#professional cycle coaching

[darwin-bloger]

Buch Spotlight: “Call & Close - Kaltakquise auf dem nächsten Level”

Cold calling – a term that often evokes mixed feelings among sales professionals. Yet, the book “Call & Close” promises to change that perspective and elevate the art of cold calling to a new level.

The Art of First Contact

“Call & Close” teaches us that the first contact doesn’t have to be cold. With the right techniques and an understanding of potential customers’ needs, every call can become a warm and inviting experience.

Strategies That Convince

The book offers a wealth of strategies aimed at building trust and sparking interest. It’s about creating value that goes beyond the product or service.

Stories That Sell

One of the strongest techniques in the book is the use of storytelling. “Call & Close” demonstrates how to establish emotional connections through storytelling, enhancing the persuasive power of each call.

Conclusion

“Call & Close - Cold Calling at the Next Level” is more than just a guide; it’s a beacon for all those in sales looking to improve their skills. It’s time to redefine cold calling and write success stories.

[cottonlemonade]

When You’re Insecure About Getting Glasses

word count: 564 || avg. reading time: 2 mins.

pairing: post-time skip!Bokuto x chubby!Reader

genre: comfort fluff

warnings: implied spoilers, a pinch of suggestiveness

“Did you get them?” Bo dropped his bag by the door, stepped out of his shoes and shuffled eagerly to the couch where you sat.

“Hello, baby, how are you? How was your day?”

“Day was great. Not important. Did you get your glasses?”

You gave a little pained smile at your boyfriend’s excitement. For weeks you had been torn between happy anticipation to stop squinting - plus ridding yourself of constant headaches from said squinting - and anxiety. It had already been a process to accept that a professional athlete was literally worshiping the ground you walked on so getting glasses for the first time in your life started a whole new cycle of self consciousness.

“Right there.”, you pointed to the plain hard case on the coffee table in front of you.

Bokuto plopped down next to you, put his arm around your chubby waist and pressed a kiss to your temple before focusing on the case.

“And?”

“I’m scared.”, you admitted.

“Of what?”

“Looking ugly.”

“First of all, don’t ever talk like that about my girlfriend! Because she is the most gorgeous woman, actually, person, on this whole planet. Nay, in the universe.”

You leaned into his hug, giggling, both of you still looking at the case.

“And second of all, if you don’t like them at all, we can still exchange them for a different model, babe. No problem.”, he shrugged, “But think of all the cool things you can do now.”

“Like seeing?”

“Exactly!”

“Hm…”

“Come on, I’ve been dying to see you with glasses all day! I even asked the coach to let me keep my phone during practice in case you’d send me a picture.”

“And he let you?”

“I maaaay have sliiiightly exaggerated and said I need to keep it on in case of emergency but that’s besides the point! Let’s go! Please! - Here, I’ll close my eyes and we can do a big reveal and everything.”, he rambled on, lifting his free large hand to cover his eyes. When he didn’t feel you moving, he peaked through two fingers.

“I have ways of showing you how gorgeous you are, you know.”, he said with a slight chuckle.

Your thoughts flashed back to last month when after a particularly bad day in the outside world Bo had taken it upon himself to get a mirror involved in your amorous endeavors.

You quickly reached for the case, your cheeks burning. You snapped it open and picked up the thinly framed silver glasses.

With awkward movements you set them on your nose, adjusting them here and there, fixing your hair, then turning 90 degrees to look at him. He had kept his promise and was still covering his eyes.

“Can I look?”, he asked.

“At your own risk.”, you said nervously.

He lowered his hand and then focused on you. You felt weird, studied and inspected. Why wasn’t he saying anything? His golden eyes seemed to bore into yours and your cheeks flushed even more.

“W-well…?”

“Give me a minute.”, he replied, his voice sounding a little hoarse. He cleared his throat, “So uhm… we don’t have any plans tomorrow, right?”

“No, why?”

“No reason.”

You squeaked when he easily swept you up in his arms and unceremoniously carried you to your bedroom, requesting, before closing the door with his foot, that you’d please keep the glasses on.

art: unfortunately, I couldn’t find the artist - if anyone knows please lemme know so I can credit!

@haikyu-mp4 🫶🏻

[moonstarsunearth]

Watching the hotel room scene with Tashi and Art and more and more I feel that Art was the one trying to make this personal while Tashi wanted it to keep profesional. And I think he was doing this because he desperately wanted a reason to feel again something,to play and win. That is why he was asking :" tell me it doesn't matter if I win tomorrow? Tell me if you would love me no matter what" " I am playing for both of us". While Tashi is the one wanting to keep the things professionaly :" you are the professional competitor",it must matter to him,not her ,"it can't be about avoiding my judgement" " I am your coach,I work for you".

Until Tashi finally made it personal and told him about leaving him,but did it help? I don't think so,that is why they reacted in that way and why Art was so sad and crying and Tashi with feelings of unease,it didn't work. And we see it the next day,Art is still not feeling tennis,even if she told him that,we are not seeing even a little bit of 6 grand slam winner Art Donaldson in that match against Patrick. And I think that is one the reasons she called Patrick,not just because she lived tennis trough Art,or for not fulfilling her ultimatum,or to fuck Patrick,as she said she felt winning against Patrick as Art had never did before,he could feel confident again,feel tennis again and even if he retired,it would be in his terms. She is taking care as she said to Patrick in his car.

And Tashi felt resentful about this, because she had to do that,like we don't think about how humiliating must be for Tashi to ask Patrick to lose,to show how bad Art and she are,she is asking him to save them,but she was still willingly doing it because she cared. She said in the scene when they were watching the match Art lost that she couldn't do that for him,giving his confidence back,but she is still here trying.

