dunes runner wrote:
To the OP: what school and coach is this?
As a father, I would document what he said, and present it to the school authorities.
Two of the best NCAA coaches ever asked recruits this question and would look for validation in their medical records. Both of these coaches where women, but nevertheless, they asked the question.
its part of the female athlete triad, so seems reasonable to ask
In one sense when going to clinics or seasons about female athlete triad and other issues that mainly effects fameles it is encouraged to ask questions like this. Then some people will think it’s negative cause they are stupid and a prude. It should be asked by every coach. And HS coaches should talk to athletes and parents about it.
Indoor? wrote:
In one sense when going to clinics or seasons about female athlete triad and other issues that mainly effects fameles it is encouraged to ask questions like this. Then some people will think it’s negative cause they are stupid and a prude. It should be asked by every coach. And HS coaches should talk to athletes and parents about it.
THIS THIS THIS.
I'm surprised how behind the times y'all are, but then again this is LetsRun. Guess what? Females menstruate. And if they do not, there is a big problem with their health. This is especially true with athletes and RED-S (formally known as female athlete triad, but name changed because lots of male athletes suffer from eating disorders as well). There is nothing "shameful," "creepy" or "sexual" about a professional coach asking this question. *Maybe* more appropriate for an athletic trainer to ask, but they work directly with coaches, so...
txRUNNERgirl wrote:
Indoor? wrote:
In one sense when going to clinics or seasons about female athlete triad and other issues that mainly effects fameles it is encouraged to ask questions like this. Then some people will think it’s negative cause they are stupid and a prude. It should be asked by every coach. And HS coaches should talk to athletes and parents about it.
THIS THIS THIS.
I'm surprised how behind the times y'all are, but then again this is LetsRun. Guess what? Females menstruate. And if they do not, there is a big problem with their health. This is especially true with athletes and RED-S (formally known as female athlete triad, but name changed because lots of male athletes suffer from eating disorders as well). There is nothing "shameful," "creepy" or "sexual" about a professional coach asking this question. *Maybe* more appropriate for an athletic trainer to ask, but they work directly with coaches, so...
Agreed. People need to understand what century this is.
What happens when the runner tells the coach she doesn’t want to answer that question because she thinks it’s an invasion of her privacy?
Is that grounds for removal from the team?
It sounds like you just can't have a scholarship at this institution, but there's no reason the coach couldn't cut people from the team who don't respond to medical screening questions.
txRUNNERgirl wrote:
Indoor? wrote:
In one sense when going to clinics or seasons about female athlete triad and other issues that mainly effects fameles it is encouraged to ask questions like this. Then some people will think it’s negative cause they are stupid and a prude. It should be asked by every coach. And HS coaches should talk to athletes and parents about it.
THIS THIS THIS.
I'm surprised how behind the times y'all are, but then again this is LetsRun. Guess what? Females menstruate. And if they do not, there is a big problem with their health. This is especially true with athletes and RED-S (formally known as female athlete triad, but name changed because lots of male athletes suffer from eating disorders as well). There is nothing "shameful," "creepy" or "sexual" about a professional coach asking this question. *Maybe* more appropriate for an athletic trainer to ask, but they work directly with coaches, so...
Agree completely. I’m a high school coach and while I don’t need or want to track the details of anyone’s cycles, I work hard so that periods are not a taboo subject. A kid losing their period is one of the easiest to spot symptoms of overtraining.
I want my athletes to be able to tell me if they lose their cycle or if they are having an awful day with cramps or migraines as a result of their period. I have had athletes lose their period, but we’ve reached a point where they are comfortable enough to either tell me so I adjust their training or they know they need to adjust their food intake and they’ve make that adjustment on their own.
Hs girls coach wrote:
txRUNNERgirl wrote:
THIS THIS THIS.
I'm surprised how behind the times y'all are, but then again this is LetsRun. Guess what? Females menstruate. And if they do not, there is a big problem with their health. This is especially true with athletes and RED-S (formally known as female athlete triad, but name changed because lots of male athletes suffer from eating disorders as well). There is nothing "shameful," "creepy" or "sexual" about a professional coach asking this question. *Maybe* more appropriate for an athletic trainer to ask, but they work directly with coaches, so...
Agree completely. I’m a high school coach and while I don’t need or want to track the details of anyone’s cycles, I work hard so that periods are not a taboo subject. A kid losing their period is one of the easiest to spot symptoms of overtraining.
I want my athletes to be able to tell me if they lose their cycle or if they are having an awful day with cramps or migraines as a result of their period. I have had athletes lose their period, but we’ve reached a point where they are comfortable enough to either tell me so I adjust their training or they know they need to adjust their food intake and they’ve make that adjustment on their own.
It's amazing just how much each phase of the cycle (not just the period itself) can affect your running and you can actually use it as an advantage. Here's a good book that covers this well that I'd recommend to coaches and athletes:
https://www.amazon.com/ROAR-Fitness-Physiology-Optimum-Performance/dp/1623366860Curious Father wrote:
.sounds like this program is looking out for their best interests...unlike some I’ve heard of.
