Girls Sports & Fitness: Grow With and not Against Your Body

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As the athlete’s body undergoes changes, parents must guide their daughters to manage their physical expectations accordingly.  Specifically, help your athlete to grow with and not against her body.

For most parents, this statement may appear at first blush to be common sense.  And no question, it is. Interestingly, however, we tend to sometimes brush by the simple and logical without really stopping to think, consider, and execute. In this case, it behooves parents with young athletic girls to give this message more attention.

A recent conversation I had with one family effectively drives home my point. Their daughter, a 5^th grader, has been playing organized softball for a few years. She started off playing in a recreational league and then transitioned to travel.  Between 4^th and 5^th grade, this athlete put on weight without growing taller, sometimes a manifestation of the start of puberty.  As a consequence, her running slowed considerably as did her ability to manage her body weight.

Yet as the parents explained, her training goals and athletic expectations remained the same. For example, she still maintained the strong expectation that she would better her base rounding time and improve her fielding at third base. But with each passing practice, her growth stunted her progress causing her to seriously question her abilities.

In discussing this issue with a local pediatrician, he likened the situation to building up over time to 15 reps with a 20-pound weight and then, without any time for proper adjustment, transitioning immediately to 17 reps with a 30 pounder. The proper and logical adjustment would have suggested the transition to 8 – 10 reps at the 30-pound weight (or even possibly only jumping 5 pounds to the 25 pounder.)

Now, don’t misinterpret this as an argument against your growing, athletic daughter setting goals and striving to achieve. On the contrary, goals are good. But at certain times, it is not wrong to suggest that she set more realistic goals for the short term given her body’s maturity. But as the pediatrician suggested, as girls’ bodies change, whether because it is stronger, heavier, thinner, or taller, you need to guide her to that period of transition that permits for her coordination and strength to adjust.

As always, I welcome discussion, thought and feedback.

Game On! Sports Camp 4 Girls

email: barb@gameonsportscamp.com

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