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So then why this whole issue related to women? Mary's opinion is that more women on Alberto's team would have been good without any explanation to why. This is

So then why this whole issue related to women? Mary's opinion is that more women on Alberto's team would have been good without any explanation to why. This is an issue with Coaches. In my opinion, if Alberto was a woman, she'd be equally be deluded by her past success, having trained world class athletes and having the prestige of the top program at Nike. Instead of focusing on the issue at hand, broad strokes across the women's movement do not help (in fact that masks the truth). The issue here is specific knowledge that the coach needs to train a woman. There are male gynecologists and urologists, so this is not an issue with Alberto's sexual orientation or his team mates. This was a good ol' boys club of high profile coaches and teams, when they're given large number of resources (Nike), they'll do anything and everything to be successful.

scott_s 7y ago
Because women react differently to very low weights. When they're underweight for a prolonged time, they will stop having their period, which will cause a change in hormones. The hormonal change leads to weaker bones, which makes injury more likely. This happened to Mary Cain, as she explains in her video.
- spectramax 7y ago
  I agree with you. So, the root cause is the lack of knowledge on the coach's part. Mary in her video wishes that if there were more women on Alberto's team, that would have helped. I don't see how. This is purely an issue about Alberto's incompetence, which you've just highlighted and I agree with that.
  - scott_s 7y ago
    Based on the abuse she suffered, I think it's more than "lack of knowledge" and incompetence. But to the point of more women, it's easier to ignore the basic needs of one young girl, but much harder to ignore the basic needs of (say) half of your team. And if a large portion of the coaching staff are women, it's also more likely they will be aware of those basic needs.
    - spectramax 7y ago
      This is best observed and proven in medicine. There are men and women as gynecologists who fundamentally understand women's health. So, I don't see why this is a special case in Sports except for just the lack of competence and perhaps they were deluded, malicious or just fogged by their egos. This can happen to a womens team of coaches as well. I can totally see a group of competent, well educated and professional men teaching a young girl how to be the best at any sport.
      - scott_s 7y ago
        It's not a question of is it possible. It's question of what scenario makes it most likely.
bo1024 7y ago
I don't really see your perspective or premise here -- not sure what you're arguing against. I don't think the interview (or production, or whatever it is) is trying to make broad strokes across the "women's movement" or focus on sexual orientation or other things you mention. However, I do see it as a chance to raise awareness that women in running (and likely other sports) face more challenges than men in regard to pressures to lose weight, health impacts of the sport (psychiatric and physical), bullying or such treatment by coaches, etc. And much of this can be improved at the coaching level.

scott_s 7y ago

Because women react differently to very low weights. When they're underweight for a prolonged time, they will stop having their period, which will cause a change in hormones. The hormonal change leads to weaker bones, which makes injury more likely. This happened to Mary Cain, as she explains in her video.

spectramax 7y ago
I agree with you. So, the root cause is the lack of knowledge on the coach's part. Mary in her video wishes that if there were more women on Alberto's team, that would have helped. I don't see how. This is purely an issue about Alberto's incompetence, which you've just highlighted and I agree with that.
- scott_s 7y ago
  Based on the abuse she suffered, I think it's more than "lack of knowledge" and incompetence. But to the point of more women, it's easier to ignore the basic needs of one young girl, but much harder to ignore the basic needs of (say) half of your team. And if a large portion of the coaching staff are women, it's also more likely they will be aware of those basic needs.
  - spectramax 7y ago
    This is best observed and proven in medicine. There are men and women as gynecologists who fundamentally understand women's health. So, I don't see why this is a special case in Sports except for just the lack of competence and perhaps they were deluded, malicious or just fogged by their egos. This can happen to a womens team of coaches as well. I can totally see a group of competent, well educated and professional men teaching a young girl how to be the best at any sport.
    - scott_s 7y ago
      It's not a question of is it possible. It's question of what scenario makes it most likely.

bo1024 7y ago

I don't really see your perspective or premise here -- not sure what you're arguing against. I don't think the interview (or production, or whatever it is) is trying to make broad strokes across the "women's movement" or focus on sexual orientation or other things you mention. However, I do see it as a chance to raise awareness that women in running (and likely other sports) face more challenges than men in regard to pressures to lose weight, health impacts of the sport (psychiatric and physical), bullying or such treatment by coaches, etc. And much of this can be improved at the coaching level.