Strong Girl Talk

Welcome to Why Can’t They Play?, a Strong Girl Talk podcast presented by RE.sport. Today, Sasha interviews Dr. Sarah Teetzel, an associate professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management. Her research focuses on applied ethics and human rights in sport, including the eligibility constraints that transgender athletes face to compete in sport. This is a big one, folks.

Before we get into this week’s episode, Lizzie Learns to Rideby Girls in Gear founder Dr. Gabrielle Rossi is out now! Pick up this adorable picture book for the reluctant rider in your life and help them grow the confidence they need to pedal with pride.

In this episode we chat about:

* Sarah’s Olympic Studies Work, how she sees the Olympic Values of Excellence, Friendship, and Respect, and challenges us to think about Excellence as Moral Excellence

* A book she co-authored, The Olympic Winter Games at 110: Challenges, Complexities, and Legacies

* We also talk about the barrier that gender diverse and non-binary athletes face, and how when we look at those barriers, kids of all gender identities, especially girls can find their place of belonging in sport.

It’s the last day to apply for the RE.sport microgrants; applications close this Friday, October 30th is the deadline to apply. You can find more information here and if you missed the information sessions you can find recordings at the bottom of the page.

Remember you can follow Molly and Sasha on Social Media including:

Molly - @mollyjhurford @stronggirlpublishingSasha - @SGollishRuns @Yellow_Running_ShoesRE.sport - @project_resport

Listen, Subscribe, Rate + Review on Substack | Spotify | iTunes | YouTube

Get the book!

We worked with the RE.sport team to create a graphic novel that’s research-based and evidence-informed to help kids understand the barriers that their peers may face in sport. It’s available for preorder now, and bulk options (with PDF lesson plan downloads and a tryout assessment) are available for classes and teams. Check it out here.

You walk past the tryout poster in the hallway.Some kids can’t wait.Some feel nervous.Some don’t even stop to look.

What is stopping some kids from trying out for the team while others don’t think twice? What makes some kids excited, while other kids don’t even consider signing up?

Asking “Why Can’t They Play?” seems like a simple question, but it has an incredibly complex answer. All kids should be able to play, but for some, a tryout poster hanging in the hall is just another reminder of why they can’t play.

In this graphic novel, a team of researchers breaks down some of the main ways that a soccer tryout can exclude many kids—and why that’s wrong, and what kids, coaches and educators can do about it.

When we work together, we can find a way that we can all play.

Get full access to Strong Girl Society at https://stronggirl.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to Why Can’t They Play?, a Strong Girl Talk podcast presented by RE.sport. Today Sasha interviews Dr. Chelsi Ricketts, a University of Toronto recipient of a Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellowship carrying out her research at the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education’s Mental Health and Physical Activity Research Centre. Chelsi’s research is focused on girls and gender-diverse youth to understand body diversity based on their experiences as current or former sport participants, with the goal to help inform strategies that promote more body-inclusive sport environments.

Do us a huge favour and make sure you give the podcast 5 stars and click follow:

In this episode we chat about:

* Why so many kids, especially girls, are dropping out of sport

* Her presentation at the RE.sport May 20th event, including this incredible graphic recording

* We talk about inclusive sports policies through youth voices, including The Undropped Kit, a project lead by Tess Howard, founder of Inclusive Sportswear and supported by ASICS

Remember we have one week until the RE.sport microgrants close; Friday, October 30th is the deadline to apply. You can find more information here and if you missed the information sessions you can find recordings at the bottom of the page.

Remember you can follow Molly and Sasha on Social Media including:

Molly - @mollyjhurford @stronggirlpublishingSasha - @SGollishRuns @Yellow_Running_ShoesRE.sport - @project_resport

Listen, Subscribe, Rate + Review on Substack | Spotify | iTunes | YouTube

Get the book!

We worked with the RE.sport team to create a graphic novel that’s research-based and evidence-informed to help kids understand the barriers that their peers may face in sport. It’s available for preorder now, and bulk options (with PDF lesson plan downloads and a tryout assessment) are available for classes and teams. Check it out here.

You walk past the tryout poster in the hallway.Some kids can’t wait.Some feel nervous.Some don’t even stop to look.

What is stopping some kids from trying out for the team while others don’t think twice? What makes some kids excited, while other kids don’t even consider signing up?

Asking “Why Can’t They Play?” seems like a simple question, but it has an incredibly complex answer. All kids should be able to play, but for some, a tryout poster hanging in the hall is just another reminder of why they can’t play.

In this graphic novel, a team of researchers breaks down some of the main ways that a soccer tryout can exclude many kids—and why that’s wrong, and what kids, coaches and educators can do about it.

When we work together, we can find a way that we can all play.

Get full access to Strong Girl Society at https://stronggirl.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to Why Can’t They Play?, a Strong Girl Talk podcast presented by RE.sport. Today, Sasha interviews Dr. Janelle Joseph who leads the research on racialized youth in sport and physical activity as part of RE.sport. Dr. Joseph is an internationally recognized and award-winning storyteller and scholar committed to disseminating knowledge about racial justice, health, and sport.

Do us a huge favour and make sure you give the podcast 5 stars and click follow:

In this episode we hear about all the great work Dr. Joseph is doing to help more kids stay in sport. You’ll hear about:

* Dr. Joseph’s OUA (Ontario University Athletics) Anti-Racism Reports

* The Re-Creation Collective

* The IDEAS (Indigeneity, Diaspora, Anti-Racism, and Equity) Research Lab

We talk about how we can use cultural dance in schools as a way to get kids moving in Physical Health and Education class. We also challenge the design considerations of sporting equipment - just whose head fits in a hockey helmet? Do they ever consider different types of hair when designing a helmet?!

And a whole lot more with Dr. Joseph.

Don’t forget about the RE.sport microgrants, which are open through October 30th; you can find more information here and if you missed the information sessions you can find recordings at the bottom of the page.

Remember you can follow Molly and Sasha on Social Media including:

Molly - @mollyjhurford @stronggirlpublishingSasha - @SGollishRuns @Yellow_Running_ShoesRE.sport - @project_resport

Listen, Subscribe, Rate + Review on Substack | Spotify | iTunes | YouTube

Get the book!

We worked with the RE.sport team to create a graphic novel that’s research-based and evidence-informed to help kids understand the barriers that their peers may face in sport. It’s available for preorder now, and bulk options (with PDF lesson plan downloads and a tryout assessment) are available for classes and teams. Check it out here.