I even think Art isn't even sure about the retirement,that is why he wanted a reaction from Tashi when he told her,like yeah he lost his passion for tennis but I think he also wanted to have it again,he is tired not just of tennis but feeling that way,he is in a losing streak because he lost his passion,after a surgery,the brutal ,demanding,consuming life of a elite tennis player and confidence issues but also it isn't just a cause -effect thing,but a vicious cycle where his defeats made him less confident, tired and with desire to give up and retire and then he loses again... If retirement is what he really wanted and Tashi isn't confronting him,when that must be his biggest fear,why Art didn't feel any type of release at all ?

I remember their first scenes and how Tashi asked him two times " what do you want?"in different tones ,she gave him the option of retirement or continuing being tennis player and he didn't answer really what he WANTED,may be he didn't even know. They are fighting with this battle for some time after the injury,the hotel room scene is the lowest point.

[thesophistiicate]

Hellu

Can you tell me some tips for emotional regulation?

Thanks 🩷

so i’m not a qualified doctor, counsellor, or mental health professional but have built my own emotional regulation over time. it is really helpful to do this with the help of a counsellor, therapist, or even life coach if you can, but you can work on it alone too.

notice and reframe negative thoughts: taking notice of my inner thoughts and realising they were super negative was a big wake up call for me. i tuned into my thoughts more often (esp when stressed or upset) and would turn negative thoughts into positive ones.

journaling: i write morning pages nearly every single morning and it makes a massive amount of difference in identifying emotional patterns. i’m a lot better at figuring out how i feel + managing that before it gets to meltdown/burn out mode. i used to only journal when i was already overwhelmed and emotional and it did help, but it was also creating a cycle of drama and not preventing the overwhelm. daily introspection is preventative.

labelling emotions: i used to really avoid and fear my emotions. but you have to face them, truly feel them, and process them. naming when i am stressed, sad, angry, happy, excited, nervous etc helps so much.

self-nurture: i “self-parent” myself by talking to myself as though i’m a mother speaking to a child: after all, that is the relationship we have to ourselves. especially when i’m upset i speak to myself in a way that’s compassionate, nurturing, gentle, and forgiving, yet also still encouraging and firm.

boundaries: i found setting boundaries really hard at first, i didn’t even know what they should be or how to do it. but doing all the above will help you figure out your limits and how you need to be treated in order to function well. then you can define boundaries that support this.

exercise: yes it has general mental health benefits, but more deeply exercise has helped me gain a sense of connection with my body and how i actually feel, which is huge for getting in touch with your emotions. being out of sync with your emotions often is due to being out of sync with your physical body. exercise will reconnect it. it’s not just about physical goals, exercise is seriously essential to personal development.

overall just paying attention to the tension points in your life, any patterns that keep repeating, any emotions that really trip you up (stress really gets to me) and then figuring out your strategy for overcoming them. be methodical but gentle. but your first job is just to observe.

[canonsinthehead]

Naruto Modern AU/Hollywood pt.2 - Kiri & The All-Star Team

There is a silent hierarchy among all countries and the terrible assumption that bigger countries are better than smaller ones. The large presence and funds of various territories, like the country of fire, wind, earth, and lightning, overwhelms and overshadows small nations, especially in sports where each country dominates certain disciplines.

The land of fire (Konoha): badminton, soccer, gymnastics, and martial arts

The land of lightning (Kumo): Tennis, basketball, and athleticism

The land of earth (Iwa): cross country, marathon, weightlifting, and cycling

But in the last decade, the land of water emerged in the sports scene. It was coming out of years of political conflict that left the country in shambles with record levels of poverty, putting them at the bottom of the economic ladder. Not only was it a smaller nation, but a lot of its endeavors and way of life were unknown to the rest of the world because of the long-lasting reign of violence that controlled the country for decades.

Well, Kiri has been perceived as "these islands far away" with the highest crime rate in the world for the longest but Its newly found peace brought interesting things; industrialization,  a new economy open to the world, the exportation of its products, but specifically the creation of various social classes. This was not the case before, since it was, the government/military vs the rest of the population in poverty.

This modernized economy brought the country a new middle class and other social statuses. It recently started experiencing the concept of celebrities like the rest of the world and most are athletes.

Being surrounded by large bodies of water, any form of water activity has always been intuitive to them. To the point where many accuse them of having a "genetic advantage". Athletes from Kiri/Country of Water can now join world competitions and are killing the game in the water department and making a serious name for their country. They are undefeatable in all forms of swimming kayaking, boat racing, surfing, diving, synchronized/artistic swimming, water polo, etc. Now most of the competitions for these sports are held there.

Kiri is getting recognized overseas for many things, but recently certain people have attained celebrity status for unconventional reasons building a solid international fan base

Mei Terumi, the female president, for her breathtaking beauty

Haku is the new sensation in figure skating. A discipline Kiri started to dominate recently but the young man’s high level of skills made him reach first place in all competitions. His likeability, pure heart, and pretty looks opened many doors for him, he often features in variety shows and commercials. He is also a good friend of the #1 YouTuber/streamer and boxer Naruto Uzumaki and often appears on his channel

Ever since basketball was invented, Kumogakure dominated the sport, but in the past year, the mysterious national basketball team of Kiri has made a name for themselves.

Overnight, a team of 195 cm tall men came out of nowhere and climbed up the world ranking to second place. The team’s name is the Swordsman of the Mist and the current coach is Gengetsu Hozuki It may not seem like it, but many of the members have interesting inheritances and backgrounds.

Kisame Hoshigaki: leader and tallest. Surprisingly decent from a prestigious clan from Kiri. Kisame is an academic genius, who has a diploma in biology from the most prestigious universities in the country of Water but decided to use the basketball scholarship he received instead.

