Introduction to Optimising Female Athletic Performance

From our own research into the field of female athletic performance we have concluded that there is an increasing demand for greater knowledge and understanding of the multidimensional influences on the performance of female athletes. Throughout their lives females will go through significant lifecycle changes. These changes commence during childhood as they move through puberty, into their adolescent years, onto adulthood and potentially motherhood. Following that, they move into their menopausal and postmenopausal stages. Each stage of the lifecycle brings with it specific physical, psychological, and social challenges that can affect women’s performance, their attitudes towards physical activity and the amount of time that they can invest in it. While there is existing research in this area more knowledge is required to construct a comprehensive understanding of female athletes and assess the specific support they may need at different stages of their athletic development.