You walk past the tryout poster in the hallway.Some kids can’t wait.Some feel nervous.Some don’t even stop to look.

What is stopping some kids from trying out for the team while others don’t think twice? What makes some kids excited, while other kids don’t even consider signing up?

Asking “Why Can’t They Play?” seems like a simple question, but it has an incredibly complex answer. All kids should be able to play, but for some, a tryout poster hanging in the hall is just another reminder of why they can’t play.

In this graphic novel, a team of researchers breaks down some of the main ways that a soccer tryout can exclude many kids—and why that’s wrong, and what kids, coaches and educators can do about it.

When we work together, we can find a way that we can all play.

Get full access to Strong Girl Society at https://stronggirl.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to Why Can’t They Play?, a Strong Girl Talk podcast presented by RE.sport. Today Sasha interviews Molly as co-author of Why Can’t They Play, why it matters to have books published for youth by women, and what messages the media is sending our kids these days.

Do us a huge favour and make sure you give the podcast 5 stars and click follow:

We talk about Molly and her mission and vision behind Strong Girl Publishing and why her work aligns so well with the goals at RE.sport. We don’t dive into Molly’s history, but in this Strong Girl Talk episode, we covered Molly’s sport and writing journey. We talk about why graphic novels are a huge part of our reading future, and talk about a few of the other Strong Girl Publishing Authors. We also talk about how you can use a RE.sport microgrant to write a book or that next graphic novel about kids in sport.

Don’t forget about the RE.sport microgrants, which are open through October 30th; you can find more information here.

Remember you can follow Molly and Sasha on Social Media including:

Molly - @mollyjhurford @stronggirlpublishingSasha - @SGollishRuns @Yellow_Running_ShoesRE.sport - @project_resport

Listen, Subscribe, Rate + Review on Substack | Spotify | iTunes | YouTube

Get the book!

We worked with the RE.sport team to create a graphic novel that’s research-based and evidence-informed to help kids understand the barriers that their peers may face in sport. It’s available for preorder now, and bulk options (with PDF lesson plan downloads and a tryout assessment) are available for classes and teams. Check it out here.

You walk past the tryout poster in the hallway.Some kids can’t wait.Some feel nervous.Some don’t even stop to look.

What is stopping some kids from trying out for the team while others don’t think twice? What makes some kids excited, while other kids don’t even consider signing up?

Asking “Why Can’t They Play?” seems like a simple question, but it has an incredibly complex answer. All kids should be able to play, but for some, a tryout poster hanging in the hall is just another reminder of why they can’t play.

In this graphic novel, a team of researchers breaks down some of the main ways that a soccer tryout can exclude many kids—and why that’s wrong, and what kids, coaches and educators can do about it.

When we work together, we can find a way that we can all play.

Get full access to Strong Girl Society at https://stronggirl.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to Why Can’t They Play?, a Strong Girl Talk podcast presented by RE.sport. Today Molly interviews Sasha as Co-Lead of RE.sport, why this book matters so much to her, and other ways Sasha’s working to help more kids have more chances to move, play, and belong.

Do us a huge favour and make sure you give the podcast 5 stars and click follow:

In this episode Sasha spoke to the identity factors shaping the research at RE.sport, including Indigeneity, Race, Gender, Social Class, Disability, and Body Diversity. Those resources (the graphic recordings and the presentations) she mentioned from the May 20th event, named for this book Why Can’t They Play can be found here.

And if you want to learn more about the RE.sport microgrants, which Sasha mentions at the end, you can find more information here.

Remember you can follow Molly and Sasha on Social Media including:

Molly - @mollyjhurford @stronggirlpublishingSasha - @SGollishRuns @Yellow_Running_ShoesRE.sport - @project_resport

Listen, Subscribe, Rate + Review on Substack | Spotify | iTunes | YouTube

Get the book!

We worked with the RE.sport team to create a graphic novel that’s research-based and evidence-informed to help kids understand the barriers that their peers may face in sport. It’s available for preorder now, and bulk options (with PDF lesson plan downloads and a tryout assessment) are available for classes and teams. Check it out here.

You walk past the tryout poster in the hallway.Some kids can’t wait.Some feel nervous.Some don’t even stop to look.

What is stopping some kids from trying out for the team while others don’t think twice? What makes some kids excited, while other kids don’t even consider signing up?

Asking “Why Can’t They Play?” seems like a simple question, but it has an incredibly complex answer. All kids should be able to play, but for some, a tryout poster hanging in the hall is just another reminder of why they can’t play.

In this graphic novel, a team of researchers breaks down some of the main ways that a soccer tryout can exclude many kids—and why that’s wrong, and what kids, coaches and educators can do about it.

When we work together, we can find a way that we can all play.

Get full access to Strong Girl Society at https://stronggirl.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to Why Can’t They Play?, a Strong Girl Talk podcast presented by RE.sport. Today we’re joined by RE.sport’s Principal Investigator, Dr. Catherine Sabiston, a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Physical Activity and Mental Health and the Director, Mental Health and Physical Activity Research Centre, in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education at the University of Toronto. Cathi’s research has been extensively featured in the media, has been used to inform evidence-based practice, and has advanced theory and methods in sport and exercise psychology.

Cathi’s also one of the main co-authors of the graphic novel, Why Can’t They Play from the RE.sport team here, and listen to our episode with Cathi here.

Do us a huge favour and make sure you give the podcast 5 stars and click follow:

In this episode Strong Girl Talk host, Sasha, talks with Cathi about her career in research and what led her down this path during her undergraduate degree. Cathi was first inspired by a series of Nike advertisements (Sasha’s got a few favourite’s including Lauren Fleshman’s Objectify Me and You Were Born to be a Daughter) and initially studied sports marketing in her masters.

And in that masters, Cathi really fell in love with research. Cathi is incredibly humble in this episode, but we’re celebrating what a leader she is in reimagining the space for girls in sport. Cathi’s work continues to challenge the space so more kids can play.

We wrap up with the motivation to write this first of its kind grant in Canada.

And if you want to learn more about the RE.sport microgrants, which Sasha mentions at the end, you can find more information here.

Remember you can follow Molly and Sasha on Social Media including:

Molly - @mollyjhurford @stronggirlpublishingSasha - @SGollishRuns @Yellow_Running_ShoesRE.sport - @project_resport

Listen, Subscribe, Rate + Review on Substack | Spotify | iTunes | YouTube

Get the book!