We’ll be ordering up some bone scan & hormone test with our doctor to submit to their athletic training department shortly...said scholarship depends on it.
That is totally CRAZY.
There is no way in heck that a child of mine would submit to medical tests just to run in a spurious program.
We'd be going to a program you disdain, while looking out for our own personal well being, not that of the schools.
Any chance your daughter resembles Caster?
very good question and should always be asked. Its a health related running question. the booby clay article is very good to read really
Paul2432 wrote:
What happens when the runner tells the coach she doesn’t want to answer that question because she thinks it’s an invasion of her privacy?
Is that grounds for removal from the team?
There should be an alternate way to get the information if the team member does not want to answer (e.g., confirmation from an MD), but not having regular periods is a health issue.
Yes, they should be removed from the team if this information is not available.
This information and much more IS collected in the intake information/medical forms that are collected by the school before the athlete is cleared to start running. I believe the forms go to the sports med team. At least at the school my child runs for, which is a PAC-12 school. The forms are basically a small book...tons of info is collected before they have any of the tests. Never heard of a scholarship being based off the answers though....
Curious Father wrote:
A male college coach recently asked my daughter he was recruiting if she gets a regular period & how long she has. He also suggested he'd need official medical paperwork proving that if a big scholarship were going to be involved. Although I'd like to think I'm pretty "with it" and understand the question (and it didn't bother me), I was still surprised. Is this common practice?
Good for him. More need to make sure incoming recruits are healthy and not taking shortcuts to perform.
dunes runner wrote:
Curious Father wrote:
.sounds like this program is looking out for their best interests...unlike some I’ve heard of.
We’ll be ordering up some bone scan & hormone test with our doctor to submit to their athletic training department shortly...said scholarship depends on it.
That is totally CRAZY.
There is no way in heck that a child of mine would submit to medical tests just to run in a spurious program.
We'd be going to a program you disdain, while looking out for our own personal well being, not that of the schools.
As long as you don’t mind your daughter being discarded in the trash heap the moment she snaps. Which, honestly, is business as usual in the NCAA. I was actually speaking to a well regarded, successful DI P5 distance coach recently about a girl they just signed that most people avoided because she was clearly too small. The response was “it’s fine, we just need her to survive next year to get our XC team going again...if she breaks after that, we didn’t invest that much money in her anyway.”
And this is the standard way of doing things in the NCAA. If the coach isn’t asking these questions of your daughter, just be prepared for them to be treated this way.
But I guess as long as that is in “your” best personal interest...but if you don’t think your daughter is being tested for EVERYTHING under the sun before she’s allowed to run a step in any schools uniform, you’re fooling yourself. Might as well do it beforehand...
bartholomew_maxwell wrote:
Hmm, I looked at the OP question in a different framing than what others have.
I was thinking it was a subtle way of the coach trying to determine if the athlete is pregnant without outright asking if she's pregnant. Since being pregnant could affect ability to compete in the upcoming season.
No regular period is just one of the signs of pregnancy but it could mean other issues as well.
That was the LAST thing to cross my mind concerning this medical discussion. And being nine months out, if it is a NY school, runners can have an abortion the morning of the conference meet and still be eligible.
DI Recruting Coordinator wrote:
dunes runner wrote:
That is totally CRAZY.
There is no way in heck that a child of mine would submit to medical tests just to run in a spurious program.
We'd be going to a program you disdain, while looking out for our own personal well being, not that of the schools.
As long as you don’t mind your daughter being discarded in the trash heap the moment she snaps. Which, honestly, is business as usual in the NCAA. I was actually speaking to a well regarded, successful DI P5 distance coach recently about a girl they just signed that most people avoided because she was clearly too small. The response was “it’s fine, we just need her to survive next year to get our XC team going again...if she breaks after that, we didn’t invest that much money in her anyway.”
And this is the standard way of doing things in the NCAA. If the coach isn’t asking these questions of your daughter, just be prepared for them to be treated this way.
But I guess as long as that is in “your” best personal interest...but if you don’t think your daughter is being tested for EVERYTHING under the sun before she’s allowed to run a step in any schools uniform, you’re fooling yourself. Might as well do it beforehand...
Nothing "crazy" about this at all. If your kid is on scholarship, the program is literally investing thousands of dollars into her as an athlete. No period=HUGE predictor of chronic injuries once mileage piles on.
This is more common than you think, the coach isn't trying to be creepy or anything in that manner. That's usually a sign of if the girl has more changes to go through that might affect her running in the future
chicks bleed wrote:
Paul2432 wrote:
What happens when the runner tells the coach she doesn’t want to answer that question because she thinks it’s an invasion of her privacy?
Is that grounds for removal from the team?
There should be an alternate way to get the information if the team member does not want to answer (e.g., confirmation from an MD), but not having regular periods is a health issue.
Yes, they should be removed from the team if this information is not available.
What? So if a runner doesn't want to answer a medical question and doesn't give their consent for the information to go to the coach, your answer is to completely override that and get confidential medical information they've asked not to be given out from their doctor? Thankfully, the real world doesn't work like that.