4 Questions Series - Dr. Lennie Waite
February 14th 2020
Happy Valentines Day!
We are continuing 4 Questions series in “Thoughtful February” - I wish I had thought about that tag line before now (Mindful March, maybe?) with Dr. Lennie Waite. Lennie is a Lonestar SC Alumni, Rice Soccer Alumni and of course, an Olympian. A true British-Texan!
I believe that three of the most overlooked pieces of the game in today’s youth soccer landscape are nutrition, training application and mental strength or psychology training. The stronger the mind, the better the body…..
Lennie is a leader in every sense of the word. She exudes the confidence required of a top level athlete and coach. I am fortunate enough to be able to catch up with Lennie for coffee every once in a while and I find our chats interesting and thought provoking. Lennie always leaves you with a sense of mindfulness and action. Lennie muses “Focus on forming friendships with your teammates and support them through the wins and losses” - this is a large part that is missing within youth sport, and ultimately one of the most important.
I will certainly be inviting Lennie back to TTi over the summer to work with our players. Lennie’s genuine attentive nature and helpful guidance can be seen around TTi without doubt. This is echoed in her company Waite Performance Strategies, LLC (www.lenniewaite.com).
You can find out more about Lennie here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lennie_Waite
Enjoy the read.
1. You've been an Olympian - How has that helped you working with Athletes?
I know what it is like to have big dreams and I understand the emotional roller coaster that the pursuit of these dreams puts athletes through. During my career, I was injured, I dropped out of races, I won races, I lost races, I narrowly missed out on an Olympic team, and I made an Olympic team. These personal experiences help me identify with the athletes that I work with. But more importantly, I became good friends with many other athletes who were also pursuing a spot on the Olympic Team. I listened to their stories in the sport, followed their progress, celebrated wins with them, consoled them through losses and injuries, and had many conversations with athletes about the mindset required to pursue something wholeheartedly. This solidified one of my guiding philosophies in sport: every athlete has a unique journey and it is important for athletes to embrace their individual journeys and focus on what is best for them as an athlete. Comparing yourself to your teammates or competitors is not productive. There is no “best way” to make an Olympic team and what works for one athlete may not work for another athlete. I am passionate about treating each athlete as an individual and getting to know them personally so that I can provide them with the best tools that fit with their personality.
2. How important is the role of the parent in a youth athletes development (and what advice would you give)?
For young athletes, I think it is important for parents to provide a lot of encouragement, positive reinforcement, and focus on the enjoyment aspect of the sport. For some athletes, all they need from their parents is positive praise and support. However, in line with my guiding theory, every athlete is different. Some athletes respond to a “carrot” and other athletes need a “stick.” Nevertheless, all athletes need to find internal motivation for the pursuit of their goals if they are serious about long term improvement in the sport. Parents can help athletes find this motivation, but parents cannot be the motivation. In the long run, too much pressure or involvement from parents often backfires and these athletes fail to develop the skills they need to succeed in sport. I think the most important role for parents is support, especially when an athlete has had a bad game or is experiencing a slump in the sport.
3. How do you see the role of the sports psychologist developing over the next decade?
More and more sporting organizations are hiring sport psychology professionals. It is becoming a common position within the NCAA and professional sporting organizations like the NFL, MLB and NBA. Research supports the idea that athletes compete best when they are healthy, happy, supported, and feel a sense of community. Sport psychology professionals can help athletes reframe experiences to see events in a more positive light, provide support for athletes, and help athletes identify the mentality that produces their best performances.
4. What do you think is the most important advice for a youth player to maintain positive mental health in sports?
Focus on forming friendships with your teammates and support them through the wins and losses. It was the relationships that I formed with teammates and coaches that helped me bounce back from injuries and poor performances: these friends motivated me during the tougher times in the sport. My support network always helped me put my performances in perspective and remember that sports is about so much more than the numbers attached to a performance. To this day, the biggest thing that athletics gave me was friendships.