His son Shizuma Hoshigaki is a part-time social media influencer. He is problematic in his own way, but not enough to be canceled yet. Shizuma is not worried because he is a trust fund kid but wishes to outshine his father as a professional swimmer. The jokes write themselves since he barely practices the sport but is among the greatest and fastest the world has to offer (his shark DNA, I guess). He is dating Raiga’s daughter Buntan, and her father is really salty about it

Zabuza Momochi: nobody knows about his background. He is the most muscular. Him and Kisame get the most brand deals and promotions. Zabuza is also one of Haku’s coaches. He took him under his wing under unknown circumstances. He is the first to recognize the boy’s unique talent and aiding him in his journey as an athlete regardless of their differences. Zabuza always had a sweet spot for Haku and considered him like a son. So, he is often absent to prioritize the figure skater’s training.

Kisame knows Zabuza well, they are lifelong friends. The leader lets him get away with missing practices (even if it drives their coach insane). His best friend is a man of a few words, and above all works extremely hard and exercises double their training schedule in his own free time.

Juuzo Biwa: He is the third star player along with Kisame and Zabuza (The Killer Trio). He has no sense of personal space. Ironically, he is the wealthiest because he owns a successful brand of luxury cars coveted by the new high class. He is genuinely funny, and the variety show's favorite.

Raiga: Loudest laugh. Lost a lot of money due to his jewelry addiction. He smokes a pack with the blood of his enemies. The mother of his child is still getting child support payments, and he is bitter, even if they’re legally separated.

Because of His herratic behaviour and anger issues, he is kinda of a self-made outcast. The other members can cooporate as co-workers and teamates but nothing beyond that (Raiga has is own circle of friends). Since Raiga is so unhinged, no matter their coach's efforts, him and Zabuza do not get along.

Hassaku Onomichi: professional dunker. He befriended a lot of Kumo basketball players. He often gets caught up in beefs with anyone.

The popularity of the basketball team has offered them fans all across the world for their incredible talent, pleasant chemistry, unique sense of humor, and good looks to the point where tabloids from Konoha have launched a misinformation campaign to stain their image and effort to defend their basketball teams after getting constantly crushed by those "foreigners".

The last match of the International Basketball League’s series opposing The Swordmen of the Mist from Kiri against The Lightnings from Kumo was the most anticipated and heated match ever organized. Taking place in Konoha, it made record engagement and attendance. For the first time in history, Kumo lost the finale to first timers. The news traveled all across the world and, certified Kiri’s team's celebrity status since they won.

With their success, many shady investors like Gato started to take interest in basketball as a means of proposing Kiri overseas and for other shady dealings. The weight of all those rumors pushed many fans who knew Gato’s involvement in Haku’s career to beg him to change his manager/owner ASAP.

PART 1 next part

[australianwomensnews]

I’m staring at a freeze-frame of a bare-chested man behind the text “Why is menopause painful?” when a woman’s head pops up from the corner of the screen, wavy haired and bespectacled.

“You know what’s painful in menopause?” she says. “Having to listen to pontificating shirtless dudes who have no idea what the f--- they’re talking about.”

The woman is Dr Jen Gunter, a Canadian-born, US-based gynaecologist and author who earned the moniker “vagina antichrist” after her searing critique of Gwyneth Paltrow’s $250 million wellness empire Goop in 2017, which was selling vaginal jade eggs, espousing the benefits of vaginal steaming and claiming bras caused cancer.

Seven years later, women are being bombarded with bad intel about their own bodies with rapid-fire repetition on TikTok and Instagram that trades on fear, often before hawking a pricey, unproven, potentially hazardous solution, Gunter says.

“Misinformation is the most pressing problem for women’s health today,” Gunter says before a visit to Sydney for National Science Week, including a speaking event at UNSW on August 15.

“These algorithms are creepy smart, and they favour fear,” she said. “It’s not just the original video we’re dealing with, it’s the people who stitch [which allows users to combine a video with a new video they create], then those videos get views and shares and comments, which [is rewarded by] the algorithm,” she said.

“We mistake repetition for accuracy. It’s very human. And once you are exposed to misinformation it’s very hard to then accept valid information.”

Social media may provide a vehicle for medical untruths, but it’s also a salve.

Gunter has 355,000 followers on TikTok, 289,000 on Instagram and 360,000 on X, and she’s not the only medical professional on TikTok and Instagram (not to mention scientists and official health departments and peak healthcare organisations) debunking wellness myths and providing science-backed information. Most are less sweary.

The proliferation of misinformation is understandable. It is what fills the vacuum when accurate, accessible information about women’s health is scarce.

“We know many women don’t get the healthcare they need because they are dismissed and sent home with pain. They are let down by the healthcare system, and that’s when predators or the wellness industry swoop in,” Gunter said.

Her targets include naturopaths, chiropractors, lifestyle coaches, and influencers who espouse unfounded and erroneous “health advice”.

An Instagram post that recently drew her ire was by a “body connection coach” with more than 13,000 followers who said she avoided cervical cancer screening, colonoscopies and mammograms before advertising her course for $750.

Gunter also responded to a TikTok (which had more than 677,000 likes) in which a woman recommended putting boric acid into one’s vagina to “be perfect down there”. Boric acid kills good bacteria as well as bad and is very irritating to the vaginal mucosa, Gunter told her followers.

The “worst myth” for Gunter, is the “hormone imbalance” trend, which co-opts hormonal health: the changes in hormones that influence the reproductive cycle, menstruation, puberty and menopause.

Proponents claim rebalancing hormones is responsible for an expanding array of ailments including gut problems and autoimmune diseases that can be treated with detoxes, ceasing hormonal contraception and hormone health courses.

“It’s a nonsensical thing, just a made-up term that people can turn it into whatever they want to suit their purposes,” she said.

