Dragonwing Blog
Kathrine Switzer: First Woman to Enter the Boston Marathon
Number of U.S. high schools with athletics programs for girls from 2009/10 to 2017/18, by sport
Nutrition for athletic girls is a source of confidence!
March is National Nutrition Month and we’d like to share tips on good nutrition for girl athletes. Balance is key. It is important to include lean protein, nutrient rich carbohydrates (whole grain, non GMO if possible), low-fat dairy, fruits, and vegetables in an athlete’s diet. It is essential to be properly hydrated, so drink your water throughout the day! Some folks say 1/2 your body weight in ounces – shoot for at least eight glasses.
To prep for a game, start out with a hearty breakfast rich in carbohydrates to keep your energy up, move on to a balanced lunch containing protein vegi, carbohydrate combination, spread out protein consumption throughout the day, try to avoid bad fatty foods (eat the good ones like avocado), and eat your last meal two to three hours before game time to be sure you have digested it. For our recommendations for post-game recovery foods check out our guide here!
Join the conversation and leave us a comment on what food routine works for you
"Dear Dragonwing Girl..." Wise Words From A Bad Cookie
Dear Dragonwing Girl, I would like to start by saying you are amazing. No matter who you are, where you are, or what you have done to get to this point right now, you’re amazing. You have unlimited untapped potential and only the sky is the limit. I’m sure you’ve heard this before from loving grandparents whilst they grab your cheeks and squeeze you in a constricting hug, but right now- at this moment- I want you to read carefully. You are all the attributes I listed before and more; you are beautiful, strong, and smart and you can do everything you want to and more. Despite you and I knowing these things to be true, some will doubt you. Some will doubt you without even knowing you, and some will doubt you right after seeing your name on a resume. These some will be men, but they will also be women. Most will do this unconsciously, and I implore you to not be angry at them for the ignorance and bias they hold. I implore you to fight the fight of being a career-driven girl in a world run by men. Though it is important to not hold anger for the world being the way it is, do not conform to the need to be “pleasant” or “calm” or “collected." You can speak out when you see small forms of misogyny in your school or workplace. Whether it be a man dominating the discussion, or a guy in your group making snide comments, you can step up. You can make your voice be heard because you won’t let anyone tell you that you can’t. Because you can. So, stay strong because it can be hard sometimes. You might be called selfish or bossy or any other number of terms people like to use for women who don’t conform to their stereotypes, but if you struggle, if you stand your ground, if you fight for what you want, then we will be one step closer to gender equality. Sincerely, Your friend at Dragonwing girlgear, Abby 
Concussions important issue for girl athletes-updated info here
There have been many articles and efforts to improve safety on the soccer field for women and girls. As an update to our posts of six years ago, I provide new information on prevention and training alternatives from Cindy Parlow Cone and Excelle.com
Our original articles are here:
https://www.sideline-chatter.com/dont-be-fooled-by-common-misconceptions-about-concussions/
https://www.sideline-chatter.com/a-great-article-on-concussions-from-taylor-twellman/
https://www.sideline-chatter.com/recovering-from-a-climbing-concussion/
and new information can be found here:
http://www.excellesports.com/news/womens-soccer-concussion-protocol-nwsl/
Check out these excellent video on the what Cindy Parlow Cone's experience learning to head the ball at 18 -and still being a World Cup Champ and Olympian!
http://bit.ly/2t0FV3P
http://bit.ly/2u5o9MP
The "why" of Dragonwing girlgear.
People often ask me why I am so passionate about sports and girls and I have a simple, important reason – we need this generation of girls, now more than ever, to reach their potential. Sports participation at any level is one path to actualizing potential –it is established and proven – we don’t need to create a new program or study its benefits. But social expectations and social media are getting in the way of girls. When I realized “the underwear experience” could have an impact, I had an aha moment that I could do something about it.
Let’s take Maslow’s hierarchy of needs pyramid. On one level of the pyramid is community or village – we all know and accept that it takes a village to grow a strong confident girl. We are happier with friends, family, a team, a tribe. Belonging is important. Connections give life meaning (Brene Brown). Sports provide a natural community.
