Training adolescent female athletes: Supports, barriers and practical coaching considerations

The disparity in provision, access and continuation in sport between males and females is evident from childhood. Females undergo significant physical and psychological changes during puberty, which can affect both physical performance and engagement in sports. Strength and conditioning (S&C) coaches have a key role to play in ensuring adolescent female athletes are being supported to thrive in sports, at all levels. The S&C coach should consider the physiological development of the athlete, the environmental factors and how their coaching delivery may be used as a vehicle to ensure the continuation, and indeed success, of female adolescent athletes in sport. This review article presents reflective questions to aid coaching delivery and a coaching framework which considers wider holistic factors that may be important for the successful coaching of adolescent female athletes.