Galapagos logic doesn’t apply

“It’s no longer good enough to have a ‘one and done’ approach. It requires leadership, strategy and accountability. It needs development and education for everyone in the sporting ecosystem.”

~ Dr Emma Ross, CSO @ The Well HQ

The Galapagos tortoise can eat once and coast for a year. A croc can eat once and last for three years. Us humanfolks, sadly, aren’t like that …

We don’t stay full on yesterday’s food. We don’t stay clean on last week’s shower. We don’t stay energised on last month’s sleep.

Just as humans aren’t a one-and-done kinda race, embedding better practice in women’s sport ain’t a one-and-done kinda deal.

So often we hear organisations, clubs and companies that reckon they’ve done women’s health because they wrote an article. Because they did a survey. Because they shot a video. Because Phil made an excellent PowerPoint.

Though laudable, one and done initiatives don’t create lasting change. They don’t sustain anyone or any thing. Galapagos logic doesn’t apply.

Commitment, it’s science

A late-April study published on the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport validated a message we’ve now preached for years. Women’s health education doesn’t work without sustained effort and commitment.

The study highlights the importance of embedding female athlete education as a system and, helpfully, it reveals what happens when change projects lack structure and strategy. Spoiler alert – it doesn’t work out.

A comprehensive female health education means pelvic floors, menstrual cycles, muscles, risks, physiology, hormones and the interplay of all of the above. Commitment, leadership, strategy and accountability are essential if dense subject matter is to weave its way through the fabric of the system.

So it can’t be a one and done. Repetition, maintenance and development are key to all-party buy-in all across any sporting ecosystem.

If we’re not moving forward …

Our collaboration with the Women’s Professional Game (the professional leagues of English women’s football) is a great example of embedding a long term, sustainable, impactful approach.

This isn’t just a content play, or an education play, or a research play. We didn’t just conduct a survey, hand over the results and cross our fingers …

All of the above and more comprise a whole new strategy. The structure now being built (at considerable effort and investment) is purpose-designed to ensure meaningful change can germinate, blossom and grow.

We’ve built content, CPD courses and an education platform upon a foundation of robust research. To rubberstamp club buy-in, each has nominated a Female Athlete Health Lead to be the accountable agent of change, and The Well HQ will continue liaising with FAHLs to ensure momentum.

Because if we’re not moving forward what’re we doing?

This is her time

At The Well HQ, we’re grateful to now support a long list of National Governing Bodies working towards change, and towards the creation of female-focussed culture within women’s sport.

As we see it, this no longer a nice-to-do but essential for the future growth of women’s sports. Female athletes’ careers, health and wellbeing too.

If you want to get moving on change, the best place to start may be The Well HQ’s one-of-a-kind CPD courses teaching the female body, at a much deeper level, across her lifestages.