and subject to World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules? Maybe they’re bound for college sports and NCAA anti-doping rules also apply? Or maybe they are just interested in participating in high school sports?

If your athlete is subject to a drug testing program or simply training regularly, it’s important to realize that some substances, including those in common prescription medications, present a risk of a positive anti-doping test and/or a possible health risk to young athletes. Here, we identify four substances that parents and their young athletes may be surprised to find pose an anti-doping and/or health risk.

ADHD medication

More than 11 percent of school-age children are diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), according to Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD). If your athlete is prescribed a stimulant medication to treat their ADHD, be aware that many prescription stimulants for ADHD are banned in competition (meaning they can’t be in the athlete’s system during the in-competition period), since they can offer an actual or potential mental performance-enhancing benefit to an athlete, including improved attention and focus in virtually every sport.

But ADHD medication can be used under WADA rules as long as the athlete has a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE), which requires the athlete to demonstrate that they can satisfy strict criteria for TUE approval. More specifically, getting a TUE for ADHD requires a diagnosis from a pediatrician, psychiatrist or other physician who specializes in the treatment of ADHD. Athletes must provide medical information showing developmental history, level of impairment through objective standardized testing, and other supporting evidence that justifies that diagnosis. All this information allows an independent panel of medical experts, called a TUE Committee, to determine whether an athlete’s application meets the TUE criteria and ensures a fair and consistent process to evaluate the need for a prohibited substance across sports and individual athletes.

Spironolactone

Doctors may prescribe spironolactone to treat moderate to severe acne in females, other gynecological conditions or to treat patients with high blood pressure (uncommon in young athletes, but possible!).

However, spironolactone is prohibited at all times (in and out of competition) because it acts as a diuretic -- flushing water from the body via urine -- and as a masking agent to hide the use of performance-enhancing drugs. A derivative of it, canrenone, is also banned. Male athletes have commonly used diuretics to combat unwanted side effects of steroid use, including water retention.

An athlete subject to WADA rules must apply for a TUE before using spironolactone or canrenone to treat any medical condition.

Caffeine and other stimulants common to dietary supplements & energy drinks

Even though it might sound the most familiar and benign, caffeine actually comes with both health and anti-doping risks. In regards to anti-doping, caffeine is permitted in sports subject to WADA rules, but there are limits to the amount of caffeine athletes can use in NCAA-sanctioned events. Check directly with the NCAA for the relevant anti-doping rules!

Maybe more importantly, the American Academy of Pediatrics does not recognize ANY safe level of caffeine for youth or adolescents. "Energy drinks often contain caffeine and other stimulant-like substances that can cause adverse health effects if taken in large doses," explains Dr. Matthew Fedoruk, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency’s (USADA’s) Chief Science Officer.Energy drinks are not recommended for any athletes, especially before and during activity, and they can be especially harmful for junior athletes because the serving sizes are designed for adults.

Various side effects have been tied to caffeine and stimulant use, including insomnia, jumpiness/hyperactivity, anxiety, nausea and lack of appetite, headache, tremor, or dizziness. Long-term overuse can lead to cravings and withdrawal symptoms that include tiredness, mood changes, and problems concentrating. Severe caffeine toxicity can result in cardiac arrest. In 2010, high school football player Dakota Sailor had seizures and stopped breathing after consuming two energy drinks before practice. Possible health effects of the combined presence of multiple stimulants in a single product are largely unknown.

Inhalers

Many athletes suffer from some form of asthma. Unfortunately, some medications present in inhalers used to treat asthma contain doses of prescription medications that are banned in sport. And just because a doctor prescribes an inhaler doesn't mean it's safe to use under anti-doping rules. That’s a good rule of thumb for all medications, which is why USADA recommends that athletes at all levels of competition check the prohibited status of their medications (over-the counter and prescription) on GlobalDRO.com before use.

Your athlete may be able to get a TUE for their prohibited inhaler. But as always, it’s important for you and your athlete to speak with the prescribing physician to explore treatment options -- your athlete may be able to choose a medication that's allowed rather than needing to file for a TUE!

Takeaway

Even familiar substances like caffeine and commonly prescribed medications for ADHD, acne and asthma may create anti-doping and health risks for your athlete, which is why it’s important to know the anti-doping rules and take proactive measures to reduce an athlete’s risk.