We worked with the RE.sport team to create a graphic novel that’s research-based and evidence-informed to help kids understand the barriers that their peers may face in sport. It’s available for preorder now, and bulk options (with PDF lesson plan downloads and a tryout assessment) are available for classes and teams. Check it out here.

You walk past the tryout poster in the hallway.Some kids can’t wait.Some feel nervous.Some don’t even stop to look.

What is stopping some kids from trying out for the team while others don’t think twice? What makes some kids excited, while other kids don’t even consider signing up?

Asking “Why Can’t They Play?” seems like a simple question, but it has an incredibly complex answer. All kids should be able to play, but for some, a tryout poster hanging in the hall is just another reminder of why they can’t play.

In this graphic novel, a team of researchers breaks down some of the main ways that a soccer tryout can exclude many kids—and why that’s wrong, and what kids, coaches and educators can do about it.

When we work together, we can find a way that we can all play.

Get full access to Strong Girl Society at https://stronggirl.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to Why Can’t They Play?, a Strong Girl Talk podcast presented by RE.sport. Today we’re joined by RE.sport’s Vanessa Coulbeck, a researcher in the field of self-compassion, specifically how it relates to young athletes. We break down what self-compassion is (and isn’t) and how teachers, coaches and caregivers can help young athletes harness it for tryout day and beyond.

To learn more, check out Vanessa’sMirror Diariesseries here, get our graphic novel, Why Can’t They Play from the RE.sport team here, and listen to our last episode with Vanessa here.

Do us a huge favour and make sure you give the podcast 5 stars and click follow:

Remember you can follow Molly and Sasha on Social Media including:

Molly - @mollyjhurford @stronggirlpublishingSasha - @SGollishRuns @Yellow_Running_ShoesRE.sport - @project_resport

Listen, Subscribe, Rate + Review on Substack | Spotify | iTunes | YouTube

Get the book!

We worked with the RE.sport team to create a graphic novel that’s research-based and evidence-informed to help kids understand the barriers that their peers may face in sport. It’s available for preorder now, and bulk options (with PDF lesson plan downloads and a tryout assessment) are available for classes and teams. Check it out here.

You walk past the tryout poster in the hallway.Some kids can’t wait.Some feel nervous.Some don’t even stop to look.

What is stopping some kids from trying out for the team while others don’t think twice? What makes some kids excited, while other kids don’t even consider signing up?

Asking “Why Can’t They Play?” seems like a simple question, but it has an incredibly complex answer. All kids should be able to play, but for some, a tryout poster hanging in the hall is just another reminder of why they can’t play.

In this graphic novel, a team of researchers breaks down some of the main ways that a soccer tryout can exclude many kids—and why that’s wrong, and what kids, coaches and educators can do about it.

When we work together, we can find a way that we can all play.

Get full access to Strong Girl Society at https://stronggirl.substack.com/subscribe

We’re back with a new book AND a new season of Strong Girl Talk! First, our graphic novel, Why Can’t They Play, from the RE.sport team is available now. And because this topic is so important, we wanted to break it down for coaches, parents and athletes with a special podcast series.

Why can’t they play?

It sounds like a simple question.

There are kids who want to play sports. Parents who want to help them play. Teachers and coaches who want to create great experiences for them.

And yet, somewhere along the way, a lot of kids get left out.

Welcome to Why Can’t They Play?, a Strong Girl Talk podcast presented by RE.sport.

For the next couple months, every week we want to ask a pretty big question: What would it take to help more kids play?

This season, every episode will be 15 minutes or less. We’ll take something happening in youth sport—something we’re seeing in the research, hearing about in the media, or experiencing in our schools and communities—and unpack it.

We’ll talk about barriers. But more importantly, we’ll talk about opportunities.

And every episode, we’ll leave you with something practical you can think about or do to help the kids in your life have more opportunities to play.

So why call this podcast Why Can’t They Play?

It started with a graphic novel by the same name.

Why Can’t They Play? uses something familiar to almost anyone who grew up around school sport: the tryout.

A kid wants to play.

They show up.

They try out.

And then someone makes the team—and someone doesn’t.

We tend to accept that as simply how sport works.

But what if we asked a different question - Does it have to work that way?

School sport matters because, for many young people, school may be their first—and sometimes their only—opportunity to experience organized sport.

But having sport at school doesn’t automatically mean every student has an opportunity to play.

We know that girls are more likely to leave sport during adolescence, and many young people face additional barriers connected to things like income, race, disability, body size, geography, transportation, equipment, previous experience, and simply whether the right opportunity exists for them.

And sometimes, the systems we’ve built unintentionally make those barriers even bigger.

Tryouts are just one example.

So this podcast isn’t really about getting rid of competition or pretending every kid wants the same sport experience.

It’s about getting curious.

Why do we do things this way?

Who does this system work really well for?

Who might it be leaving out?

And most importantly: What could we do differently?

Because maybe the question isn’t whether every kid can make the team.

Maybe the bigger question is: How do we make sure every kid has somewhere to play?

That’s what we’re going to explore this season.

Welcome to Why Can’t They Play? Reimaging Tryouts so All Kids Have the Chance to Play.

Do us a huge favour and make sure you give the podcast 5 stars and click follow:

Remember you can follow Molly and Sasha on Social Media including:

Molly - @mollyjhurford @stronggirlpublishingSasha - @SGollishRuns @Yellow_Running_ShoesRE.sport - @project_resport

Listen, Subscribe, Rate + Review on Substack | Spotify | iTunes | YouTube

Why Can’t They Play? A Graphic Novel Reimagining Tryouts So All Kids Have the Chance to Play

We worked with the RE.sport team to create a graphic novel that’s research-based and evidence-informed to help kids understand the barriers that their peers may face in sport. It’s available for preorder now, and bulk options (with PDF lesson plan downloads and a tryout assessment) are available for classes and teams. Check it out here.

You walk past the tryout poster in the hallway.Some kids can’t wait.Some feel nervous.Some don’t even stop to look.

What is stopping some kids from trying out for the team while others don’t think twice? What makes some kids excited, while other kids don’t even consider signing up?

Asking “Why Can’t They Play?” seems like a simple question, but it has an incredibly complex answer. All kids should be able to play, but for some, a tryout poster hanging in the hall is just another reminder of why they can’t play.

In this graphic novel, a team of researchers breaks down some of the main ways that a soccer tryout can exclude many kids—and why that’s wrong, and what kids, coaches and educators can do about it.

When we work together, we can find a way that we can all play.