The next level of the pyramid is self-esteem. Sports build self-esteem in so many ways, such as setting and achieving goals, graciously winning, building resilience, pushing your comfort zone for what you think you can do and then exceeding it – just to name a few. For more on this, check out this TedEx talk by Alisa Herr.
Unfortunately, feelings about breast development are a top reason girls drop out of sports. According to a recent study in the Journal of Adolescent Health, "three quarters of school-aged girls report breast-related concerns regarding exercise and sports." 75%!!! That’s just not acceptable. Starting and normalizing conversation about body changes can improve this. Sports programs frequently recommend protective gear for boys, like cups, or compression shorts, but there is no comparable list recommended for girls. At Dragonwing girlgear, we provide girls that list and more.
Having an excellent-fitting, high-performance sports top – whether it is a bra, cami or thermal tee-shirt, that is designed especially for the athletic girl’s figure, can eliminate worries about underwear malfunction. Embarrassment about changing bodies can alleviate concerns about body image. At Dragonwing, we strive to free up emotional energy– so girls can focus on their game – and everything else they want to achieve... because when girls are confident, the possibilities are endless.
Dragonwing Girlsgear encourages living 'open source'
https://medium.com/@isabisa/how-living-open-source-makes-you-more-human-e4b71d59b525#.7i23ady4c
Dragonwing Girlgear is helping girls everyday with a struggle very prevalent in today's society. With the rise of technology and social media, people are expected to present themselves in an 'idealized' manner, posting only 'flattering pictures' and positive posts. This causes unnecessary comparison, that with kids and teen girls can lead to many problems, such as body image issues and lack of self-esteem. Our goal at Dragonwing Girlgear is to provide girls with the confidence they need to realize their actual potential.
The author of this article above, Alissa Ryan Herr, Founder and CEO of Unity Digital Agency and mom, agrees with our mission. She lays out the foundation, to reach self-actualization using the coined software term 'open source.' Through, sharing, teamwork, accepting failures, being objective and loving one another, Herr said, "We can build a community of other humans who love us and want to help us succeed."
That is what Dragonwing Girlgear wants for you, together we can support and love each other, as we strive for our wildest dreams and become the best versions of ourselves.
Check out the article for more details!
Essentials: A Folding Chair and Thermacell
We're adding two new "essentials" to our resources page, and these are geared towards the parents of our athletes. First, every sports mom and dad needs a quality lawn chair to watch their child compete.
Along with a sturdy chair, my most essential never-leave-home without it is my Thermacell Mosquito Repellent Outdoor and Camping Repeller Device. I know this says camping, but I use it on the fields because I am a bug magnet and on some fields, I can be eaten alive. It's so easy to use (I pop it in the cup holders) and covers up to 15 feet - so if the game is tense and I can't sit still, I'm still protected.
I carry my Thermacell everywhere where I think there will be mosquitoes- I even carry it while I'm walking my dogs at night, and keep it on my picnic table at home. It doesn't contain deet, which is very important to me.
Thanks to Thermacell - they are graciously giving away a Thermacell to our customers from -- sign up here and be entered to win.
Dynamic Stretching advice from Dr. Lindsay Di Stefano and Dragonwing
Happy Birthday Cindy Parlow Cone
Happy birthday to Cindy Parlow Cone, three-time NCAA Women's Soccer Champion and founding member of the Women's United Soccer Association, former head coach for Portland Thorns FC and in her first year as coach in her first year as head coach of the Portland Thorns, led the Thorns to the NWSL Championship. Parlow was a member of the 1996, 2000, and 2004 Olympic, and 1999 and 2003 Women's World Cup, teams. Parlow Cone played professionally for the Atlanta Beat for three years and was the Coaching Director of 13-18 year-old girls' programs at the Triangle United soccer league. Cindy is a co-founder of Goals for Girls. Birthday --May 8th.