WEEK #49: MIKYLA M.

Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

The main drum that I beat to is Archery. I am a recurve archer and I have been shooting and coaching since 2012. I love to work with people and volunteer in my community. I am an avid learner and just completed my undergraduate degree in August of this year and I graduated this November with distinction. I have coached the Zone 7 Archery team (North Eastern Alberta Zone) at the 2016, 2018, and 2020 Alberta Winter Games in Lethbridge, Wood Buffalo County, and Lethbridge, respectively.

What is the best advice you’ve received as a leader or athlete? How do you apply this advice?

To just breathe. My favorite quote is that Archery is 95% mental and the other 5% is in your head. Athlete or coach, excited or angry, taking a deep breath and taking a moment to let your emotions settle- into a glow or into calm, will never put you on the wrong path.

What would tell a girl who is thinking of dropping out of sport?

Consider coming down with the common cold: you have a runny nose, itchy throat, and bad cough. What is the problem here? If you say the runny nose or cough, you are identifying symptoms of a problem. The issue is the cold that is causing your cold symptoms. So, why do you want to leave your sport? Did you find one that speaks to you more or works better with your commitments? Then by all means, go for it! I would not want to be the one to hold you back. But are you dropping out because you are the only girl, or you feel lonely, or you don’t think you are good enough? Well girl, those are just symptoms of your problem. A lot of those feelings come down to your core needs not being met. In that situation, please reach out to a trusted coach, parent, or mentor to discuss reasons you are considering leaving your sport. There are a ton of resources to help make your life easier, and they are available if you just ask. As coaches, we are all on your side and we always want to see you succeed.

What advice do you have for parents, coaches or sport administrators to encourage or improve sport for females?

Consider your audience. Are there things you do that unintentionally benefit males over females in your sport? Remember that coaching females is different than coaching males in that a lot of sport has been catered to men for centuries. Some forms or techniques that work very well for female bodies could injure female athletes. Some performance standards are skewed toward supporting the physiological abilities of men over women. Be aware of your gender biases and work to eliminate, minimize, or alter these gender-based barriers to the best of your ability.

What is a quote that motivates you?

“Archery is 95% mental and the other 5% is in your head.” -Unknown