Resource: https://truesport.org/clean-sport/risky-substances-competitive-athletes/

Many parents get into coaching because they have a child in the sport. It can be a fun, rewarding experience for both of you, but as you might have realized, it can also be a challenge. As a parent and a coach, it can be difficult to establish expectations and boundaries that keep everyone happy, including you, your athlete and the other parents and athletes on the team. Here, several TrueSport experts share their best advice for what to do when coaching your own child.

Find your why

While coaching your child can deepen and enhance your relationship, it can also strain it if you’re not mindful. “A good starting point is to reflect on why you are coaching this team in the first place,” says TrueSport Expert Nadia Kyba, a social worker and expert in conflict resolution. “Is it because volunteerism is one of your core values? Are you hoping to give your child their best shot at an athletic scholarship? Is it to become closer with your child by spending more time together? There are no right or wrong answers, but the key is to be aware of the reasons and to ensure that your actions as a coach are reflecting that purpose.”

Establish clear boundaries

Before the season begins, create a set of rules for yourself that break up your coach role and your parent role -- you can even ask your student-athlete for his or her input. “Remember, whether your child performs well or poorly, your relationship with them shouldn’t be impacted,” Kyba says. One way to navigate this is to have set times that you will talk about the sport with your child. Your athlete may also have some rules for you, like not using their nickname in front of the team.

Focus on positive reinforcement

“As parents, our children can often be the targets of criticism since it is easy to point out their negative behaviors,” says TrueSport Expert Kevin Chapman, PhD, clinical psychologist and founder of The Kentucky Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders. But as a coach, rather than punishing an athlete for a mistake, reward them with positive reinforcement when something goes well. “Remember reinforcement is meant to increase behavior whereas punishment is designed to decrease behavior,” he adds. “Reinforcement is always more powerful than punishment."

Open communication with the team (and other parents)

As a parent-coach, you can expect parents of other athletes on the team to occasionally question your choices: If your child is always in the starting lineup, for instance, you might deal with a parent who feels that starting position is a result of favoritism rather than skill. Because of this -- whether the complaints are perceived or based in reality -- it’s important to open lines of communication between yourself, the athletes, and their parents. Kyba suggests holding bi-weekly team meetings with this format:

1. What is working well

2. Issues/Concerns

3. Ideas/Options

4. Action plan for going forward

“These meetings give athletes and parents an opportunity to have open conversations if they have concerns,” Kyba explains. “This is the time to be transparent about your decision-making and to allay any concerns about bias. Have an awareness of the power you hold as a coach and what barriers that brings to athletes and parents coming forward to ask questions or voice concerns about bias. Communicating an acknowledgment of this power and how you work to mitigate the problems it can create is so important!”

Frame feedback positively

Try to keep feedback positive, highlighting things that your athlete did right, rather than phrasing it as ‘constructive criticism.’ Then, add what they can try in the future. Kyba shares two examples of good feedback: "I noticed when you made a second pass, the team was able to score more often than when you took the shot off the dribble. I’d love to see you try a similar strategy during the game. What do you think?" or "I saw that when you stood up and cheered from the bench Lucy started to run faster and made a great pass. That type of energy can go a long way when we are down. When you’re quieter on the bench, I don’t see the same immediate impact. Thanks for contributing!”

Adopt a “What did you learn?” mentality

Chapman believes that as coaches, parents need to help their student-athletes adopt a process-oriented mentality. “Asking your child after competition, ‘What did you learn?’ is one of the most powerful questions to ask, since it will assist your child with a focus on the process of competing as opposed to the outcome of competition,” Chapman adds. “This will also build rapport with your child and allow you to avoid criticizing poor performances.”

Takeaway

"Just enjoy it, because it goes by so fast,” hockey coach Greg Krahn, the latest TrueSport Coach Award winner, reminds parents. As Kyba said earlier, many parents choose to get into coaching to have quality time with their athlete, so make sure that your coaching is enhancing the relationship, and that you’re both having fun.