Her approach has brought her admirers and vocal critics.

“I certainly get attacked a lot by other women,” she said. “I just want you to have the power that comes with knowledge about how your body works. You can do with it what you want.”

She recalls a patient whose husband had read online that contraceptive pills irrevocably damaged fertility.

“They were having a little trouble getting pregnant the second time, and she was literally sobbing on the floor thinking she had damaged her fertility by taking birth control pills. That is cruel,” Gunter said.

“When I started tackling misinformation online I thought I’d have this fixed in a few years, then I won’t have to have these conversations in the office any more. I was so naive.”

The spread of misinformation has been recognised by social media companies. Both TikTok and Meta employ mechanisms aimed at curbing its spread.

A spokesperson for Meta (which owns Instagram) said, “Meta is committed to stopping the spread of misinformation. We use a combination of enforcement technology, human review and independent fact-checkers to identify, review and take action on this type of content.”

In a statement, a spokesman for TikTok said, “Our Community Guidelines prohibit misinformation, including medical misinformation, that may cause significant harm to people, and we remove millions of pieces of content in Australia each year.”

[devotioncrater]

literalllllyyyyy so fuckign ill. thinking about how the ted lasso writers have the insane set-up to a queer love story about two men who see one another and can know one another.

one a gay man whose first career stemmed from the jealousy he felt towards professional footballers so much so he made a name for himself tearing them down. all in the hopes his intellect and knowledge of the sport would make his father proud. would make his father accept him. would show everyone who underestimated him at school just what kind of force he is. he can't play within the sport of heterosexuality football but he sure as shit can judge it

the other a bisexual man who never understood why others underestimated him. whose father died by suicide when he was 16, a boy who had to witness what death looked like. how every major choice he makes is all in memoriam of his father. to make him proud. to say "yeah, dad, i ain't failed you yet. are you watching?" he doesn't know jackshit about the technical aspects of heterosexuality football, so he coaches what he feels is important to his team. be open-minded, be supportive, be kind....he hasn't connected the dots just yet

and yet these two men become a constant in each other's lives without fucking saying anything. "what do you love?" becomes "i love our chats". an empty second row chair in the press room becomes a cause of worry. the shared experience of traumatic fathers becomes a cycle broken together with their own respective daughter and son

it's these two men who can see one another and accept each other for all their flaws and dirt and still look for the other in a crowded locker room

[mixelation]

ninjacon rambling again

i want to write minato (his pov) at ninjacon but in order to this it turns out i have to. make? timeline decisions???

NINJA CON 1: Tori and Kakashi go. Kakashi leaves her alone for too long and Sasori finds her. Tori is 14-15.

sometime after this tori and itachi start a book club and also they start dating

NINJACON 2: Tori and Kakashi go again; Minato decides extremely last minute to just show up. Kushina tells him he has to actually enjoy his vacation and bans him from coming home except for emergencies (bc otherwise he'd go home to sleep and likely get distracted by something in Konoha). Tori is 15-16

sometime after this The Cave Incident happens

also at ninjacon 2 i want to play around with a few things. 1) civilian perception of the yellow flash (and more broadly, kage and ninja and the war). 2) minato and kakashi interacting as adults during their down time, and then 3) minato-tori one-on-one interactions.

i think for the last one, though, i need to do a better job at building up the tori-kushina relationship? i don't actually find kushina that interesting by herself (she's just not a character type i gravitate towards) so i feel like i've given this less rotation that i should have.

i think kushina projects a lot onto tori, in that tori is the girl of the team AND from another village (which was destroyed!) AND she's into fuinjutsu. PLUS tori very obviously needs the most coaching in standard ninja skills. so like kushina maybe sees tori as her unofficial apprentice? kushina is pretty apt to make excuses for her entire team's behavior, but she's obviously the most excited about teaching tori, and then after team 4 naturally dissolves as part of the genin team life cycle, tori has the most ongoing professional interactions and mentorship from kushina moving forward.

(tori is annoyed by kushina for the first three months and then somewhere around iwa a switch gets flipped and tori is like. actually kushina-sensei is the only person i trust to like me unconditionally. she is a key part of my mental health and i will kill anyone who tries to fuck with her)

anyway!! so i think kushina probably talks about tori a WHOLE LOT in private, and probably minato has a lot of fondness for tori that's literally just there because kushina likes her. some of tori's fuinjutsu is baffling and horrifying to him. i guess i have to decide how often they've interacted over that?? but he likes her even if they've barely had any one-on-one time. i just have to maybe reflect on what exactly kushina would like to babble about

[jennibeultimate]

Miki Ando allegedly has a relationship with her 16 year old student

A translation of the original article by fs_gossip:

The translation:

The original article by Bunshun

This is grooming behavior. And even if their ages were closer or whatever there is a power imbalance between skater and coach and that's why relationships between students and coaches are problematic.

Keep in mind that Miki Ando allegedly was in a relationship with Nikolai Morozov when she was a competitor. Now she is doing the same to her student...it's a vicious circle...

It's a fckd up world...how many scandals does figure skating need for the abuse cycle to be broken???

All the best to the boy and I hope he gets support to break free from this relationship and gets the support to continue his career with a professional coach who respects boundaries! 🙏

Miki Ando previously had two posts in her sns one on twt and one on Insta that showed that she was feeling misunderstood and showed that she is mentally not in a good place (probably bc of the news surrounding her)

While I condemn any kind of ill wishes towards Miki Ando I hope that she realizes her inappropriate behavior towards her student and that this is not a professional distance to a student whether the dating part is true or not. The pictures alone show enough to see this is not a usual coach/student relationship. I hope she gets the support to understand her wrongs.

Oh and fck you to everyone who defends her behavior! She is 36 years old and has an 11 year old daughter, she really should know and do better!