Get full access to Strong Girl Society at https://stronggirl.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to Strong Girl Talk, where we dive into the latest in sports science, performance, and well-being—all with a focus on women and girls in sport. This week we’ve got a one off episode - Sasha and Molly were guests for a webinar hosted by Ontario Cycling Women’s Month this May.

Before we dive in, do us a huge favor and make sure you give the podcast 5 stars and click follow:

Based on the research-backed Unstoppable journal Sasha put out with Strong Girl Publishing, Sasha and Molly shared simple strategies and easy tweaks to maximize your training gains, and more importantly, your love of the sport. When girls and women believe they can be unstoppable, there’s no end to what they can accomplish in and outside of sport.

They framed the conversation around Sasha’s Pillars of Perfrmance, which include:

* Sleep Soundly - Have you thought about the quantity and quality of your sleep? Do you have a sleep routine? Drawing on the research from Amy Bender and Mathew Walker, they also shared Micha Powell’s recovery Strategies from her book Sprinting Through Setbacks. Check out Micha’s Strong Girl Talk episode too!

* Feed the Machine - Don’t worry, we won’t go on a chocolate milk rant in this episode? But we do talk about fuelling strategies on and off the bike. We highlight, Stevie Smith’s Book Power Up, and of course we had Steve on Strong Girl Talk! Also check out Stevie’s podcast, Real Fuel.

* Moving your body - Sasha is immersed in this daily with her work at RE.sport. She spoke again about the great work that ASICS did and continues to do with the Move Her Mind work. We also highlighted Marley Blonsky’s new book, The Ragtag Best Friends Bicycle Club, and all of Molly’s Shred Girls Books!

* Be Present - Do you ever find your thoughts wondering? Especially when they shouldn’t - like maybe when you’re mountain biking, you’re thinking about school or work and all of a sudden a tree jumps out of nowhere!? Molly and Sasha talk about the strategies in Unstoppable to help you stay focused, so you can be and grow your confidence.

* Engineer your own life - And finally, since Sasha is an engineer, she brought it back to how you need to think about the priorities in your life, working with your strengths, and the power of habits to make real and lasting change.

And just before the conversation wrapped up, Sasha shared a personal story about her first time competing for Team Canada. She talked about how her uniform made her feel confident, strong, and unstoppable, but how a teammate did not have the same experience. It’s why she’s co-leading a study about uniforms. See more below!

Does Your Uniform Make You Feel Unstoppable? Or not at all?

Researchers at the University of Toronto are conducting a Sport Uniform Study to better understand how uniforms influence athletes’ experiences, including comfort, performance, confidence, belonging, and identity. While uniforms are a central part of sport, there has been limited research examining how they shape athlete experiences across different levels of competition.

There are two surveys, one for youth and for those who are 18+, to share their experiences about sport uniforms whether they are positive, challenging, or somewhere in between. By sharing their perspectives, participants will help inform future conversations around athlete-centred uniform design and policies that support performance, inclusion, and athlete well-being. Each survey takes about 20 minutes to complete.

Survey Links:

Youth Survey: https://redcap.utoronto.ca/surveys/?s=YTH3YJAR3KDC8NXN18+ Survey: https://redcap.utoronto.ca/surveys/?s=8F4JR49M8DCECC4F

(Note: while the youth survey is for all sport participants, the 18+ survey is for national team athletes, university and college athletes, and professional athletes).

Findings from this will be shared on RE.sport’s website following data collection, likely in Fall 2026. You can also learn more about the study here and RE.sport’s work.

If you have any questions about the study, please email the research team at resport.kpe@utoronto.ca.

Remember you can follow Molly and Sasha on Social Media including:Molly - @mollyjhurford @stronggirlpublishingSasha - @SGollishRuns @Yellow_Running_Shoes

Listen, Subscribe, Rate + Review on Substack | Spotify | iTunes | YouTube

Get full access to Strong Girl Society at https://stronggirl.substack.com/subscribe

Quick Strong Girl Publishing announcement, we just made some major updates to our website over at https://stronggirlpublishing.com/! We also have a new newsletter over there where we’ll be sharing book updates, discount codes and giveaways, so do us a huge favor and bop over, check out the site and subscribe to the shop newsletter! We’ll still do podcasts and articles over here, but we’ll have the best Strong Girl Publishing goodies there.

Welcome to Strong Girl Talk, where we dive into the latest in sports science, performance, and well-being—all with a focus on women and girls in sport. This week Sasha and Molly go down memory lane with the Winter Olympics, talk about the Winter Paralympic Games (which start today), the Arctic Winter Games in the Northwest Territories, all with the emotion and energy you expect in our gender equity conversations.

Before we dive in, do us a huge favor and make sure you give the podcast 5 stars and click follow:

.

This is also the wrap up to Season 1 of Strong Girl Talk. Molly and Sasha are pressing paws (see what we did there with our dog-love) as we think about the future direction of our pod.

In today’s episode, we start with a celebration of International Women’s Day, this Sunday, March 8th, and this year’s theme of Give to Gain. We highlight the challenges many women face in the tension of where to give our time.

As we wrap up our conversations about the Winter Olympics we shifted our focus to the Winter Paralympics. The Winter Paralympic Games get underway today. Tune in to watch the 655 athletes, across 6 Sports in 79 events including, men’s and women’s para alpine skiing, men’s and women’s para biathlon, men’s and women’s para cross-country, open para ice-hocky, men’s and women’s para snowboard, and mixed wheelchair curling.

On Sunday March 8th, the Arctic Winter Games get started in Whitehorse, Northwest Territory. The Arctic Winter games are comprised of 20 sports, in four categories: Traditional Sports, Nordic Sports, Indoor Sports, and Ice Sports.

In the mean time, connect with on social media and follow along the Strong Girl Society newsletter for updates.

Remember you can follow Molly and Sasha on Social Media including:

Molly - @mollyjhurford @stronggirlpublishing

Sasha - @SGollishRuns @Yellow_Running_Shoes

Listen, Subscribe, Rate + Review on Substack | Spotify | iTunes | YouTube

Get full access to Strong Girl Society at https://stronggirl.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to Strong Girl Talk, where we dive into the latest in sports science, performance, and well-being—all with a focus on women and girls in sport. This week Sasha and Molly talk all about the Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina … well Molly asks Sasha about the Winter Olympics since she’s the resident sports-nerd and Molly was curious to know more.

