Dragonwing Blog
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.
Black History Month: Celebrating Serena Williams!
Buy Pink and Make a Difference!
Summer Fencing
Hi! I’m Julia, a Dragonwing ambassador. My summers have been known to be very busy, and this coming summer is no exception. I start by going to Dallas, Texas, for fencing summer nationals, where I will be fencing in four events. Each event is long and tiring, so I am lucky that they are each two days apart.
To help me survive the exhausting events, I wear my light, breathable Dragonwing clothes that keep me comfortable and performing my best. In Dallas, any time I don’t spend competing will be spent rehabilitating my knee injury or resting.
After Dallas, I have three days at home until I go to Massachusetts for a month for a journalism program and then a marine biology program, two of my favorite subjects. Lastly, I’ll be going to Poland for ten days for a fencing program with many fencers who belong to the same fencing club as me. There, we will do more intense training after a month-long break, and I will have my Dragonwing clothes to keep me cool and comfortable.
In a previous blog post, I talked about my knee injury and my “Road to Recovery.” It took nearly a year, but I am now back to training and competing as much as I ever did. However, I will have to continue physical therapy in order to keep training as frequently and intensively as I can.
Introducing Julia, Dragonwing Ambassador
My main passion is fencing. Fencing training and competing has taken up most of my time for the past five years, but I love to do it. I get to travel lots and meet competitors from all over the country, and now I always see familiar faces at tournaments. I have made amazing friends through the sport that I know I will keep with me for many years to come. During summer and winter breaks, I participate in sleepaway and day camps to train with new coaches and unfamiliar fencers.
When I'm not fencing, I love to spend time with my friends and family. My friends and I walk practically everywhere, whether we are going to lunch or just to each other's houses. (I like to think that it keeps us active.)
I also like to spend time with my family. One of our greatest passions is food. We are constantly trying new foods and restaurants. As my 16 year old brother just recently earned his learner's permit for driving, he sometimes drives us to these restaurants (making me constantly fear for my life).
I hope this has helped you get a little sneak peek into the life of Julia. I can't wait to share more about myself, as well as get to know all of you more!
Feel free to share this post and/or leave comments. Please subscribe to Sideline Chatter with your email so you don't miss any updates or new posts -- from me or our other Ambassadors.
Introducing Madi, Dragonwing Ambassador
First off all, I'm currently in the 7th grade and am heading into 8th. One of my favorite subjects is social studies. I feel this is an odd subject to like because most people say it's boring, but it's just so interesting to me. While school is important, many other things are important to me, such as rock climbing. Rock climbing is my passion and I know I will never give it up.
Another thing I do is snowboard and ski in the winter time. I've tried both and like them just the same. A funny story with skiing is the first time I tried (3 months ago), I cried the whole way down the bunny hill! But after that I became better than my mom. Since my family and I live in Colorado, winter is pretty intense for us and most everybody. That means skiing and snowboarding is what my weekend consists of for about 4 months.
When summer rolls around, when my dog Roosevelt and I run around the neighborhood like crazy. Roosevelt is a Black Lab and about 6 years old. He is literally the best dog in the world to me. My family and I love to go camping, but sadly our dog is a little too wild to come with us. But it's still super fun. In the summer, I also ride my horse Sugar, who's 10 years old.
In the future, I hope we get to know each other more, but this is just a snippet of my life as an introduction. If you have any questions or ideas, leave a comment. And if you don't want to miss any future Sideline Chatter updates, subscribe by entering your email on the right.
Meet Celia, Dragonwing intern extraordinaire
A little bit about myself: I’m excited to begin a new adventure as a Cameron Crazie at Duke University this fall. Right now, I live in North Carolina with my wonderfully complex family, which includes my mom, sister, grandparents (Nanny and Fody), and two doggies.
Though I was always picked last in gym class and have never played any sports, I do love to move. I practice modern dance (as well as silly dancing in my room) and Ashtanga yoga, and I find joy in doing all things outdoors from hammocking to swimming and hiking.