[losersroom]

self-indulgent omegaverse concept #29.b

thinking about a situation where it's just routine and normal for a guy's alpha teammates to help him through a heat, because the sooner he gets his brains fucked out the sooner he'll cycle through it and the less time he'll have to miss. plus it's good for team bonding! so for years and years omega jonas was just sort of... partnered up with matt as his heat buddy, never wanted to spend that time with anyone else even though it wasn't like a Relationship situation and he always knew that eventually matt was going to move on and get a real mate.

but then dumba moves to arizona and jonas needs a new heat partner, so... why not use the hot young alpha who's on top pair with him now. brock sure seems eager to help, and if he's kind of inexperienced that just means jonas will have to coach him through it. teach him what he likes. definitely this won't end with jonas catching feelings again, he can stay professional.

[i-love-love]

Chrissy and the Female Athlete Triad

More Chrissyposting! Yay! This one is wordy and a little heavy on medical jargon but I promise it's interesting.

Another thing to think about when it comes to Chrissy Cunningham is the Female Athlete Triad. This is a concept from sports medicine which addresses three problems which tend to appear and snowball together in female athletes.

Low BMI (whether from high exertion/poor nutritional energy replacement and/or an eating disorder-- especially in sports where smallness is an ideal or beneficial for performance, such as cheer, ballet, gymnastics, figure skating, etc.)

Irregular or absent menstruation

Osteopenia/Osteoporosis

If you want to read some of the science around it, here's a PubMed article explaining stuff about prevalence, symptoms, mechanisms, effects, etc. (Please note, I'm not an expert or medical professional! None of this is medical advice! I just know about this from having an eating disorder while doing sports in high school and thought you Chrissy fans might be intrigued.)

Some things to know about the Female Athlete Triad:

As many as 70% of female athletes (in leanness-emphasizing sports) might lose their periods, compared to 2-5% of nonathlete girls. As many as 70% of athletes are dieting and may have disordered eating patterns/eating disorders (estimates of eating disorder prevalence in female athletes is 16-47%, vs 10% in nonathlete girls). As many as 22-50% of female athletes may have osteopenia, and up to 13% of female athletes may have osteoporosis (vs 12% and 2.3% in the general population, respectively). All that to say, these issues are all pretty prevalent in female athletes! Not all of these issues are necessarily present simultaneously, but none of them are unlikely in, say, the head cheerleader.

These issues can to make each other worse-- amenorrhea (loss of period) is associated with decreased leptin (hormone that makes you hungry), which can worsen the weight loss, and decreased estrogen, which makes osteoporosis worse. Insufficient food intake can make amenorrhea worse, and nutrient deficiency (calcium specifically) can also worsen osteoporosis.

Amenorrhea can be either primary (period doesn't appear by age 15) or secondary (loss of period for 3+ months after periods have begun). Secondary amenorrhea can be caused by suppression of the part of the brain that tells the menstrual cycle to keep moving (this results in estrogen deficiency, which can lead to mood swings, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, headaches, depression, fatigue, dry skin, and trouble concentrating-- plus make weight loss and bone strength worse), overstimulation of the parts of the brain that respond to stress (caused by very high, prolonged stress, which also tends to cause, y'know, psychological problems), or disturbances in a part of the brain that talks to the thyroid (leading to someone who doesn't have a thyroid problem, but looks like they do-- fatigue, constipation, feeling cold, joint/muscle pain, difficulty concentrating, thinning hair, rapid or slowed heart rate, weakness, etc.).

Poor coaching can be involved in the low food intake part of the issue-- if coaches don't inform their teams about proper nutrition, athletes may not even realize they need to increase their food intake to match energy expenditure from their workouts. They can also make things worse by praising/encouraging weight loss without care for how it happens. This was worse in the 80s before preventing eating disorders in female athletes became a big conversation.

Adolescence is a hugely important time for acquiring your bone mass, for women-- 25% of all bone mass accrual happens in the 2 years surrounding your first period, and 92% of bone mass is achieved by age 18. Bone problems in female athletes can take multiple forms, including insufficient minerals (not enough stuff to make your bones, so you don't have sturdy ones) and poor bone remodeling (bone cell formation can be interrupted, and if this happens the bone will be weaker and more prone to injury). Typically, female athletes have stronger bones than nonathletes because they're strengthening the bones with exercise, but amenorrheic and malnourished girls are observed to have significantly less bone mineral density (BMD) compared to girls who are eating well/have their periods, which overrides the benefit of sports for the bones. Tibial fractures (shins) are the most common. Also, if you don't make strong bones during the developmental period you're supposed to (adolescence), sometimes you never recovery and have weak bones for life.

Longterm complications may include infertility, decreased immune function, stress fractures/broken bones, permanent osteopenia/osteoporosis, and organ damage from nutritional deficiency.

Some implications for your fics and headcanons:

Often, when stress is reduced and eating goes back to normal, periods can come back very suddenly. When she moves out, enters recovery, or even just when she graduates and isn't cheering (regular intense physical activity) anymore, it may start up again, which might make her kinda mad (wouldn't you be?) or be a source of guilt (as in, are my problems really even that bad if my body is being normal again, why am I being So Dramatic, etc.)

Longterm menstrual dysfunction can lead to infertility. Laura, being Laura, may harp on her about it (either in her teenage years, as in "if you keep this up you'll never be able to have children and men won't want a broken woman" or later in life, as in "where are my grandchildren? your infertility is all your fault and I'm the real victim of it")

She may think she can't get pregnant due to her absent period. Her doctors/coaches may have told her this (it's not strictly true but this idea is not wholly uncommon even today, and back then before this was better researched it was sometimes spread by professionals) or, better yet, her teammates! A little locker room wink-wink-nudge-nudge "it's okay to put out, nobody will find out because we can't get pregnant, perks of being a cheerleader!" type deal is great for drama. Especially relevant if you're wanting to do a teen/surprise pregnancy fic. Relatedly, bone problems can cause complications during pregnancy/labor/birth (broken tailbone, broken pelvis-- ouch! and full of narrative conflict/drama!)