Before we dive in, do us a huge favor and make sure you give the podcast 5 stars and click follow:

New to the Winter Olympic Games? Feeling overwhelmed by all the sports, events, and rule quirks? Don’t worry, Sasha’s got you. Consider this your cheat sheet for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano, starting today!

In this jam-packed episode, we break down:

🏔️ The 8 official sports - Biathlon, Bobsleigh (including Skeleton), Curling, Ice Hockey, Luge Skating (Figure Skating, Short and Long Track Speed Skating), Skiing (Alpine, Freestyle, Snowboard, Cross-Country, Nordic Combined, and Ski Jumping), and Ski Mountaineering (plus how we group them to make it easier: Sliding Sports, Ice Sports, Skiing, etc.)

🥇 The 116 medal events—including 8 new events with a focus on gender equity like Women’s Large Hill Ski Jumping, Women’s Double Luge, Mixed Team Skeleton, and Dual Moguls

📊 The not-so-great gender equity stats:🥇 Medals: 54 men’s gold medals, 50 women’s gold medals, 12 mixed gender medals, because some sports are still men-only 👀👫 Gender Balance: Total Athletes = 2900 (100%), Male Athletes 1538 (53%), Female Athletes 1362 (47%)

🧊 What even is Ski Mountaineering?! And why Nordic Combined might finally be on its way out…

Plus: Olympic hot takes, a little history (did you know Winter and Summer Olympics used to be in the same year? And that Figure Skating was a summer sport?! ), and shout-outs to the Strong Girls we’re watching this Games.

🎿 Whether you’re a casual viewer or a full-blown Olympic nerd, this episode will get you ready to cheer, cry, and argue over scoring systems with confidence.

And this is just the beginning. Over the next 16 days, follow along with us on Instagram as we spotlight our favourite Strong Girls of the Games and break down each sport, one event at a time.

Plus, if you’re looking for some Olympics inspiration consider these Strong Girl Publishing Books:- Sasha’s Unstoppable Mental Performance Journal to help you create a winning mindset (or order in bulk to help your team create a winning mindset)- Stevie’s Power Up to help you or the athletes in your life fuel for their best performance- Vanessa’s Finding Grace to help you or those in your life use self-compassion as a way to spur better outcomes- Molly’s Shred Girl’s Series and Running As Fast as We Can, which are great fiction books to inspire the athlete’s in our life- Micha’s Sprinting Through Setbacks, who better to learn from than an Olympian herself!

Remember you can follow Molly and Sasha on Social Media including:Molly - @mollyjhurford @stronggirlpublishingSasha - @SGollishRuns @Yellow_Running_Shoes

Listen, Subscribe, Rate + Review on Substack | Spotify | iTunes | YouTube

Get full access to Strong Girl Society at https://stronggirl.substack.com/subscribe

At Strong Girl Publishing, we recently shared a virtual Shred Girls book club featuring book 3 in the series,https://stronggirlpublishing.com/shredgirlsJen’s Bumpy Ride,https://stronggirlpublishing.com/shredgirlsand two-time World Champion racer Kate Courtney of She Sendsjoined readers and author Molly Hurford on a Zoom session to talk all about the book and what winning really means to her—and to the Shred Girls!

In Shred Girls: Jen’s Bumpy Ride, there’s bikepacking, gravel racing, and more importantly, Jen has a major decision to make: Should she stick with the Shred Girls, or join the local cycling team that promises to make her faster, and help her to become a pro cyclist?

Kate shared her experience finding her first team and teammates, how she decided to start the She Sends Foundation and race under her own team banner last year, and how she sets big goals and smaller race-specific ones. Our virtual book club was a total blast, and we wanted to share a few of our favorite moments with all of our listeners. If you get anything from this, consider making a donation to She Sends here. They are doing awesome work and supporting so many cool, grassroots initiatives to get more girls on bikes!

Before you dive in, do us a huge favor and make sure you give the podcast 5 stars and click follow:

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We also chat about Vanessa Coulbeck’s recently released book, The Mirror Diaries: Finding Grace,and the accompanying workbook. And while you’re on Strong Girl Publishing Shopping don’t forget to order a copy of Unstoppable - so you too can be unstoppable in 2026 - and Stevie Lyn’s Power Up. Plus if you missed the book club with Kate Courtney, but you still want to feel like you were part of it, grab a copy of Jen’s Bumpy Ride.

Remember you can follow Molly and Sasha on Social Media including:

Molly - @mollyjhurford @stronggirlpublishing

Sasha - @SGollishRuns @Yellow_Running_Shoes

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Welcome to Strong Girl Talk, where we dive into the latest in sports science, performance, and well-being—all with a focus on women and girls in sport. This week Sasha and Molly welcome you to 2026 and share with you their ‘words’ of the year.

We’re also celebrating the first book in our Mirror Diaries series by self-compassion and body image researcher Vanessa Coulbeck coming out in just a couple of days. Preorder for book one,Finding Grace,and the accompanying workbook, Beyond the Mirror is here. We also had Vanessa on Strong Girl Talk explaining why self-compassion isn’t just a nice idea, it actually provides you a performance edge.

Before we dive in, do us a huge favor and make sure you give the podcast 5 stars and click follow:

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In this episode, Sasha and Molly are debriefing post-holidays with some honest ups and downs, then digging into the Word of the Year concept. Molly talked about Strong Girl Publishing’s GIRLS TO THE FRONT 2026 mantra, but shared in this episode how her personal word is going to be FUN. Meanwhile, Sasha debated using Unstoppable (you know, like her amazing journal!) but ultimately settled on COURAGE. What’s your word?

Finally, as we said, it’s just days away from the release of Vanessa Coulbeck’s The Mirror Diaries. And while you’re on Strong Girl Publishing shopping, don’t forget to order a copy of Unstoppable - so you too can be unstoppable in 2026 - and Stevie Lyn Smiths’s Power Up. Plus if you missed the book club with Kate Courtney this week but you still want to feel like you were part of it when we release the episode next week, order Molly’s Shred Girls book, Jen’s Bumpy Ride.

Plus, if you want to hear Sasha gush over Molly and all her work with Strong Girl Publishing, head over to the Athletics Ontario Podcast hosted by Strong Girl Publishing Fan, John Shep. In this interview Sasha shares with John how meaningful working with Molly is, more about how you can be Unstoppable in 2026, plus, she admits she’s willing to be second on the podium in the Molly fan club!