Resource: https://truesport.org/leadership/6-things-to-do-coaching-own-child/

You likely already know that beyond the physical benefits of playing an organized sport, young athletes are also in a great position to learn valuable leadership skills through sport. While some kids may not consider themselves natural leaders, it's important for athletes to understand that they can learn these skills. But how do you, as a parent or a coach, hone those leadership skills and help athletes see the benefits of enhancing those skills in and out of sport?

Here, TrueSport Expert Deborah Gilboa, MD, explains how to ensure that the leadership skills learned in sport can translate to other spaces.

Teach athletes that leadership is a learnable skill

Many athletes, especially those who may be shy or introverted by nature, may not believe that they're leadership material. But like dribbling a soccer ball or perfecting a swim stroke, leadership skills can be mastered with practice.

Have athletes create a list of leadership qualities at the beginning of the season (depending on the age, you may need to help them). Try to broaden their definition of being a leader from the basic 'taking charge' or 'being outgoing' to softer skills like empathy and listening. With this expanded definition of leadership, athletes can practice a style of leadership that feels most natural to them and is sustainable through sport and life.

Use athletics as a starting place to discuss leadership

"As parents, it's rare that we get to sit and watch our child for an hour, but when they're playing a sport, we get to do just that: We get to observe our children from the sidelines," Gilboa says. "The next time you do this, pay attention and catch them doing three things that you admire. It could be how they treated someone else, or how they handled themselves during adversity, or that they passed to a kid who'd been left out for most of the game. Then, on the ride home or during dinner, tell them about those things you noticed."

The more positive aspects you can call attention to, the more you'll see that behavior playing out. On the flip side, if you constantly point out negatives about your young athlete, it's likely that you'll see more negative behavior as a result.

Bring in alumni

For older athletes, getting to know athletes who graduated a few years prior can be a huge boost to their growth and development. “It's really crucial to find people who have gone as far, or a little further, than your young athletes in their sport,” says Gilboa. “Get them to come to a practice to talk about what they learned through the sport and how it has helped them in the rest of their life." This helps student athletes begin to understand how leadership in athletics can transfer to other parts of life.

Avoid being the middleman

As a coach or parent, you may occasionally find yourself in the position of playing middleman between a young athlete and a teammate or adult. But Gilboa says whenever possible, try to avoid being a moderator and instead, help the young athlete take responsibility for hard conversations. For example, if you're a parent and your child is complaining that they don't get enough playing time, don’t call the coach on their behalf. Instead, help your athlete prepare to have a conversation with the coach.

Unless your athlete reports feeling unsafe or you're worried that the situation is unsafe, help your athlete be his own advocate whenever possible. "If they're not in danger, they're just uncomfortable,” Gilboa says. “This is a chance for them to learn new communication skills and improve their emotional intelligence and resilience.” These skills are the foundations of a strong leader.

Coach athletes to practice resilience

"Being able to build connections, set boundaries, stay open to new ideas, manage discomfort, set goals, find different options, take action and persevere in tough times are all qualities of a resilient person, as well as a great leader," she says. Make sure those skills make it onto your athlete's leadership quality list and point out whenever you notice that your athlete is displaying one of those skills. For example, perseverance could mean staying late at soccer practice to help a teammate master a certain kick.

Takeaway

There are many styles of leadership that make it possible for athletes with various personalities to become leaders. Leadership qualities can be honed during your athlete’s time in sport and applied both in and outside of sport.

Resource: https://truesport.org/leadership/sport-leaders-to-life-leaders/

On a team, there are athletes who naturally gravitate towards leadership roles and require little support. But those athletes aren't the only ones who can be team leaders, and a dedicated coach can help athletes hone previously dormant leadership skills.

Here, TrueSport Expert Deborah Gilboa, MD, explains how to look at your team through a new lens: Seeing each athlete as capable of taking on leadership roles, and as individuals who may require different types of encouragement from you.

Leadership can look different to different athletes

It's important to recognize that leadership is not an inherent trait: it's a series of skills that can be honed. Similarly, there’s not just one type of leader. "We often have this picture, especially in sport, of what a leader looks like," Gilboa says. "Most people will list characteristics like outgoing, assertive, talented, and communicative. But the truth is that not all leaders are like that, and we rob some kids of leadership opportunities because they don't have those obvious characteristics. Some leaders have great insight and empathy, or the ability to listen and not to talk, or to delegate decision-making."

