October: international expansion

Asian schools, French R&D, English wins, Wild West & Wild Wales

1. Working Well

Airmiles and water dragons

TWHQ’s September ran at Quick Time following August at Windows Media Player. Tech jokes anyone? Pfft fine.

First up, the prize for Most Airmiles goes to Dr Emma after her week at Malaysia’s FOBISIA conference delivering not one, not five but ten presentations, speeches and keynotes to school leaders, coaches, parents and students.

We’re glad to have skin in the game as FOBISIA (The Federation of British International Schools in Asia) looks to embed in schools a new generation of best-practice to ensure female students can fall (and stay) in love with sport. FYI you can sign up to hear more on our work in schools and training in puberty right here.

Anyway, from Malaysia to China and, as you may know, TWHQ’s Juliette Perry is customer support by day and Team GB rower by night. She’s just off a big run at the World Rowing Championships in Shanghai where she picked up a double: a bronze medal and a well-earned extension on that report (NB JP we want it Friday).

Back to Dr Emma’s travel diary and she and Gabriella are right now hanging with Decathlon chiefs at HQ in Lille. Among several h’ongoing, magnifique shards of le work sportif, TWHQ has assembled weighty literature reviews so R&D boffins can firm up foundations under Decathlon’s next wave of female-first products.

And lastly, in what can only be called international expansion, we’re delighted that Jo Perkins, who was Head Physio at Welsh Women’s Rugby through two World Cups, has joined TWHQ team as our new Female Health and Performance Lead. Jo’s uber qualified and, fun fact, used to play basketball for Wales. Want a connect? Click.

2. The World at Well

From moment to movement

Let’s recap: 82,000 people packed Twickenham to see England beat Canada by 33 points to 13. Millions watching at home … great crimply crumbs, it was a moment. When the final whistle sounded a country leapt to its feet and thus we had the perfect encore to a magical tournament and a summer of captivating sport.

But but but we must abut a but like a slap in the butt and, not for the first time, ask this: how do we turn big moments into sustainable movements?

Women’s sport has always thrown up brilliant, powerful moments but whether we can build a future on them is a whole ‘nother ballgame. Right now in rugby there’s a window of opportunity to stir interest in the game from the pro-ams right down to grassroots but without strategy, resources and systems in place the window will close and we’ll fail to build Team England’s success into the / our game’s future.

We’ve been here many times. Is this different? To coin a marketingism: show us the funnel. We’ve seen successful outputs so how do we ensure bigger / better / more sustainable inputs? That’s the question upon which an entire system depends.

3. SOOO long

Who wants to see us sweat?

Question: what do Ilona Maher, Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, Whoopi Goldberg, Dan Carter, Billie Jean King, Millie Bright, Lucy Bronze and many more have in common?

That’s right, they all made special trips to SOOO London this summer to see the city’s dedicated female-first sport and fitness showroom … and time’s running out if you want to do SOOO too.

As Isaac Newton sorta said, what pops up must pop down and thus SOOO doors close next week. As an added incentive we’ll be there on Friday 10th October to support our friends at PEBE … and by support we mean running on a treadmill in a window in full view of everyone in London. Great. Come say hi. Bring water.

Go on, get to Regent Street. You’ll be glad you did.

4. Here Comes the Science Bit

Intelligensus consensus on mensus commences

A recent piece of comms out of UEFA HQ flags a really interesting development; not just for football but for sport, and maybe female health more widely.

See, UEFA has generated a weighty consensus statement regarding menstrual cycle tracking in women’s football. On its face this is simple enough – it’s some agreed-upon guidance that coaches, practitioners and researchers can follow …

But it’s also majorly significant. For decades sport has recognised the importance of menstrual cycle tracking to support female athletes, but application and implementation of tracking has been a bit Wild West. A bit very Wild West.

Typically, there’s little cohesion in tracking from one sport system to another, one club to another, or even one coach (at the same club) to another. There are huge variations in what is tracked, how it is tracked, if it is tracked, why it is tracked; what the data is used for, who handles it, who sees it, and who actually owns it.

Uh-hu. Wilder Wild West than a Big Willy slap at the OSCARS.

But this UEFA document paves the way to standardise tracking protocols and priorities in the female game and beyond. And ‘cos football leads the way, this is essentially a call-to-arms demanding flailing sport systems get their acts together.

5. Medical BS

How should I adapt my lifestyle for the new season?

Dr Bella says: Autumn isn’t worse than summer but it is different, and it can dent our mood if we carry our summer expectations forward; only to find they no longer fit.

In my opinion we’re seasonal beings by way of evolution and, with that, nature and the outside world are great guides to instruct the kind of healthy changes we should be making. For example, seasonal local produce tells us that salads and strawbs are out so let’s instead fix on apples, pumpkins, turnips and squash. It’s time to once again embrace the soup pot.

Similarly, as the sun fades and days shorten many people mourn the loss of swimwear, shorts and outdoor runs when nature is screaming at us to change things up; to keep exercise indoors and use the outdoors for brisk walks.

Humans are designed to put on weight in winter so keep perspective and remember that extra fat may help to stave off seasonal nasties. I know many people do suffer Seasonal Affective Disorder and / or depression as the days darken so if that’s you please be vigilant and mindful: watch for symptoms, and know that treatments and solutions are available via lightboxes, pills, therapy and so on. Talk to your GP.