Remember you can follow Molly and Sasha on Social Media including:

Molly - @mollyjhurford @stronggirlpublishing

Sasha - @SGollishRuns @Yellow_Running_Shoes

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Welcome to Strong Girl Talk, where we dive into the latest in sports science, performance, and well-being—all with a focus on women and girls in sport. This week Sasha and Molly talk all things holidays. Whether you’re excited or a little bit stressed, we bring you some holiday cheer.

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This week we talk about the holidays, what we like, what we love, and how we manage the stressful moments. We also talk about goal setting; don’t forget our practical tips for goal setting. Whether you are a resolution person or not, it’s a good time to think about what matters to you, and also who matters to you.

No matter how you holiday, in this episode we remind you to practice some self-compassion and self-gratitude. A few weeks ago we chatted with Vanessa Coulbeck about self-compassion as an edge. So as you go about your gift giving and receiving we hope you have us in your ears while you’re shopping, exercising, or lounging whatever way you holiday.

Now if you need a few last minute gifts …. we recommend an IOU for one or two (or all) of the Strong Girl Publishing books; so print out a photo and it will arrive early in the new year. We recommend:- Vanessa Coulbeck’s The Mirror Diaries and workbook and her ‘‘ swag- Sasha’s Unstoppable Mental Performance Journal- Molly’s Shred Girls Series, and Sasha’s favourite Running As Fast as You Can- Stevie Smith’s Power Up- Marley Blonskey’s Rag Tag Bicycle Friends pre-order, plus check out her episode on Molly’s other podcast, The Consummate Athlete Podcast

Let us know what you want to us to talk about in 2026 - guests, sport science topics, sports updates - we’re here for you and what you want to hear more of.

Until early 2026 … We wish you all a very Happy holidays!

Remember you can follow Molly and Sasha on Social Media including:

Molly - @mollyjhurford @stronggirlpublishing

Sasha - @SGollishRuns @Yellow_Running_Shoes

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Welcome to Strong Girl Talk, where we dive into the latest in sports science, performance, and well-being—all with a focus on women and girls in sport. This week Sasha and Molly interview Mia Lerner, founder of Project Unlaced, an initiative dedicated to educating young athletes about Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs) and eating disorders in sports. Keep scrolling to learn more and to check out our new author gift guide from Stevie Lyn Smith, RD + author of Power Up!

Before we dive in, do us a huge favor and make sure you give the podcast 5 stars and click follow:

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Mia shares her own story of struggling with REDs and anorexia as a young athlete—and how those experiences sparked a movement to make sure other girls don’t feel alone. We talk about what support should look like, how to talk to coaches and parents about these issues, and why performance isn’t the only measure of athlete health.

Whether you’re a young athlete, a coach, or a parent, this conversation is packed with insight, heart, and the reminder that you don’t have to wait until it gets “bad” to ask for help or to offer it.

Come for the inspiration, stay for the truth bombs. Mia and her work through Project Unlaced do all the little things to make things easier for those who need it most. Thanks Mia!

Follow Mia on Instagram: @Mia_Lerner_ @Project_Unlaced

We also wanted to share this article from the Sport Information Resource Centre, Preventing Eating Disorders among Young Athletes, which landed in Sasha’s inbox the day of the interview.

And Stevie Smith’s book, Power Up, is out! Order her book here and listen to our SGT episode with Stevie! (She was also on Mia’s podcast last week!)

Speaking of Stevie, it’s time for her gift guide! What’s on her list?

* Oofos recovery slides — am a new convert!

* Stasher reusable silicone bags — bigger ones to put all my snacks in when I travel/am on the go!

* Thinksport SPF 50 —sweat and water resistant, always on my face after having surgery for skin cancer

* Briotech Skin Spray— post-workout spray to help prevent zits!

* My nonprofit of choice: Friends of the City of Buffalo Animal Shelter

* And of course, Power Up: A Young Woman’s Guide to Winning with Sports Nutrition!

Sasha’s mental performance journal, Unstoppable, is also available now. Don’t forget to listen to our episode all about the journal.

Remember you can follow Molly and Sasha on Social Media including:

Molly - @mollyjhurford @stronggirlpublishing

Sasha - @SGollishRuns @Yellow_Running_Shoes

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Get full access to Strong Girl Society at https://stronggirl.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to Strong Girl Talk, where we dive into the latest in sports science, performance, and well-being—all with a focus on women and girls in sport. This week Sasha and Molly dive into gratitude, kindness and when things go toxic (yeah, you know that feeling when you’ve eaten too many sweet things and you want to barf, but it’s brought on by that fake-feeling gratitude and kindness).

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It’s that time of year—the season of gratitude, giving, and maybe… gritting your teeth while pretending to be nice? 😅

We dig into the difference between being nice and being kind—and why clear is kind while nice can be toxic. From leadership lessons to life off the field, we explore how gratitude and kindness can actually be powerful tools for connection, direction, and growth—when they’re real.

We also:

✨ Chat about self-compassion as part of kindness and gratitude. A nod to Vanessa Coulbeck’s first YA novel, Finding Grace, and Beyond The Mirror workbook.

✨Break down the RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) leadership matrix (yes, we’re nerds and proud)

✨ Talk about what it means to lead with clarity and compassion

✨ Call out toxic kindness and forced gratitude (because not everything needs a silver lining)

Whether you’re feeling full of thanks or just trying to survive the holiday season with your values intact, this one’s for you.

💛 Listen in and reflect with us on what it really means to lead, live, and show up with heart—without faking the smiles.

Sasha Gollish’s Gift Guide

Grab a copy (or 10) of Sasha’s Unstoppable journal here, check out Power Up and her other Strong Girl Publishing faves here, shop ASICS here, and grab the Coffee Ride mug here (plus some Pluck Tea)!

Join the Shred Girls Book Club Featuring KATE COURTNEY

This December, read along and then join author Molly Hurford and special guests including two-time World Champion racer Kate Courtney of She Sendsfor a Zoom session in late December to talk all about the book and what winning really means to you—and to the Shred Girls!

Learn more and sign up here

Time to Tell Your Own Story!

If you’re an athlete who’s had an idea for a novel or memoir, or has wanted to get better at visualizing that finish line or journaling to hone your athletic identity, or if you’re an elite athlete who really needs to work on their captions & interview responses, Carolyne Whelan of Forward Motion Writing and I have a webinar and a course for you!!