Differentiate your coaching and their leadership

"Differentiating leadership means knowing your group and giving each athlete an opportunity to use the leadership characteristics that are natural to them," Gilboa explains. "And it's also about differentiating your approach to each athlete." Some kids will respond well to tough love, others need quiet guidance, some need reassurance, and some need to be pushed a bit harder in order to perform.

You need to let athletes lead

Because of the work required to manage a team and the needs of each player, you cannot be the only leader for your team. "There's not enough of you to go around," Gilboa says. "You'll burn out trying to be the only leader." However, especially at the start of a season, it can feel difficult to let go of leading and trust that your athletes can take over certain aspects. In fact, it can feel like more work as you set up team leaders who will run the team through warm-up drills and cool-downs, or who will help to call plays and offer suggestions to other players. But fostering leaders in the group will pay off quickly -- and save you time and energy through the season. Delegate as much as possible to leaders on the team as the season progresses. This is also great practice for them!

Get outside of your own beliefs

Gilboa suggests making a list of all the different qualities that can be associated with being a leader. Later, look at the list and match the names of all the athletes to each quality: Some athletes might have more than one, but ensure that every athlete has at least one quality. This will help you hone in on how each athlete can improve their personal leadership qualities, and serve to remind you how different leadership can look.

Help kids see themselves as leaders

"Out loud, acknowledge what athletes do as leaders. Naming their leadership qualities makes a big difference, so tell an athlete, 'Hey, I admire how you handled that situation on the court today,'" Gilboa says. For a shy athlete, being told that they are being a great leader can be a life-changing moment. Young athletes need to hear that from you because many possess some leadership quality, but don't see it in themselves. Set a goal of telling each athlete one thing that you noticed each week.

Try different approaches

While coaches shouldn't show any signs of favoritism on the team, you may need to change up your own leadership style to reach different athletes. Some athletes may require more attention, while other athletes actually thrive with only occasional input from you, Gilboa explains. And remember that some athletes won't respond well to being put on the spot, especially in leadership roles, but might be more suited to quiet leadership opportunities. Leading warm up drills may frighten some athletes, but those athletes may be well-suited to help organize their team's tactics during a scrimmage.

Tell athletes what to expect

"One thing that will really help coaches is providing full transparency: Tell your team that throughout the year, athletes may notice that you're spending more time with one person or another," Gilboa says. "Let them know, 'While you might think that another athlete is getting most of my attention, I give attention to who needs it in the moment. And each of you are going to need it at some point.'"

Takeaway

With differentiated leadership, coaches can both honor young athletes’ natural leadership styles and effectively offer them support based on individual needs.

Resource: https://truesport.org/leadership/differentiated-leadership/

If you're helping provide snacks for your athlete's team, or you're trying to give nutritional guidance to your child, you may be subscribing to some traditional sport snacks -- think orange slices -- and fueling traditions -- like pasta parties -- that you heard over the years. While many of the fueling traditions that you've heard about are going to be okay for most athletes, there are some modern tweaks you can make to ensure that your athlete is properly fueled and getting the nutrition he or she needs.

Myth: Pre-competition pasta parties

Why it works: For decades, marathoners have been all about carb-loading with pasta and pizza the night before a competition. This is done to fuel muscles by topping off glycogen stores in the body.

Why it doesn't: The idea of carb-loading is no longer entirely supported. Sure, eating a carb-dense meal the night before a hard or long effort is helpful, but your athlete shouldn't make a massive shift from his or her normal meal. And typically, carb loading is applicable to endurance sports, not to a baseball or volleyball game. A pasta meal can also lack protein, so your young athlete may end up hungry before his or her competition.

Make it current: Make sure your athlete's plate is balanced by adding some form of protein, like chicken, meatballs or a vegetarian-friendly protein.

Myth: Orange slices on the sidelines

Why it works: Using whole foods for fuel is a great practice to teach young athletes, and orange slices provide a quick hit of simple sugar in the form of fructose. They can also be a refreshing snack in the middle of a hot practice.

Why it doesn't: Orange slices are great, but for harder or longer efforts, they may not be enough to refuel athletes all the way. You also may have some athletes who don't do well with a lot of fructose, the sugar found in oranges.

