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Lessons in Psychological Safety in Sports

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  What? As a former swimmer, I had two very different coaching experiences. One was with my former coach, who is now my boss. Under him, I experienced what I would now call a healthy, psychologically safe environment. He believed in me and supported me through the ups and downs of my career at Virginia Tech, but more importantly, he supported me through life. During my swim career at VT, I lost family members while living across the ocean. I was grieving while trying to train, compete, and study far away from home. He didn’t just see me as an athlete; he saw me as a person. He gave me space when I needed it, pushed me when I was ready, and never made me feel weak for struggling. On the other hand, I also experienced the opposite. Before coming to the U.S. on scholarship, I trained under a Hungarian coach who was verbally abusive. Nothing was ever good enough for him. I could win an event with a personal best, and he would still tell me I could have done better. There was no positiv...
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Leading with Purpose: Developing Champions in and out of the pool

  What? As the Director of Operations for Virginia Tech Swim & Dive and a former Olympic swimmer, I’ve learned that leadership isn’t just about getting faster in the pool, it’s more than that. It’s about leading young adults to become the best versions of themselves, both in and out of the water. Research shows that leadership approaches built on support, reflection and relationships can lead to better performance and personal growth. In the article by Hebard, he found that when athletic administrators and coaches apply a social and emotional learning approach, leadership becomes more supportive, mentoring, and relational, which helps athletes be their best both on and off the field (Hebard et al., 2021). Another article by Crossan, Copeland, and Barnhart highlights that values-based leadership, where leaders guide athletes through their core values, creates a positive environment that helps athletes grow morally and ethically, as well as competitively (Crossan, Copeland &...
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