Pep Talks: Real Conversations for Real Growth

Real talk for every woman who is rising, leading, or figuring out who she is becoming — at any age, in any season of life.

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What I Wish Someone Told Me Before My First Year as a Principal

What I Wish Someone Told Me Before My First Year as a Principal

Here are 5 things I wish someone would have told me when I got my first administration job at 30. Maybe they did tell me then but it took awhile for it to really sink in. From listening to meal planning and everything in between.

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An Open Letter to High School Coaches: What You’re Actually Building This Season

An Open Letter to High School Coaches: What You’re Actually Building This Season

You didn’t sign up to teach life skills. You signed up to coach a sport. Turns out, for the kids on your roster this year, those might be the same thing. An open letter to every coach starting a new season this month.

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Belonging Isn't a Bonus, It's the Playbook
Coaching, Belonging Lauren Young Coaching, Belonging Lauren Young

Belonging Isn't a Bonus, It's the Playbook

I never felt like I belonged on my basketball team, and thirty years later it still shows up when I'm not invited to pickleball. A March 2026 research review says belonging isn't a nice-to-have for kids either — it's a real driver of their mental health and whether they stick with a sport. Here's the science, my son's story, and four scripts coaches can use to build belonging on purpose.

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The Thank-You Note Formula That Costs $0 and Means Everything

The Thank-You Note Formula That Costs $0 and Means Everything

Money's tight and everyone's exhausted — but gratitude doesn't cost a thing. Here's the exact 3-step formula (yes, borrowed from leadership training) for writing a thank-you note someone keeps forever, plus four ready-to-use examples.

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Does Your Program Create Belonging? Take the Audit.
Belonging and Connection Lauren Young Belonging and Connection Lauren Young

Does Your Program Create Belonging? Take the Audit.

Two weeks into lacrosse season, I got an email from my son's science teacher. It wasn't about missing work. It was the kind of email parents like me don't always know how to receive. What changed? A team. A place where he belonged. Belonging isn't soft — it's physiological, it's measurable, and it starts with us as leaders. Take the free audit and find out where your program stands.

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To Every Male Ally in Women's Sports — Thank You. Now Here's What We Actually Need.
Lauren Young Lauren Young

To Every Male Ally in Women's Sports — Thank You. Now Here's What We Actually Need.

Women's sports is having a real moment. And so is my patience. I'm grateful for the male allies showing up for this movement — truly. But there's a difference between showing up and taking over. As a female athletic administrator who has spent her career building in the margins, I need to talk about proximity, ownership, and what it actually looks like when allyship gets it right.

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Lauren Young Lauren Young

Best Period Products for Athletes

Tampons, cups, or period underwear - here’s what actually belongs in an athlete’s bag for comfort, confidence, and zero mid-game interruptions.

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Why Girls Are Quitting Sports (And What Periods Have to Do With It)

Why Girls Are Quitting Sports (And What Periods Have to Do With It)

Why are 1 in 3 girls quitting sports by age 17? Dr. Lauren Young of Lead Anyway Leadership breaks down the under-discussed connection between menstrual health, sport culture, and female athlete dropout rates — plus what coaches, parents, and athletic directors can do right now to keep girls in the game.

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