Olivia Rose Esperance | Who supports the support providers in sports?

Essential is now a buzzword, and one thing that is definitely essential is social support for support providers in sport. I consider myself a support expert, for numerous reasons, especially since I have spent seven years studying the multidimensional construct of social support in sports from a Caribbean perspective.

I speak fluent support language and understand how very sensitive persons can be when that word is used, especially in this side of the world. I deliberately did not want to use the word emotional, another word that we don’t seem to do very well with expressing or have expressed to us.

Social support, in a Caribbean context is often interpreted by many as emotional support, showing care, expressing appreciation, and genuine interest in another’s well-being. In keeping with general labour laws, persons should work in environments that are safe. However, more emphasis is often placed on the physical safety while emotional and social hazards are ignored. Sports can be a highly stressed, anxiety-provoking environment that takes you away from your family and regular routines for extended periods. It does this to athletes and support providers, yet more emphasis has always been placed on the catering to the impact of these for the athletes.

Social support for support providers is critical given the high levels of stress that we experience. Additionally, public acknowledgment is a form of emotional support, intangible and usually inexpensive, that can be given to the other members of the support team that can aid in making the job less stressful. This is not a norm in this industry. The good thing about living through a pandemic is that it allows for the establishment of new norms, and maybe we look forward to athletes publicly acknowledging their physios, their nutritionists, et cetera. Many who perform supporting services do what they do for the sheer love of it and not to receive accolades, however, there are no known risks from expressing appreciation.

HOLISTIC SUPPORT

When the word support is mentioned to those perceived as knowledgeable, strong, and capable, it is met initially with resistance and sometimes resentment. I implore sports administrators to ensure that your support staff tasked with preparing your athletes receive holistic support. I remember working with a team where all athletes were provided with polarised sunglasses needed to protect the eyes, and none came for any member of the support staff, who would also be in the sun helping to prepare them. None of us complained about it, but it was very much noticed by everyone, including some of the same athletes. But as was mentioned earlier, it almost goes with the territory, and we continued doing the best in providing the various types of support to the team.

So many support staff provide and ensure that their athletes receive a range of support, be it technical, tactical, medical, nutritional, physical, mental, and emotional, to their athletes and their colleagues. I want to impress upon you to ensure that you access some of these same types of support for yourself. Check your own psychological health, and take time to attend to these needs.

There is the notion that those who provide support don’t usually receive the kind of support they need and or are afraid to ask for support as it contradicts their very strong, independent, courageous, confident identities. This is another new norm that we should work on developing as we await the reopening of sports. There is great strength in vulnerability and admitting and seeking out necessary support so that you can serve yourself and those around you better. Psychologically and emotionally well people provide better support to others.

Dr Olivia Rose Esperance is an applied sports psychologist at The University of the West Indies, Mona. Send feedback to oliviakrose@gmail.com.

These are the opinions of a number of colleagues on the issue:

“Support staff need support especially in a unique environment like Jamaica where resources in sports are limited and because of the pressure and stress faced especially when their teams are not performing well. They need mental and emotional support to continue to do what they do.” [Sports journalist]

“Support staff in sports work in highly pressured and volatile environments over long periods of time, which, in many instances, take them away from their family and friends for extended periods. It is very important for support staff to have a strong web of support to mitigate against the potential and actual harmful effects from the everyday stressors of their jobs.”[Sports Administrator]

“Sports support staff need support to deal with frustrations and negative emotions and to execute roles and responsibilities more effectively and consistently.” [Sports Administrator]

“Yes, I think support staff in sports need the support.” [Coach]

“Support staff usually go unnoticed. Honestly, I am not sure if I have ever heard any top athlete mention their physio, their chiropractors, their nutritionists. These people are rarely, if ever, mentioned, I don’t think they act like they don’t need the support. It is just that people don’t recognise the work that they do and how impactful it is towards athletes. They don’t behave like they don’t need the support. It is just that the industry doesn’t acknowledge these people” [Sports Coach/Journalist]