Healthy & Thriving Day Camp for Girls: reflections

I recently hosted a camp for adolescent girls called, “Healthy & Thriving Day Camp for Girls.” The purpose of the day was to gather girls ages 11-17 together to talk about what it really means to be healthy in sport. My goal was to educate girls about aspects of athletic health – like periods, puberty, and perfectionism.

It was a great day. Athletes across multiple schools and sports gathered on a Sunday afternoon to discuss and learn. They shared their own experiences and listened to each other’s stories. 

What I thought was coolest about the day was everyone’s willingness to be there. The desire to attend and learn (on a weekend!) shows the girls’ willingness to improve in their sports. 

The main points discussed at camp are the core of why I host it. These are non-negotiables that everyone needs to know.

1. Know the truths behind the myths. Athletic culture is filled with common information that has been passed down through the generations, like a long game of telephone. Things get changed and misinterpreted along the way. Adults often pass along confusing bits of information because it’s what they were told. Things like “girls run slower after puberty,” “losing your period is normal,” and “rest days will make you slow/weak.” Here is the truth: girls’ athletic potential peaks in their mid-20s, long after they’ve started menstruating or grown breasts and hips. Your period is a barometer of your health. Losing your period is common in athletics but is never normal; and rest days are a biological necessity to adapt to athletic training. At camp, we discussed some of the sources of these myths and how they mutated throughout the ages. What often starts as well-meaning advice turns into false information that makes girls feel like less capable athletes than they are. 
2. Your period is a barometer of your health. Your body undergoes sophisticated chemical processes to start and maintain menstruation; ones that are vital to your overall health. Building an adult body requires a lot of energy. As a menstruating athlete, you have to manage this large energy output on top of the stress of your athletic training. Your ability to start and maintain a period is a sure sign of you’re meeting your energy needs. This monthly check-in from your body can assure you that you’re building stronger bones, stiffer tendons, and reaching your peak height. The changes of puberty, including having a period, are vital processes for healthy athletes. 
3. Puberty is a superpower. Puberty is the process of physically, mentally, and emotionally maturing from a child to an adult. There is a common myth that puberty makes girls slower, weaker, less capable athletes. This is false. An athlete is building her adult body during puberty, one that will run faster, jump higher, and make quicker, better decisions during competition because of this process. At camp, we talked about why puberty can feel confusing for female athletes. This is by far my favorite conversation to have with girls. This information goes a long way in clearing up any fear or anxiety girls may have about their bodies changing and how it affects their sport. 

There was one topic at camp that resonated with everyone: plateaus. 

Never heard of a plateau? It was news to most campers, too. It can explain a lot when an athlete is struggling and is essential knowledge for all athletes and coaches. 

Here’s a common scenario: A high school female cross country runner has an incredible season. She gets better every race, feels great during training and falls in love with running. The next cross country season rolls around and she is, rightfully, psyched. But things are different. Running feels harder and her times are slower. 

Why is this happening? Did her athletic ability peak? 

She has not peaked. It’s a plateau.

A plateau is a time when a female athlete sees a decrease in athletic performance at different times during physical development. It is not unusual to expect a plateau or deterioration of performance while the athlete adapts to perceptual, spatial, physiological and biomechanical changes that are caused by growth.1

In short, she’s putting in the work without the payoff. While the changes of puberty take place, athletic performance may suffer.

This is frustrating but plateaus are temporary. They may come and go, lasting for a season, or longer. But they will end. Think of it as the body being under construction. It will feel tedious, but the body has a plan. The end result – a strong body capable of great athletic feats – is worth it. 

It’s a confusing phenomenon that is unique to female puberty, so countering it with rock solid information, reassurance, and smart coaching will guide athletes through without breaking her spirit or hating her body. 

A guiding principle for my business (and my life) is to be the person I needed when I was younger. The information presented at camp was the information I needed as a teenage runner. Helping teens bridge the gap between health and performance at a critical time in their athletic lives fulfills me more than I can say. 

Thank you to everyone who attended “Healthy & Thriving Day Camp for Girls.” 

To my Healthy & Thriving Girls: build your bodies, grow your skills, and have fun. Be good to yourselves. I’ll be cheering you on, ready to present the facts of how strong, capable, and amazing you are at any time. 

1. Elmenshawy, A.R., Machin, D.R. and Tanaka, H. (2015) ‘A rise in peak performance age in female athletes’, AGE, 37(3). doi:10.1007/s11357-015-9795-8.