Young South West athletes, coaches and stakeholders have been told about optimising health, wellbeing and performance in female sports as part of an insightful workshop.

Dr Kate Baldwin presented a session on March 13 aimed at empowering female athletes with crucial knowledge about their bodies and menstrual cycles. SWAS chief executive Bernice Butlion expressed her appreciation for Dr Baldwin’s dedication to advancing the understanding of female athletes’ unique physiological and endocrinological needs.

“We are immensely grateful to Dr Kate Baldwin for her exceptional presentation and commitment to the wellbeing of our female athletes,” she said. “Her workshop has equipped our athletes with essential knowledge to navigate their training, performance, and overall health with confidence and awareness.”

The session covered a range of topics, including the phases of the menstrual cycle, potential impacts on performance and injury risk, training modifications and identifying normal and abnormal symptoms.
Dr Baldwin also addressed the fundamentals of relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S), ensuring athletes and coaches are equipped to recognise and address potential issues related to nutrition and training.

Female participation in sports has seen a significant rise, with the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris set to make history by having females represent 50 per cent of all athletes. Despite this increase, research in female athlete physiology has not kept pace, highlighting the importance of initiatives like Dr Baldwin’s workshop. Butlion noted Dr Baldwin’s expertise and dedication had made a lasting impact on SWAS athletes, coaches and the broader sports community.

“We believe that knowledge is power, and empowering our female athletes with an understanding of their bodies is paramount to their success and wellbeing,” she said.

SWAS remains committed to supporting the holistic development and empowerment of female athletes, and initiatives like Dr Baldwin’s workshop are instrumental in achieving this goal.

Written by: Bernice Butlion & Sean van Der Wielen