Decreased immune function -> sickfic. You're welcome.

Stress fractures are often overlooked at first, especially among athletes who are kinda used to treating their bodies like punching bags. Because they're not as obvious as a break, athletes might walk and exercise on them until they're excruciating. Y'know, not like Chrissy would ever do something like that, right?

Also, she's at permanent risk for health issues like fragile bones (easier to break a bone in the future, even without cheerleading) and organ problems (especially since her eating disorder is shown to involve self-induced vomiting, which is particularly catastrophic for organs like the heart, kidneys, stomach, and intestines). Great for medical drama even in stories where she's older.

Broken bones in minors are a big red flag in emergency rooms for abuse. Even if they come from sports, doctors/nurses may try to get Chrissy aside to ask about her home life if she comes in with a broken bone (it was the 80s so child abuse as a social topic was much less discussed, but a broken bone was still a flag at the time as I understand it). Conversely, Laura may not let her go to the doctor if she has a broken bone/stress fracture, either to prevent this discussion from taking place or because she believes Chrissy is faking/being overdramatic.

Anyway that was maybe a little incoherent but I hope it was helpful!

[bluehardtops]

"Peter Bonnington tackles the banking at the Manchester Velodrome" (photo taken Wednesday December 9th 2009) [x] || December 13th 2009

"Members of the Brawn GP squad have been proving that they are not just winners on tarmac, but can take on Britain’s finest on the cycle track too. A group from the Brackley factory visited Manchester Velodrome on Wednesday to join the professional bike racing outfit Team Sky with the mission of proving that they could be as competitive on two wheels as on four.

The group, which included race engineers Andrew Shovlin and Peter Bonnington, tackled the challenge with a practice session on the track before taking advantage of coaching and advice from members of the team from British Cycling.

According to the team, they took part in a short pursuit race, were joined on the track by Olympic gold medallist and Team Sky member Geraint Thomas, and visited the Science and Technology department at the English Institute of Sport to learn how cycling shapes up to Formula One.

Team Sky will compete from 2010 with the aim of producing a British winner of cycling’s most high-profile event, the Tour de France, within five years – very similar to Brawn GP’s feat of winning the Formula One world drivers’ championship with Jenson Button.

Speaking after the event, Peter Bonnington said: “Riding at Manchester Velodrome was a truly awesome experience and meeting some of the Olympians made it a day to remember.

“We were hugely impressed by the level of detail that goes into making a world beating team and how everyone was so focused and passionate about their sport.

“Thank you on behalf of everyone who attended on the day from Brawn GP to all of those at British Cycling who made this visit possible.”

[larsnicklas]

hockey writing appreciation club part iii (part i here, part ii here) hi everyone!! you know what time it is! i've collected another handful (and then some) articles i've really enjoyed over the past few weeks! support good writing, support good sports journalism — with clicks and with subscriptions if that's in your ability/inclination! hope you enjoy some of these; my particular favorites in this batch are the pius suter piece and the coyotes story. as always, i welcome recommendations if you have them!!

remember that a "🔒" implies a paywalled article, but this is often easily worked around by entering your browser's "reader mode"!

NHL graybeards still find ways to make major impact In most any other field, Pavelski, at 39, would be viewed as someone who has much of his career ahead of him. If he were named CEO of a company, he'd be on a "40 under 40" list or might be talked about as the next great innovator. But when it comes to hockey and other pro sports? There's a belief that being 30 -- let alone 35 or 40 -- and still productive is something just short of a miracle. And for the record, Pavelski said he has not found a gray hair.

The Cyclist: Pius Suter’s clinching goal and the secret behind Canucks’ success 🔒 Although Suter still drives to games, he goes about town mostly on his bicycle. Most days, he cycles into practice on a racing bike with narrow tires; he did so even during massive February snow storms, to the amusement of his teammates, support staff and management. “It’s Canada,” Suter said, “you’d think they’d clear the roads! At least, I did. “Honestly, it feels like home. I played in Zurich, biked always to practice and games and I love not having to use the car.”

Marie-Philip Poulin and the PWHL have yet another landmark moment: ‘It’s a movement’ 🔒 But the building was still mostly empty, and still, for Marie-Philip Poulin, a living legend, this was a lot to take in. She skated over to the bench for an interview with the arena hostess that would go live in the building, and the first question was about how she felt in this moment, in this environment, on this stage, about to play a professional hockey game in her native Quebec in front of this many people. In front of this many of her people.

What really happens during NHL intermissions? The naked truth 🔒 When the clock strikes zero at the end of each period, we watch the teams filter off the ice, down a tunnel and into their respective locker rooms. But what’s really going on back there while we hit the restroom, maybe grab a $14 beer and $7.50 hot dog?

Inside the Coyotes' stunning move from Arizona to Utah In April, Smith posted to X asking fans for team name suggestions should the NHL ever come to Utah. That was a huge tell to the hockey world: This was happening. But back in Arizona, players and coaches were still in the dark. For all they knew, there was a plan in motion that would keep them in Phoenix. What they didn't know was how little faith the NHL had in it being executed by this ownership group, and how badly it wanted the Coyotes out of Mullett Arena.

What makes Macklin Celebrini the next big thing in hockey On a Saturday night in January 2023, the Golden State Warriors had an off night in Chicago. Draymond Green didn't want to go to dinner or out on the town. He had another idea: going to the suburbs to watch junior hockey. "​​How often do you get an opportunity to see Sidney Crosby at 17?" Green reasoned. The next big thing in hockey is Macklin Celebrini, the unanimous No. 1 prospect of the 2024 NHL draft class. Celebrini is also the son of Rick Celebrini, the Warriors vice president of player health and performance.

