By Anna Woods
SheStrength Perspectives
I’ve trained three girls for the past two to three years in strength and movement with the goal of “playing college sports.”
Everything they have done since their sophomore year of high school has been for this one goal. Such as attending showcases, camps, summer travel ball tournaments, recruitment visits. Then, thousands of dollars spent toward new gear, new equipment, skills coaches, sport coaches and personal trainers. And lastly, time spent posting stats online, posting videos, setting up Hudl accounts, and on and on.
Not to mention the conversations that consume dinner time meals within a family. Family vacations that revolve around playing. Time taken away from social activities, family events, and rest.
All to decide their senior year … they are burned out. And aren’t playing anymore. They don’t want to play college sports. They just want to be a student.
I’ve seen handfuls of junior college athletes very capable of playing next level college athletics spend two years developing their game to do just that.
And they are burned out. And aren’t playing anymore, after two years.
They’ve played since they were 8 to 10 years old. Sometimes eight to 10 games a weekend. All in the name of “playing in college.” But the question I ask as a parent and coach: “Are we really doing that?”
Is that extra practice? Skills camp? Seven-game guarantee? Pick-up tournament with another team? Playing in another state? Four-sport seasons? Are they really helping?
I don’t think so. As a strength coach and parent, I get the beauty of seeing the end game for most girls, as well as the beginning and middle. And seeing it all from start to end changes one’s perspective.
But it also makes it easier as a parent to see the big picture and say “No.” I am not afraid to be the bad guy anymore with my daughter, her coaches and her teams.
“We won’t be at that added practice.”
“We won’t play an extra tourney. We won’t do club season all year. We won’t be going to camps for a while. We don’t need extra skills lessons right now.”
Why?
Because I’m more afraid of my kid hating sports, getting injured permanently—than I am of them getting behind their peers in skills at 12 to 15 years old.
I love the life lessons and lifelong friendships learned in sport and I want to keep that the main focus of our playing career for my girls. This time of life is a small blip in the scope of it all. And I want them to walk away when they are ready, still loving the sport.
In SheSTRENGTH Perspectives, Anna Woods challenges the traditional fitness narrative with a fresh, empowering take on what it truly means to be strong. Each month, Anna shares insights drawn from her experience as a coach, athlete, and business leader—blending practical fitness tips with real-world wisdom about resilience, mindset, and self-worth. This is your monthly dose of strength that goes beyond the gym.