How having a mentor changed my life

I was 25 when I found my first mentor - and it changed my life.

Prior to having one, I did not know how influential the relationship with a mentor could be.

As an athlete, I was always keen to problem solve and not show any weakness or vulnerability. As a captain, I didn’t lean on my team-mates or coaches because I wanted to show strength, courage and have people count on me to lead them to victory. 

As a young coach, that mentality stayed the same. I wanted to prove myself to others, and show that I was capable, qualified and the right person for the job. 

I didn’t want to ask for guidance because I had to prove I could do it on my own. Networking was intimidating, so seeking a mentor was not high on my to-do list. 

However, I was fortunate enough to find mentorship through a new friendship. It is a relationship that I am so happy to have stumbled upon - but I wish I hadn’t taken so long to find someone to lean on, bounce ideas off of and help me navigate this ever-evolving coaching industry.

My mentor and I commit to checking in once a week to touch base on progress or plateaus within our respective teams. We share training sessions that we felt could have been more effective, or topics that need just a little bit of tweaking, but the core of the relationship is support and guidance. 

You can find a lot of people to talk the ’Xs and Os’ with, but it is not always as easy to find someone who is invested in the betterment of you holistically as a coach and helps you navigate who you are meant to be for your players.

Being able to lean on someone who shares your ideals and passions, and sees the sport through the same lens as you, takes you so much further as a coach than just talking shop on formation.

Hearing from a more experienced party who is willing to provide me with honest reassurance has allowed me to speak out about things beyond the tactics. 

Having a mentor has given me more confidence in myself and provides a consistent sounding board of unbiased opinions.

I don’t short-change anything my male mentor has done for me - we see the sport in the same way and he sees my value as a strong female leader. But, operating as a woman in a male-dominated field has put me in situations he will never fully understand.

In an industry that is still powered by more than 65% of male coaches, I have questioned the effectiveness of my coaching points, the validity of my opinions and even what it means to be a female athlete.

If you are reading this and don’t have a mentor, I would encourage you to explore your network and find one you admire. 

If you are a female in the sport, I also urge you to offer yourself up as a mentor. 

I see myself in every single young female coach and I actively want to help them overcome the struggles of being female in this industry, like navigating gender bias.

I have been in the same situations and experienced exactly what they have experienced. Now, being the provider of support and guidance has given me such reward and motivation to continue to advocate.