Two of my favorite things in the world are live music and great views. Some of my favorite spots in NC are the peak of Hanging Rock, Eno River, and Jordan Lake, especially at sunset.
In my free time, I write for my own blog, eat at least one avocado per day, take board and card games with my family way too seriously, and read anything I can get my hands on. My favorite book right now is Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan. I follow several newspapers and creative projects, particularly Humans of New York by photojournalist Brandon Stanton, with devotion.
I’m an Orange is the New Black, Modern Family, and everything-by-Shonda-Rhimes addict, a lover of baby animal videos, and the #1 fan girl of my friends at their sporting events and musicals.
Finally, I’m proud of my roles as a camp counselor, dance teacher, nanny, and pal to the awesome kids I’m lucky to hang out with all the time.
Up next from me is a post about running for non-runners, as I (sort of) prepare to run (or jog or walk) the Komen NC Triangle Race for the Cure 5K this Saturday (6/13).
Follow @dragonwinggirl and tag us in your beautiful photographs, because I will be delighted to share them.
Warmly,
Celia
Intro to Laura
Hi everyone! I'm Laura and I am a new ambassador for Dragonwing girlgear. I am in middle school, and my favorite subjects are Math and Spanish. I have always loved Math ever since I was young because I enjoy solving problems. I have taken Spanish since kindergarten and I really love the language, and I enjoy learning more.
I have played soccer since I was three years old. I love soccer so much for so many reasons. I love hanging out with my teammates because we all become so close over the year or more that we are together. One day I hope to play soccer in college. I play center midfield which means I am in the middle of the field and I run up and down the field constantly. I used to play center back which means that I was the player that was the last line before the goal and goalkeeper. I can't imagine not having soccer after school almost everyday. Soccer has given me so much. It has made me work really hard on my fitness, especially this summer. I would go to fitness 3 days a week for an hour and a half. I think fitness has helped a lot with my confidence and my speed.
Some of my other hobbies are dancing, spending time with friends, sewing and playing with my pets. I have a dog and two cats whom I love very much. I dance mostly at school as an art major, but I really enjoy it.
I'm excited to be an ambassador for Dragonwing and blog about the cute and comfy clothing!
Intro to Billie
Our newest ambassador, Billie, is a competitive twirler who has Nationals this weekend. Billie took a break from practice to tell us more about the sport of Twirl and how she got started.
How did you get involved in twirl?
I started twirling at the age of 3. I lived in New Hampshire, where baton twirling is well-known. and my neighbor twirled. I really looked up to her like an older sister, so I decided to start twirling so I could be just like her. After just a few lessons, I took off with it and have continued to love it ever since
How much do you practice and what kind of practice is that?
I practice every day for about 3-4 hours (more during the summer and before big competitions). Practices are continuously doing the same tricks over and over to catch them consistently. I have multiple routines of which I must practice, so when I am training I run through them repeatedly to get better and better at them.
What kind of skills does twirl require?
Twirling requires a lot of skills. To twirl baton you must have stamina, balance, general coordination, Hand-eye coordination, strength, flexibility, and agility. They all play their own parts in making an amazing twirler. Baton twirling is basically a combination of Dance, Gymnastics, Cheer leading, Color guard, and Running.
Do you think twirlers get enough credit as athletes?
Twirlers definitely do not get the credit or respect they deserve as athletes. More often than not, people either don't know what twirling is or don't think it is a sport. I believe that any physical activity in which you compete or perform should be considered a sport.
How competitive is the sport and how are you feeling about Nationals coming up?
The sport is VERY competitive. If you have ever seen the TV show "Dance Moms".... It is definitely that competitive, if not more. Although being competitive can sometimes affect people negatively, baton twirling is competitive in a positive way, and makes everyone involved want to be the best she can be, which then carries over to real-world situations such as school. I am super excited for Nationals coming up! I get to see all of my baton friends from around the country and perform for a week long!
