The weekly team weigh-in: an unnecessary aspect of collegiate athletics
Why young runners don't need weekly weigh-ins
Lauren Fleshman is a coach, author, former professional runner and an idol for many young people in the sport. Fleshman has spoken out on Twitter about the onslaught of direct messages she’s received surrounding a concerning topic in the running world: weekly weigh-ins at the university and college level.
Mary Cain shared her story with the world one month ago about her experience in elite running. Her story opened the floor for a conversation about running culture that sport leaders needed to have a long time ago and Fleshman, among others, is pushing that conversation forward. Athletes speaking out their problems with weekly weigh-ins is certainly a product of Cain sharing her story.
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Ok, make it my 18th DM today. I’m interested in your experience too if you want to share it. Seeing some themes here. https://t.co/ORrVfw74Ge
— Lauren Fleshman (@laurenfleshman) December 4, 2019
Fleshman wrote on Wednesday, “Got my third private message in a week from a NCAA track & field athlete (different programs) expressing deep concern about team policies of mandatory weekly weigh-ins for all athletes. I would like to hear this policy explained because I don’t understand. I want to learn why.” She later amended the post to say, “Ok, make it my 18th DM [direct message] today. I’m interested in your experience too if you want to share it. Seeing some themes here.”
Trent Stellingwerff, physiologist and the IST (integrated support team) lead for Athletics Canada, says that very few NCAA programmes have the specific expertise and qualifications to support athletes through body measurements. “Without this support, other than for medical checks, body measurements should not be required or implemented,” he says. Stellingwerff adds that even with this kind of medical support, he still wouldn’t implement these checks routinely.
The one time that Stellingwerff sees weigh-ins as viable for a young runner is during rehabilitation from RED-S or an eating disorder. “Body measurement tracking is implemented from a recovery standpoint when dealing with RED-S or eating disorders. Also at the level of elite sport [professional/international class running] we will sometimes track weight during major training blocks to ensure weight is not dropping. Again, this is all from a health perspective. However, these tests are always optional for the athlete and implemented by a health professional, never a coach.”
What to do if your program mandates weight-ins
If you or your child’s school mandates weight-ins, Fleshman recommends asking some questions. She suggests that runners ask:
Why does this policy exist?
Who sees the data?
What will the data be used for?
What is your understanding of women’s physiology and hormonal fluctuations?
What is your understanding of eating disorder risk factors?
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