Team captains’ experiences of sporting leadership during menstruation in student-athletes

Scarlett M. Kent; Ryland Morgans; Ben Ryan; Ola Krukowska-Burke

doi:10.1016/j.peh.2025.100409

Team captains’ experiences of sporting leadership during menstruation in student-athletes

Scarlett M. Kent^*
, Ryland Morgans
, Ben Ryan
, Ola Krukowska-Burke

^*Corresponding author for this work

Cardiff School of Sport and Health Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the impact of menstruation on team captains’ leadership experiences and whether menstruation has implications on performance as a team captain. Twelve captains from eight different sports participated in semi-structured interviews. The data was analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Five main themes were generated: 1) Navigating Heightened Negative Emotions, 2) Communication Under Strain, 3) The Struggle to Lead on Low Motivation, 4) Influence on Cognitive Processes and 5) Disruptions to Confidence. In conclusion, the results revealed that whilst the team captains had unique experiences, navigating and approaching leadership roles in diverse ways, participants mostly agreed that performance as a captain was adversely affected during menstruation.

Original language	English
Article number	100409
Journal	Performance Enhancement and Health
Early online date	17 Jan 2026
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.peh.2025.100409
Publication status	Published - 17 Jan 2026

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

Female
Leadership
Menstruation
Sport
Student-athletes
Team captains

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10.1016/j.peh.2025.100409

Cite this

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title = "Team captains{\textquoteright} experiences of sporting leadership during menstruation in student-athletes",

abstract = "This study aimed to investigate the impact of menstruation on team captains{\textquoteright} leadership experiences and whether menstruation has implications on performance as a team captain. Twelve captains from eight different sports participated in semi-structured interviews. The data was analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Five main themes were generated: 1) Navigating Heightened Negative Emotions, 2) Communication Under Strain, 3) The Struggle to Lead on Low Motivation, 4) Influence on Cognitive Processes and 5) Disruptions to Confidence. In conclusion, the results revealed that whilst the team captains had unique experiences, navigating and approaching leadership roles in diverse ways, participants mostly agreed that performance as a captain was adversely affected during menstruation.",

keywords = "Female, Leadership, Menstruation, Sport, Student-athletes, Team captains",

author = "Kent, \{Scarlett M.\} and Ryland Morgans and Ben Ryan and Ola Krukowska-Burke",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",

year = "2026",

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doi = "10.1016/j.peh.2025.100409",

language = "English",

journal = "Performance Enhancement and Health",

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T1 - Team captains’ experiences of sporting leadership during menstruation in student-athletes

AU - Kent, Scarlett M.

AU - Morgans, Ryland

AU - Ryan, Ben

AU - Krukowska-Burke, Ola

PY - 2026/1/17

Y1 - 2026/1/17

N2 - This study aimed to investigate the impact of menstruation on team captains’ leadership experiences and whether menstruation has implications on performance as a team captain. Twelve captains from eight different sports participated in semi-structured interviews. The data was analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Five main themes were generated: 1) Navigating Heightened Negative Emotions, 2) Communication Under Strain, 3) The Struggle to Lead on Low Motivation, 4) Influence on Cognitive Processes and 5) Disruptions to Confidence. In conclusion, the results revealed that whilst the team captains had unique experiences, navigating and approaching leadership roles in diverse ways, participants mostly agreed that performance as a captain was adversely affected during menstruation.

AB - This study aimed to investigate the impact of menstruation on team captains’ leadership experiences and whether menstruation has implications on performance as a team captain. Twelve captains from eight different sports participated in semi-structured interviews. The data was analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Five main themes were generated: 1) Navigating Heightened Negative Emotions, 2) Communication Under Strain, 3) The Struggle to Lead on Low Motivation, 4) Influence on Cognitive Processes and 5) Disruptions to Confidence. In conclusion, the results revealed that whilst the team captains had unique experiences, navigating and approaching leadership roles in diverse ways, participants mostly agreed that performance as a captain was adversely affected during menstruation.

KW - Female

KW - Leadership

KW - Menstruation

KW - Sport

KW - Student-athletes

KW - Team captains

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DO - 10.1016/j.peh.2025.100409

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105030279878

SN - 2211-2669

JO - Performance Enhancement and Health

JF - Performance Enhancement and Health

M1 - 100409

ER -

Team captains’ experiences of sporting leadership during menstruation in student-athletes

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

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