Who's Got My Back? Part 3: Friends & Family
In the last part of the “Who’s Got Your Back” Series, we are finally discussing friends and family. Arguably one of the most influential aspects of an athlete’s support system, friends and family have the most access to an athlete’s life outside of sports. As we all know, what happens off the court, field, and track can greatly affect an athlete’s success in the sport.
Throughout every stage of an athlete’s career, a strong support system is vital. Even the International Olympic Committee has highlighted the positive effects of friends and family on high-functioning athletes. In a 2014 interview with Olympic champions, their coaches, and members of the Olympic committee, “the entourage” was discussed as one of the most important components of an athlete’s success.
Florence Schelling, Swiss Ice Hockey Goalie during the 2014 Sochi Olympic games, explained the difficulty of balancing her ice hockey career and a full-time work contract. While it was understandably frustrating for her friends and family, she discussed how “very supportive and understanding” they are of her limited free time. This type of unfailing support is what helps athletes stay motivated, determined, and positive in the face of exhaustion, negativity, and defeat.
There are many ways to maximize the benefits of support from your friends and family during your athletic career. An article written by Ryan Hedstrom for the Association for Applied Sport Psychology discusses the different areas of social support one can receive: Emotional, educational, and tangible. Friends and Family most likely fall in the emotional and tangible support groups. Below are a few ways you can ask your friends and family to help support you:
Rides to and from practice, rehab, or games
A “mental health day” to refresh after a long stretch of intense performance
Help finding resources to address anxiety, depression, etc.
One of the most representative examples of the impact parents (and friends) have on athletes is the P&G ad campaign, “Thank you Mom”. This ad shows mothers from all around the world waking their young athletes up, fixing breakfast, shuttling them to practice, and cheering them on at competitions. In the end, these young athletes grow up to be world-class champions, while giving thanks for all their mothers’ efforts.
To sum up our series, it is important for athletes to understand that success, fame, and fortune are not achieved solely due to their own efforts. A compilation of teammates, coaches, friends, and families are the steppingstones to help athletes enjoy the game and ultimately reach their potential. Practice, competition, fitness, and the other components of athletics are important on their own, but having a strong support system helps you excel in all areas of athletics.
Serena Williams, professional tennis player, explains that “too often women are not supported enough or discouraged from choosing their path.” With the vast advancements seen in women’s athletics in the last 20 years, it is our responsibility to find the proper support system that WILL support us and WILL encourage us to choose the path we’ve set out on. Anything less than absolute confidence in our abilities, both in and out of athletics, is a disservice to the great women athletes that have paved the way. So, go out there, round up your support system, and get to work…you could be the next great female athlete to change the world!