Thanks for the interview Billie. Good luck at Nationals!
If you want to follow Billie on Twitter, use @billiekathrine.
Last Firsts from a Soccer Mom.
First things first...
Hi, I'm Emma. I currently live in North Carolina, and I have spent most of my childhood here. When I'm not at school, I'm exercising, working, socializing with friends or family, watching Netflix , eating, or sleeping. And I think I love all of those things equally.
I'm a senior in high school and am headed into my 7th year there. I prefer math and science, although the other classes aren't too bad. I've also taken French for 6 years, and while I'm definitely not fluent, I'd like to think I'm close. I also spend a good portion of my time working for one of our school's volunteer organizations, Beta Club. This coming year, I'm excited to be the president!
As for sports, I play soccer for my high school varsity team. I played competitive club soccer for 7 years, and we had the opportunity to travel all over the country. I finally decided to stop playing in the summer of 2013. I loved it but wanted to focus on other things.
Without as much of my time strictly dedicated to soccer, I love to dabble in lots of other forms of exercise including hot yoga, group workout classes, swimming, biking, hiking and sometimes, although rarely, running.
In my spare time, when I'm not working on my homework, or playing sports, I am a hostess at a local restaurant. I've been there about a year and love the opportunity to constantly interact with lots of different types of people of all ages.
I started working with DragonWing in the summer of 2014. I'm very excited to be working with this company. I can't wait to watch it grow and hope to contribute to that!
Protein Bars + Youth Athletes
Protein bars are a staple at youth sports games and tournaments. Individually packaged and promising quick energy, they're often chocked full of ingredients that may or may not provide the best nutrition. Dragonwing Brand Ambassador Abby G. takes a look at these game-day go-to snacks and shares her discoveries.
Pre-Game/Workout
Athletes need a snack that is 75% carbs and 25% protein to provide energy, and repair and build muscle during activity. Check the ingredient list and nutrition label of your favorite snack bar to know if it has the right balance of protein, fats, and sugar. Yes, sugar; it has a bad reputation if it is refined sugar, but not when it comes from natural sources and whole foods such as low-fat milk and dried fruit. The fiber in the fruit causes the sugar to metabolize slower, leaving your athlete feeling fuller and with more energy. Sugar from natural sources does not cause inflammation, an added, important benefit.Erin Palinski-Wade, a registered dietitian, recommends the "rule of 5." Having at least 5 grams of protein, fiber, and unsaturated fat results in a filling pre-game snack choice.
Post-Game/Workout
Post-workout, these nutrients repair muscles, replenish the body's glycogen stores, and prevent muscle soreness. Athletes need to stay hydrated and consume similar healthy food with protein and carbs. Protein bars are a good fit since appetites may be temporarily dulled from a strenuous workout, or other options may be too heavy. Look for choices composed of whole foods. Micro-nutrients and essential fiber provide the body with the nutrients needed to repair muscles and replenish the body's glycogen stores. It also helps prevent muscle soreness.Understand What You're Buying
Often the ingredients lists for bars are long and unrecognizable. After being refined and processed, these ingredients lose many of the nutrients essential to muscle repair. Know the difference between granola bars and protein bars. While granola, purchased or homemade, can be a healthy snack, it may not provide what your young athlete needs during their sports season and workouts. Want to know more? Check out these resources for making smart nutrition choices for your daughter's next workout.- The Complete Guide to Nutrition
- Workout Nutrition Explained
- 7 Nutrition Tips for All Day Sporting Events
- Choose My Plate
Summary
- Forego bars loaded with refined sugar and apply Palinski-Wade's Rule of 5.
- Read labels and choose whole foods over processed or refined ingredients.
- Plan for healthy pre-workout snacks and recovery foods that provide steady energy and recovery nutrients.
Let us know what bars you've found best for pre and post-game, practices, and workouts. 
Special Thanks to Abby G. for her research and for compiling great resources we can all use.
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