Pursuit of perfection drives Kucherov's intense summer training If you walk through the sliding glass doors and into the lobby of TGH Ice Plex on a weekday morning, it's quiet. You may find a staff member answering a call at the front desk or spot an employee from the pro shop carrying cardboard boxes filled with equipment. That's about it. But if you walk to the right and peek out to the south rink, you'll probably find Nikita Kucherov.

How use of analytics is part of Colorado Avalanche’s secret sauce: “Numbers are unemotional” One of the key aspects of how Bednar and his staff help the players connect with and absorb the data is not the numbers themselves. Most players aren’t going to care if tonight’s opponent is creating X shots in the slot area on the power play per game, or Y shots from the right faceoff circle. But tell them a team is fourth in the league in one category or 30th in another — and then supplement it with video clips — and the information hits home.

What are NHL series supervisors? How unseen officials help teams, league coordinate during playoffs 🔒 The supervisors travel as the series shifts cities. They are there whenever the clubs need to meet. The other important part of their job is meeting with referees and linesmen, who rotate from series to series. Supervisors fill them in on what’s been happening in the series — what the temperature of it is, the issues each club has raised in meetings, etc. That gives the refs a sense going in of what to look for that night in the game.

Connor Bedard's first season has lived up to expectations When the 18-year-old's jaw broke, everything he had been building for was cruelly interrupted. "It's not fun not to play," Bedard said. "I was dying to get back." One week after surgery to repair his fractured jaw, Bedard convinced trainers to allow him to skate. Solid foods were out, so he drank as many soups, smoothies and supplements as his body would allow, desperate not to lose weight.

[stargazer-sims]

family photo

Here are three generations of the Pavlenko family, posing for a proper family portrait. If it wasn't obvious, their collective favourite colour is green.

From left to right; Grandpa Nikolai, Elena, Mikhail, and twins Nikolai and Natalya.

Grandpa Nikolai is retired now, but he had a long and successful career as a biochemist. He was also his grandson's de facto manager and his biggest fan during his figure skating career. He's got a genius-level intellect and isn't shy about telling people as much. He loves to socialize, and he's kind of a busybody.

Mikhail, known as Mike to the majority of his Canadian friends and acquaintances, is a master machinist. He speaks flawless English, but is shy and reticent, and this unfortunately leads many people to think he isn't capable of much, including being able to communicate effectively. In reality, Mike is extremely intelligent, just like his father.

Elena, sometimes called Lena by her close friends and family, is a master tailor and owns her own shop. She's not a particularly demonstrative person, but she loves her husband, children and father-in-law as fiercely as any mama bear. If it ever came to it, she'd defend them just as fiercely. She loves winter, and enjoys skating and taking long walks through the forest.

Natalya, better known as Natascha to just about everyone, is the older of Mike & Elena's twins. She's a physical therapist, specializing in athletic rehabilitation. One of her more notable sets of clients is the Brindleton Bay Mariners hockey team. Natascha is divorced and not particularly interested in finding a new partner. She likes to travel, loves the outdoors and enjoys cycling and skating with her brother.

Nikolai is usually called Kolya by his family and close friends. He's the younger twin, and secretly his grandfather's favourite. He's a former competitive figure skater, and is currently a figure skating coach. Nikolai is also divorced, but unlike his sister, he's happy for a second chance at love. He's engaged to his partner Mishka, a former professional hockey player, and is looking forward to their upcoming wedding. Like his sister, Nikolai loves the outdoors and enjoys camping, hiking, cycling and canoeing. He likes to cook and enjoys working with Mishka in their garden. He's also a confirmed cat person.

[ruralsalessuccess]

What Is the Best Approach to Rural Sales Training in New Zealand?

In New Zealand's dynamic rural sector, sales success hinges on specialized training tailored to its unique challenges. Whether you’re starting your career or looking to enhance your leadership skills, understanding rural sales training and the value of programs like the Rural Sales Manager Mastery Programme is essential. This microblog will explore the most common questions people ask about rural sales training in New Zealand, along with insights from the Rural Sales Manager Mastery Programme to guide your decision-making.

What Is Rural Sales Training in New Zealand?

Rural sales training in New Zealand refers to specialized programs aimed at equipping professionals with the skills needed to sell effectively in rural markets. These training modules are tailored to the agricultural and farming sector's nuances, which differ significantly from urban sales environments. A robust understanding of rural clients’ needs, building trust, and maintaining long-term relationships are some of the key components covered in such training programs.

Popular programs in New Zealand, such as the Rural Sales Success Programme, focus on offering practical, industry-specific sales strategies. Whether you're dealing with farm machinery, animal feed, or agricultural technology, a specialized training approach is crucial for success.

Why Is Rural Sales Training Different From Other Sales Training?

People often ask why rural sales training differs from other forms of sales training. In rural sales, the relationships between salespeople and clients are deeper and more personal. Clients in rural areas often value personal interaction and long-term relationships over hard-selling tactics. This requires a salesperson to not only understand the product but also the day-to-day realities of rural life.

Moreover, sales cycles can be longer, as farmers and rural businesses tend to make purchasing decisions based on seasonal cycles and the availability of funds, which can be influenced by the weather or commodity prices. For this reason, patience, trust-building, and a deeper understanding of the customer are key components of rural sales.

How Does the Rural Sales Manager Mastery Programme Help Leaders?

If you are a manager looking to lead a rural sales team, the Rural Sales Manager Mastery Programme provides a comprehensive toolkit to sharpen your leadership abilities. This programme helps in understanding the rural business environment and equips sales managers with the skills to motivate their teams effectively.