Own Your Story Webinar 12/30: Whether you’re planning to write your memoir or you just need some clarity in your sporting life, being able to look back and ahead in story form is a gamechanger. Hosted by Molly Hurford of Strong Girl Publishing and Carolyne Whelan of Forward Motion Writing, we will give you the tools to understand narrative arc, find your story, and get writing.Storytelling for Athletes 8 week course starting 1/15: Everyone has a story and if you’re ready to tell yours, this writing course is for you. Tailored to athletes, this 8-week course won’t just teach you how to develop a narrative arc for your memoir or novel, it will help you gain clarity in your athletic life. Whether you want to get published or supercharge your journaling, we’ll help you cross the finish line.(code EARLYBIRD gets you $100 off before 12/3!)Make this the year you finally out pen to paper and tell your story!!

Love one of our books? Take 5 Seconds + Leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Review!

We’ve also made it easier to find our books on Amazon right here, so if you have read one of our books and loved it, take a few seconds and click the link, go to the book you loved, and quickly let us know what you thought! It makes a HUGE difference towards building our author’s sales.

Follow along!

Remember you can follow Molly and Sasha on Social Media including:

Molly - @mollyjhurford @stronggirlpublishing

Sasha - @SGollishRuns @Yellow_Running_Shoes

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Get full access to Strong Girl Society at https://stronggirl.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to Strong Girl Talk, where we dive into the latest in sports science, performance, and well-being—all with a focus on women and girls in sport. This week Molly’s interview Marley Blonsky, a leading voice at the intersection of body size inclusion, cycling, and environmental advocacy… and author of the upcoming book, The Ragtag Best Friends Bicycle Club. They talk about what it means to be included in cycling, how rides can be more truly inclusive, the why behind the book, and some truly practical tips for cyclists in bigger bodies. You’ll laugh, cry and learn in this episode!

It’s also a big week for Strong Girl Publishing Authors. Sasha’s mental performance journal, Unstoppable, is less than a week away from being available in the wild; by the time our next episode is out the journal will be out. Don’t forget to listen to our episode all about the journal. And Stevie Smith’s book, Power Up, is out now! Order her book here and listen to our SGT episode with Stevie!

Before we dive in, do us a huge favor and make sure you give the podcast 5 stars and click follow:

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Marley Blonsky began her career in the field of Environmental Sustainability, working in corporate responsibility and zero waste programs—laying the foundation for a lifelong commitment to systems change and equity. Marley later turned her attention to the cycling world, discovering the transformative power of bikes not only as a sustainable mode of transportation but as a joyful tool for community and self-empowerment.

As the Co-Founder and Executive Director of All Bodies on Bikes, Marley leads a nationwide movement dedicated to creating inclusive, welcoming spaces for people of all sizes and abilities to experience the joy of cycling. Her work has been featured on The TODAY Show, in the Washington Post, and numerous cycling and outdoor publications.

She was named a Bicycling Magazine’s 2023 Rider of the Year and honored as a 2024 Outsider of the Year by Outside Magazine, recognizing her leadership in reshaping who gets to be seen, celebrated, and supported on bikes.

Marley continues to ride, speak, and advocate around the country, helping to create a cycling culture rooted in body liberation, joy, and radical inclusivity.

And her children’s book The Ragtag Best Friends Bicycle Club: A Story About Riding Your Own Way is coming this spring! In the book, readers meet a group of kids who don’t all look like “typical cyclists”—and that’s exactly the point. Through a heartwarming and fun-filled story, the book explores how everyone, no matter their size, shape, background, or style, can find joy and belonging on a bike.

The story celebrates the power of community and the freedom of riding—whether it’s racing, adventuring, popping wheelies, or just riding to visit a friend… or to get ice cream. At its core, The Ragtag Best Friends Bicycle Club reminds kids that they don’t have to fit a mold to be part of the cycling world.

Get the preorder of her book, the limited edition KEEP GOING art print, and tons of Ragtag Best Friends Bicycle Club clothing options here. You can shop Shredly here, or snag her fave sunscreen here. And of course, donate to All Bodies on Bikes here—and remember, a percentage of all sales of her book + merch also get donated to All Bodies on Bikes!

Remember you can follow Molly and Sasha on Social Media including:

Molly - @mollyjhurford @stronggirlpublishing

Sasha - @SGollishRuns @Yellow_Running_Shoes

Listen, Subscribe, Rate + Review on Substack | Spotify | iTunes | YouTube

Get full access to Strong Girl Society at https://stronggirl.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to Strong Girl Talk, where we dive into the latest in sports science, performance, and well-being—all with a focus on women and girls in sport. This week Molly interviews Sasha about her upcoming youth mental performance journal, Unstoppable.

Before we get into it, we have SO MANY pre-orders open now on Strong Girl Publishing! Don’t miss out! In order of publication…

* Power Up: A Young Woman’s Guide to Winning with Sports Nutrition by Stevie Lyn Smith, RD, with Molly Hurford (out 11/11)

* The Unstoppable Journal: For Every Practice, Game, and Goal That Matters to You from Dr. Sasha Gollish (out 11/20)

* The Mirror Diaries: Finding Grace by Vanessa Coulbeck (out 1/13)

* Beyond the Mirror Workbookhttps://stronggirlpublishing.com/mirrorby Vanessa Coulbeck (out 1/13)

* The Ragtag Best Friends Bicycle Club by Marley Blonsky, illustrated by Pip Claffey (out 4/12)

We’re also super excited to announce our new Shred Girls Book Club, a virtual book club launching later in November with a VERY special guest joining us to talk about Jen’s Bumpy Ride and what goal-setting and success looks like to different people at different times in their lives.

OK, on to the podcast where we are talking all about Sasha’s Unstoppable journal!

Before we dive in, do us a huge favor and make sure you give the podcast 5 stars and click follow:

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In this interview with Molly, Sasha shares the journey behind the project—from her starting her Advanced Coaching Diploma in 2013 to launching Unstoppable through Strong Girl Publishing. Sasha knows that this first Yellow Running Shoes project is the first of many with Molly and the Strong Girl Publishing team.

So why did Sasha put this journal together for your kids? Here’s what she noticed as an athlete, as a coach, as a researcher:

➡️ The rise in mental health and well-being challenges in youth (we won’t overwhelm you with more media and research!)

➡️ The disappearing link between sport skills and life skills (Linda Flanagan, we love your book, Take Back the Game)

➡️ The growing demands on coaches, parents, and caregivers (We see you!)

When we feel unstoppable, when kids feel like they are unstoppable, we are confident, focused and resilient. We love this poem that’s in the book:

You are unstoppable.Not because you do not have failures and doubts.But because you continue on despite them.

