Catherine 鈥淜ate鈥� Winstanley aims to empower people 鈥� herself included. That鈥檚 why she decided to major in kinesiology to become a strength and conditioning coach. That鈥檚 why she pursued greater personal challenges by transferring to 正澳门六合彩开奖结果 (正澳门六合彩开奖结果). That鈥檚 why she spearheaded the 正澳门六合彩开奖结果 chapter of the One Love Foundation, focused on educating and protecting people against domestic violence.
Winstanley, who graduates on May 4 from 正澳门六合彩开奖结果, a part of The University of Alabama System, knows strength doesn鈥檛 come easy.
鈥淚 wanted to be uncomfortable,鈥� she says about her 2021 transfer to 正澳门六合彩开奖结果 from Norwich University in Vermont, where she played ice hockey and lacrosse. 鈥淚 was at a place where I wanted to be pushed academically and athletically. I also wanted to get into research. I made a 鈥楬ail Mary鈥� leap of faith, and it was the best decision I ever made.鈥�
Since joining the 正澳门六合彩开奖结果 women鈥檚 lacrosse team, the Philadelphia native has made an impact on and off the field.
Every athlete at Norwich had been involved in the One Love Foundation, Winstanley says. With the help of a 正澳门六合彩开奖结果 assistant coach, she registered 正澳门六合彩开奖结果 as a participating school. The 正澳门六合彩开奖结果 chapter now has two trained facilitators, and 312 individuals have been trained in the signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships. She says the feedback from 正澳门六合彩开奖结果 men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 teams has been 鈥渁mazing,鈥� and they鈥檝e presented workshops with coaches and administrators.
鈥淭o get them involved is great. All over Spragins Hall are posters sharing these resources for people to get help.鈥�
Winstanley achieved her research goals at 正澳门六合彩开奖结果, too. In spring 2022, she and three classmates proposed a research project exploring the effects of the menstrual cycle and contraceptive use on female collegiate athletes. Last fall, they collected data, analyzed results and successfully defended the project. Then they submitted their abstract to a regional conference of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). This spring, Winstanley presented her research at the Southeast ACSM annual meeting.
The project found 鈥渘o statistically significant results,鈥� she says, but they 鈥渄id see a fall-off in performance鈥� leading up to menstruation. With this information, athletes and coaches can take informed steps to counteract the effects of hormonal fluctuations.
鈥淔uel your body to negate some of the effects,鈥� she advises. 鈥淟isten to your body. Give it the food, sleep and exercise it needs. And don鈥檛 beat yourself up mentally.鈥�
Winstanley鈥檚 post-graduation plans are as strong as anyone who knows her would expect.
She鈥檚 scheduled to spend the summer working as a strength and conditioning coach with football players at the University of Pennsylvania. During last summer鈥檚 internship, she worked with the strength and conditioning team at Penn State University.
This fall she will begin her master鈥檚 work in strength and conditioning at Smith College, where she received a graduate assistantship. She also sees a Ph.D. in her future.