Managers who enroll in the Rural Sales Manager Mastery Programme learn how to:

Foster trust with rural customers.

Build and maintain long-term business relationships.

Develop strategies tailored to rural market challenges.

Lead teams with empathy and clarity, creating a collaborative environment.

The program is designed to offer actionable insights and strategies that you can implement immediately to improve your team's performance.

What Are the Key Benefits of Rural Sales Training in New Zealand?

The benefits of undergoing rural sales training in New Zealand are manifold:

Understanding Rural Clients: Sales professionals learn to communicate effectively with farmers and rural business owners, understanding their pain points, concerns, and buying behavior.

Tailored Sales Techniques: The training programs, such as the Rural Sales Success Programme, focus on rural-specific sales strategies that consider seasonal cycles, environmental factors, and rural business practices.

Building Trust: Trust is critical in rural sales. Clients often prefer building long-term relationships with their sales representatives, so knowing how to earn and maintain trust is invaluable.

Leadership Skills: For those in managerial roles, programs like the Rural Sales Manager Mastery Programme emphasize leadership, enabling you to coach and develop your sales team effectively.

FAQs

What makes rural sales training effective? Effective rural sales training programs focus on relationship-building and understanding the unique challenges rural businesses face. Courses like the Rural Sales Manager Mastery Programme offer insights into managing longer sales cycles and earning the trust of rural clients.

Is there a difference between rural and urban sales approaches? Yes. Rural sales rely more heavily on personal relationships and trust, while urban sales tend to be more transactional. Sales professionals in rural markets need to be patient and adaptable to the client’s seasonal and economic conditions.

How do I become a successful rural sales manager? Becoming a successful rural sales manager involves developing leadership skills and the ability to motivate a sales team in the unique context of rural New Zealand. Enrolling in a program like the Rural Sales Manager Mastery Programme can give you the skills to navigate this environment and build strong relationships with both clients and your team.

Are there free rural sales training resources available in New Zealand? While many comprehensive training programs like the Rural Sales Manager Mastery Programme require an investment, there are also free resources available that cover basic skills and insights into rural sales. However, for more specialized and actionable advice, enrolling in a structured program is recommended.

How Do Rural Sales Training Programs Evolve to Stay Relevant?

The agricultural sector is constantly evolving, with new technologies, regulations, and market demands. As such, rural sales training programs need to adapt to these changes. Modern programs incorporate digital sales strategies, technology use, and ways to adapt to the increasingly data-driven farming industry.

The Rural Sales Manager Mastery Programme includes up-to-date modules that reflect current market conditions. These courses integrate the latest in sales technology and management techniques to keep you competitive in the changing landscape of rural New Zealand.

Conclusion:

Whether you're new to the field or looking to enhance your skills, rural sales training programs like the Rural Sales Success Programme can significantly impact your sales performance. If you're in a leadership position, the Rural Sales Manager Mastery Programme offers specialized insights into managing teams and building long-lasting customer relationships in rural New Zealand.

By investing in the right training, you can navigate the unique challenges of the rural market with confidence and success.

For more details, you can visit Rural Sales Success and explore the Rural Sales Manager Mastery Programme.

[matt-imagines-popcorn]

General Disco Kid Headcanons

Disco Kid is the so-called "baby" of the family - with two older brothers and a twin who only came out five minutes before he did. 

 All four brothers shared an intense love for all things creative - and boxing, of course. Only furthered on by their uncle, more famously known by his boxer name Kid Quick. They all loved to play fight with him and genuinely, he was just a fun dude to be around. Easily one of Disco Kid’s biggest inspirations on picking up the sport. 

Similarly to Mac, Disco Kid starred as a professional boxer when he was 17, recommended by Kid Quick himself. He was his coach for a while, showing him the rope and all that fun jazz. Hell, Disco Kid was about to box for his chance to be in the Major Circuit - at least before Kid Quick disappeared. 

Disco Kid is pretty smart, perhaps the smartest boxer in the WVBA. He was able to befriend a good chunk of the others easily by picking up on their native language. Despite this, he is dumb enough to continue on the torturous cycle of getting beaten up late at night and waking up early in the morning for college.

Speaking of which, Disco Kid is in college! It’s a bit challenging, getting beat up at night then waking up to do a Chemistry test first thing in the morning but he makes it work. Currently he only plans on doing his basics - just so then he has a fallback plan if boxing starts not paying the bills. 

Both Glass Joe and Von Kaiser sorta took on being the parental figure in the WVBA for Disco Kid. Or at least starting to look over him and making sure WVBA ain’t fucking him over some way. Joe is closer to Disco Kid, the two hanging outside of boxing and getting snacks and drinks by a closeby cafe. Kaiser isn’t super close with Disco Kid like Joe is but they sometimes spar together and he gives him pointers occasionally.

Disco Kid was a bit sour at King Hippo when he first lost to them. Kid Quick just went missing when Hippo first joined. The worry of his uncle was still fresh on Disco Kid and losing his Minor Champ title made him depressed and a bit snappy. Thankfully King Hippo never seemed to put it to heart and was always friendly to Disco. At some point Disco did apologize for his behavior and, while a bit awkward for him, Disco considers Hippo to be a friend.

Despite living in Brooklyn all his life - he is weak sauce against the cold weather. He’s not leaving his house till he has at least four layers on. What makes it worse is the fact the Minor Circuit’s building has no heating (Because as I mentioned before: WVBA is a nightmare) so the poor man is left shaking like a leaf. 

My diet has just been apple sauce and soda every other week and its slowly killing me. I almost stabbed my father with a plastic spoon the other day due to the simple fact he was able to eat a sandwich without throwing up.