And when we give kids tools to discover their inner selves, they get to uncover dreams they didn’t even know they could dare to dream.

Whether you’re a coach trying to support your team’s mental game, a parent navigating big emotions, or an athlete who wants to feel stronger and more grounded—Unstoppable is here to help.

🎧 Tune in to hear how this resource came to life, why it matters now more than ever, and how we can all help kids feel more unstoppable in sport—and in life.

📘 Learn more or grab a copy: stronggirlpublishing.com/unstoppable. Want to connect with Sasha to speak to your group? Head over to: https://stronggirlpublishing.com/authors/sasha-gollish/

Remember you can follow Molly and Sasha on Social Media including:

Molly - @mollyjhurford @stronggirlpublishing

Sasha - @SGollishRuns @Yellow_Running_Shoes

Listen, Subscribe, Rate + Review on Substack | Spotify | iTunes | YouTube

Get full access to Strong Girl Society at https://stronggirl.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to Strong Girl Talk, where we dive into the latest in sports science, performance, and well-being—all with a focus on women and girls in sport. This week Sasha and Molly have a conversation about challenging conversations - you know those awkward things you don’t want to talk about but we let fester inside of us!?

Before we dive in, do us a huge favor and make sure you give the podcast 5 stars and click follow:

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1000 days to LA2028! On Saturday, it is 1000 days to the opening ceremonies of LA2028. In honour of this milestone, Strong Girl Publishing is launching 1000 Days to LA—a new project tracking the road to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Follow along for big dreams, big training days, and even bigger heart. 💫🇺🇸 #1000DaysToLA

Marley Blonskey’s debut children’s book Ragtag Bicycle Friends is now available for preorder! This joyful, beautifully illustrated story celebrates inclusivity, body diversity, and the magic of finding your people on two wheels. Whether you’re new to cycling or a lifelong rider, Ragtag Bicycle Friends reminds us all that there’s no one way to be a cyclist—and that the best rides are the ones we take together.

Why are the hardest conversations often the ones we need most?

Whether with coaches, teammates, friends, or ourselves challenging conversations can feel so uncomfortable… and why leaning into them matters. From sport to everyday life, we unpack the science behind conflict avoidance, the social pressure to stay “nice,” and how silence often protects comfort, not connection. Plus, we share real stories, strategies, and a few stumbles of our own. Whether you’re gearing up for a tough talk or still avoiding it—this one’s for you.

Remember, you can listen to our previous episode on creating psychologically safe spaces so that everyone in the conversation feels seen and heard. Plus, go back to our conversation on Goal Setting, so you can set some objectives for the outcome (think: I want us to get along so we can be the best version of a team together)

Sports Highlights:

Athlos, you showed up and delivered; she lit the city. This is the future of track and field and it is so much fun. Do yourself a favour and Google ‘Athlos Time Square.’ As Molly said these photos look like they were AI generated, but they are IRL and fabulous!

Women’s sports fans are growing and you want them to get your $$! Research by Wasserman’s The Collective surveyed 7,100 women across 10 countries, finding women sports fans make 85% of household purchasing decisions and will control 75% of global discretionary spending by 2030. Despite this economic power, 66% of women sports fans say sports organizations don’t understand or appeal to them, with women having 13% less free time than men requiring different engagement strategies.

And finally, we leave you with this 🎤 drop of a comment from Caster Semenya from the 2025 Play the Game conference when asked about what is one thing she would change in women’s sport: “I would stop men regulating women’s sport.”

Remember you can follow Molly and Sasha on Social Media including:

Molly - @mollyjhurford @stronggirlpublishing

Sasha - @SGollishRuns @Yellow_Running_Shoes

Listen, Subscribe, Rate + Review on Substack | Spotify | iTunes | YouTube

A few new preorders have dropped on Strong Girl Publishing, don’t miss out!

Get full access to Strong Girl Society at https://stronggirl.substack.com/subscribe

Before we dive in, do us a huge favor and make sure you give the podcast 5 stars and click follow:

About Stevie Lyn Smith:

Stevie Lyn Smith is a registered dietitian and founder of Stevie Lyn Nutrition, a virtual sports nutrition private practice. Her mission is to help educate and coach athletes and active humans on how to fuel their goals while not sacrificing their health and happiness.

As a board certified specialist in sports nutrition, Stevie Lyn has helped hundreds of athletes and active individuals fuel to improve their performance, energy levels, and recovery without feelings of guilt or restriction. Drawing from her experiences growing up as a team-sport athlete to completing ten full Ironman distance triathlons and countless other endurance and ultra distance races, she knows firsthand how important nutrition is to be a healthy athlete.

She received her B.S. in Dietetics and Nutrition from SUNY Buffalo State University in 2012 and M.S. in Applied Nutrition with a Sports and Fitness concentration from Northeastern University in 2019. She is the host of her podcast, Real Fuel with SLS, where she has honest conversations to dive into the human side of endurance sports paired with sports nutrition knowledge for the everyday athlete. She has also contributed to Run Tri Bike Magazine, Runner’s World, Outside Magazine, Bicycling Magazine, and Triathlete Magazine. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering at her local animal shelter. When she’s not swimming, biking, or running you can find her outside exploring new trails or with her dog in sunny Buffalo, NY.

Preorder Power Up right here!

A few new preorders have dropped on Strong Girl Publishing, don’t miss out!

Sports Highlights:

Oh Canada! 🇨🇦 🚴‍♀️What a ride at the UCI world championships in Kigali for EF Education Oatley Rider, Magdeleine Vallières, who won the elite women’s road race. This photo with Alison Jackson at the finish line about sums up why we love sport.

🏉 After 6 weeks of competition, England, No 1 ranked, came out on top of the 15’s World Championship beating Canada in the final 13-33.

Canadian Women and Sport released their latest Campaign, Get Girl Coached, all about the role models - the coaches, the administrators, the investment - to keep girls in sport.

Another International Federation, FIS,vThe International Ski & Snowboard Federation, announced sex screening for all those wanting to compete in the women’s competitions in advance of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina. We covered sex testing back on an earlier episode when World Athletics implemented their plan to do so back in March. This follows World Boxing’s update on sex screening as well.

Remember you can follow Molly and Sasha on Social Media including:

Molly - @mollyjhurford @stronggirlpublishing

Sasha - @SGollishRuns @Yellow_Running_Shoes

Listen, Subscribe, Rate + Review on Substack | Spotify | iTunes | YouTube

Get full access to Strong Girl Society at https://stronggirl.substack.com/subscribe