Walinga on coaches and safe athletic environments

School of Communication and Culture Prof. Jennifer Walinga was interviewed by The Canadian Press about the impact of humiliation and abuse on athletes, and creating safe athletic environments.

Here is an excerpt:

Jennifer Walinga, a Royal Roads University professor and Commonwealth Games gold medallist in rowing, says her research has shown that humiliating or neglecting athletes typically leads to worse performances.

"You can still win and be broken," she notes. "But you can achieve greater heights, win more gold medals and for longer periods of time with a values-based approach to coaching."

That approach includes supporting athletes' mental health as well as their physical health, Walinga explains.

But she says the coaching style that is similar to combat training, involving hurling insults and swearing at athletes, still exists because our society tends to glorify people who can endure abuse.

"In society, it's a naivete or an ignorance about what sport actually involves," she says. "Sport is not war. It's not a battle at all."

Read the entire Canadian Press story.