As a young footballer, Sariah Wilson remembers being disappointed by the reaction of her coach when her teammates discussed their periods.
“We’ve had a few experiences where you tell your coach and they kind of go, ‘Oh that’s a bit weird’, and we are like, ‘Why is it weird?'” she said.
“Sometimes you just get to training and you’re on your period and you’re like, ‘Nah, I do not want to be here right now.'”
The 20-year-old decided she wanted to educate herself about her health and is taking part in a new pilot program that she hopes will normalise these sorts of conversations.
“Learning how to manage that, what we should be doing and should not be doing, makes it easier.”
Sariah Wilson (right) in one of the program’s training sessions at UOW. (ABC Illawarra: Kelly Fuller)
The new six-week program at the University of Wollongong (UOW), selected players from the Illawarra and national premier league football competitions.
Ms Wilson said it was “crazy” that this was the first female-focused health training program she has been a part of.
“But it’s happening now, and I’m excited for the opportunity,” she said
“This program is great because we can learn in a comfortable environment [and] I can then take this knowledge back to our club and the young girls we coach.”
Ms Wilson is excited about the opportunity to be involved in the program. (ABC News: Kelly Fuller)
Push to dismantle stigma
The initiative is part of a global push to discuss the impact of menstrual health on athletes.
US football star Megan Rapinoe has begun a campaign to encourage athletes to openly discuss their menstrual health to help dismantle stigma.
Megan Rapinoe is leading an international push to end period stigma. (Getty Images: Quinn Rooney)
During the Paris Olympics, British diver Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix shared how her menstrual cycle positively influences her performance.
A recent study by the University College London found athletes’ reactions were quicker and they made fewer mistakes during their menstrual cycle.
Removing the pink filter
UOW sports programs manager and director James Pendrigh, who started the program, said it pulled together experts from across multiple disciplines.
One of those experts is exercise, sports science and rehabilitation Associate Professor Ric Lovell.
Dr Lovell said while elite athletes had access to female-specific health programs, this program aimed to provide that knowledge to other high-performance players.
Ric Lovell also hopes the program helps provide new research opportunities for the university. (ABC Illawarra: Kelly Fuller)
He said the majority of sports science training is based on “decades” of research based on “70-kilogram white males” and focus on female health was a “taboo subject”.
“We know that reproductive health and hormonal changes can significantly affect physiology, and yet we still don’t know enough about these differences,” he said.
The program included information on the role of nutrition and sleep strategies in managing symptoms and improving recovery for female athletes at different stages of their menstrual cycle.
A sports bra game changer
The program also provided information about breast health.
During a recent lecture, the young women were in disbelief when Associate Professor Deidre McGhee mentioned that sports bras were designed to be replaced after just 25 washes.
The co-founder and director of Breast Research Australia explained to the students the benefits of a well-fitted, high-performance bra.
“Just being more comfortable can help you perform better,” she said.
“You love your breasts, why don’t you look after them?
“This is a piece of sporting equipment we have to make sure you get right.”
Associate Professor Deidre McGhee has developed the program’s breast health component. (ABC Illawarra: Kelly Fuller)
Focused training, better results
Rebecca Scobie, 18, said the program was providing her with “insight” on health topics her previous coaches had never spoken about, including weight training.
“We’re targeting different muscles and there’s a real emphasis on that and a real focus on what we need to optimise performance,” she said.
Rebecca Scobie is hoping the program will help optimise her performance on the field. (ABC Illawarra: Kelly Fuller)
Similarly, 19-year-old Halle Callow hoped it would help expand her football career.
“This program is a great opportunity to focus on the areas that often get overlooked, like injury prevention and understanding how our bodies work differently,” she said.
“It’s exciting to see the potential long-term benefits.”
Hopes for blueprint
Program head coach and former Brighton and Hove Albion FC Academy coach, Mel Pennington, said she believed it was “groundbreaking”.
Mel Pennington says it’s the first program she has worked in that offers a holistic approach. (ABC Illawarra: Kelly Fuller)
“Talking about menstrual cycles and sports bras, this is the first program I’ve been involved in where girls get that information,” she said.
“It could be a blueprint for programs in other universities and football clubs.”
UOW hopes to see the program expand and eventually include other sports.