More understanding in the athletic field

So over the past two weeks I’ve decided to take up crew (rowing/sculling) as a new sport. I was nervous about talking to the coach about being T1 (having to spend hours explaining what it is etc.). I talked to him about it and he then talked for about thirty minutes telling me stories of T1 rowers he’s had in the past (most involved some very humorous hypos). Furthermore, both of the coxswains and most of the other rowers knew the basics of T1 and how to treat hypos. This shocked me quite a bit seeing as how most of the nurses I’ve met know less than non-diabetic athletes seem to know. Anyone else in team sports notice this sort of thing? Is it just me or is there more of an understanding about diabetes within the athletic field? I’ve noticed the same sort of thing when I’m at the gym - most of the other lifters (the serious ones) seem to know more than the average joe about T1.

I haven’t been on many sports teams since high school, but I do remember that to be the case. The level of connectedness that teammates share is usually much greater than the general public. So if a teammate has T1, they make it a point to know what’s going on and how to plan for it. I think that’s one of the best parts of a team. I think it’s awesome you’re taking it up!!!



Of the body builders I’ve known, most have a good understanding of metabolism. Better than some of the so-called medical professionals that I’ve met. Even if they don’t know things pathway by pathway, they know the general effects of how food and exercise affect hormones and that type of thing.

Yeah, I waited until the absolute last minute to tell the track coach at the college I was heading to that I was diabetic. Pretty nerve wracking but without a second’s hesitation or second look, he just said, “I’ve dealt with a lot worse.”

It seems like any experienced coach or trainer who’s been around athletics long enough has probably had to deal with a diabetic athelete. I imagine that the actual level of overall knowledge about diabetes varies, but having to get the best athletic performance out of somebody always on that ragged edge between ideal BG and hypoglycemia give’s you a decent working knowledge of BG management. I don’t think my coach ever knew exactly what my A1c meant, but there were a lot of times when he could get a good idea of what my BG was, high or low, just by watching me run and checking his stopwatch.

I can’t make a broad generalization here, but from experience with my boyfriend (of the past year) who is an athlete: Yes.

He ran track and cross country in high school and college, and also played basketball, football, baseball, swam, and was a wrestler (I wasn’t kidding about him being an athlete!) in high school. He’s known very few diabetics before me, but I think he was more in tune with these people than the average person might be.

I think it also helps that he has a minor in Coaching - I think a lot of coaches just care enough to find out about a lot of conditions their athletes may have.