Coaches’ perspectives on menstruation for female adolescent athletes

Adolescent females in Canada begin menstruation around age 12, and the onset of menstruation is associated with decreased participation in sport and physical activity. Coaches play an important role in supporting athletes’ participation in sport, and adolescent athletes who report greater coach support also report greater intention to stay in sport. While previous research on menstruation in sport has focused on older female athletes and athletes in aesthetic sports (e.g., dance), few studies have examined coaches’ perspectives of coaching adolescent female athletes who are navigating menstruation. A qualitative approach was taken; thirteen coaches (female n = 7; male n = 6) participated in semi-structured qualitative interviews, and data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Key themes included the ways coaches discussed menstruation (medicalising, optimising, and avoiding altogether); coaches’ beliefs about girls in sport (periods hindering performance, and concerns over sexualizing adolescent athletes); and positioning female coaches as the experts when discussing menstruation with athletes. Male coaches demonstrated discomfort in discussing menstruation by using euphemisms and drew on stereotypes of menstruation. For coaches, medicalizing menstruation was a useful entry point into discussions with athletes, although this reflected a pathologizing of menstruation. The overall results reflect the concerns of coaches regarding the topic of menstruation, and the results shed light on broader narratives regarding women in sport that influence the ways in which coaches navigate these issues.