Three female athletes, juniors Annabelle Winder, Shade Zehendner, and Alexis Zwierzchowski, attended the CBAADA Women in Sports Conference on Feb. 5, joining female student athletes from across the area for a day of speakers and panels focused on life in and beyond sports.
For Winder, the keynote speaker’s message about self-worth stood out.
“She had a $100 bill, crisp and clean, in perfect condition. Worth a lot, right?” recalled Winder. “She crumpled it up, threw it on the ground, stomped on it. Then she picked it up. Was it perfect anymore? No. But had its worth decreased? No. The message was that you don’t have to be perfect to still have worth.”
Zehendner said the student-athlete panel had the biggest impact on her as they spoke about injuries, setbacks, and balancing school with sports.
“It showed that even the elite athletes still go through the same struggles we do,” said Zehendner.
For the trio of attendees, the speakers were inspiring, prompting reflection of their own approach to athletics.
“As a runner, it’s really easy to compare yourself to other people and start connecting self-worth to how fast you run or how well you perform,” Winder said. “Whether or not I meet my goals does not have to influence my love for my sports or the joy I feel when I run.”
Zehendner, also a runner, said she related to the discussion about overtraining.
“Especially with running, it’s extremely easy to get obsessed with mileage and overtrain your legs to the point of causing fractures,” she said.
Zwierzchowski said she was inspired by former athletes reflecting on their high school careers.
“The most inspiring moment for me was listening to former athlete Marti Reed speak about her own experiences and listening to a panel of ten other high school seniors talk about their experiences in high school and what legacies they hope to leave behind,” said Zwierzchowski.
The conference is a highly anticipated annual event.
“The conference unites high school female athletes by offering exposure to successful women in various sports careers,” said Athletic Director Doug Hayes. “It highlights for young women some of the opportunities that are available in coaching and related fields encouraging girls to stay in sports, where they gain lifelong skills. I hope that this opportunity helps to build a community for girls to connect with mentors and fosters confidence and leadership that the attendees can become confident leaders in the Burroughs High School community.”
For Winder, Zehendner, and Zwierzchowski, the conference offered perspective on competition, balance, and long-term goals as they continue their track seasons at Burroughs.
”Attending the conference has inspired me to continue dreaming big and looking towards the future, even when times get confusing or hard, because there’s always something in store for us, even if we can’t see it now,” said Zwierzchowski.