Make it current: Add chunks of banana to the mix, and for more intense activities and/or hot weather, consider adding a salty snack like pretzels for simple carbohydrates plus electrolytes.

Myth: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

Why it works: This one is mostly true. Athletes need fuel for hard efforts, whether that's early morning swim practice or a competition later in the day, and skipping breakfast usually leads to lower intake (or unhealthy food decisions) later in the day.

Why it doesn't: Some athletes will struggle to eat a full normal breakfast (like oatmeal or eggs) when competition is early in the morning. And for athletes who have practices later in the day, fueling appropriately at lunch is just as important as eating a good breakfast!

Make it current: If your athlete is doing an early morning practice or competition, help them find foods that are easy to eat and digest. This might mean a banana, toast with a bit of peanut butter, or even a smoothie. After the practice or competition, your athlete can enjoy a heartier meal. And for athletes with later competition times, make sure they're eating a good breakfast, but also prioritizing a lunch that leaves them satisfied and ready for competition.

Myth: All Gatorade, all the time

Why it works: Sports drinks provide critical electrolytes and carbohydrates for athletes, especially for those who aren't comfortable eating before or during a competition or race.

Why it doesn't: Young athletes simply don't need as much sport drink as an elite marathoner would, especially in sports like baseball where they're only sprinting for short periods and are otherwise standing in place or sitting.

Make it current: If your athlete is doing a sport that doesn't require constant motion, consider diluting the sports drink with water to half strength, or making your own electrolyte drink. If your athlete is doing a more sustained effort like soccer, tennis, or cross-country running, a sports drink is fine, but make sure that after the game and during rest periods, they're also drinking regular water. Don't let sports drinks become a water substitute! To find out just how much water and electrolytes your athlete needs, try calculating their sweat rate.

Myth: Granola bars are great competition fuel

Why it works: For many athletes, granola bars are relatively easy to digest, can be made with mostly whole foods, and can provide energy for long days of competition.

Why it doesn't: For harder efforts like cross-country, some athletes may find that the oats or dried fruit in trail mix give them stomach issues. And because granola bars are dry and dense, some athletes may struggle to hydrate enough to properly digest them. Lastly, granola bars often contain peanuts, and many children's programs actually ban any peanut-containing snacks.

Make it current: Swap granola bars out for something softer and simpler, like fig bars, or offer a few alternative options (like bananas and pretzels). A buffet of snack choices beats a single option for the whole team.

Myth: No treats during the season

Why it works: Athletes should be focusing on a healthy diet of whole, real foods with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats and lean proteins.

Why it doesn't: Young athletes shouldn't be told that any food is off limits. Suggesting that certain foods, like candy, chips or cake, are "bad" can be dangerous, especially for young athletes who are at risk of disordered eating or eating disorders.

Make it current: Teach athletes what a nutrient-dense meal should look like and model good eating behaviors when you're with the athletes, but don't tell them that any food is not allowed during the season.

Myth: Gels and sports chews are critical for serious athletes

Why it works: Gels and chews are fast, easy ways to get in simple sugars that can give athletes a boost during a competition or race. Some professional endurance athletes rely on these types of foods during competitions because they're easy to eat and to digest.

Why it doesn't: As with sports drinks, young athletes rarely need their nutrition delivered in gel and chew form. There's a mentality that "real athletes" or "mature athletes" should start using gels when they start taking their sport seriously, but most kids can and should rely on whole foods to fuel their training and competition.

Make it current: Similar to sports drinks, if an athlete in a high-energy sport like tennis, soccer or running likes using a gel or a few gummies for energy, that's fine. But this should be competition and hard-effort-specific, not something that they're eating at every practice, after a race, or just as a snack at home.

Myth: Post-season ice cream sundae celebrations

Actually, this isn't a myth! There's nothing wrong with the occasional treat for the whole team. Celebrate your season no matter how it played out and enjoy the indulgence!

Takeaway

Not every fueling tradition is perfect. At the end of the day, whole foods and balanced meals are the best bet for your athlete’s health and performance.

Resource: https://truesport.org/nutrition/nutrition-myths-fueling-traditions/