| These days, girls can barely open a fashion magazine | | | | her legs getting bigger, what she is really saying is that |
| or turn on the television without being bombarded by | | | | she doesn't want to play at the highest levels of |
| images of "super-skinny" and "size zero" celebrities. | | | | hockey. |
| Reality TV shows would lead us to believe that every | | | | This is a choice that all young female players must |
| girl aspires to be the "Next Top Model". | | | | make. They must accept the fact that strength training |
| A recent university research study found that 50% of | | | | will build muscle. More muscle means more strength. |
| 16-year-old girls believe they are too fat and that there | | | | And the best female hockey players in the world are |
| is a significant decline in confidence among young girls | | | | incredibly strong both on and off the ice. |
| between the ages of 11 and 16. | | | | Despite what we see in the fashion magazines and on |
| Both these stats and shows raise serious concerns | | | | TV, there aren't many women who are 5 foot 9 and |
| about how this "idealized" body image influences girls | | | | weigh 100 pounds. And there definitely aren't any elite |
| who want to become the "Next Great Female | | | | female players that fit this "ideal" - the average weight |
| Hockey Player"? | | | | on the Canadian and United States National Team's is |
| As young female players reach their mid-teens, the | | | | 150 pounds. |
| influence of popular culture may lead them to question | | | | The best female players in the world are NOT "skinny |
| whether they want to stay involved in a sport that is | | | | size zeroes", but they epitomize what the true "ideals" |
| not only traditionally 'male', but also requires them to be | | | | of society should be. They are both strong and |
| physically strong. Players may ask: | | | | feminine. This may not make them the ideal runway |
| "Can I be the best player on the ice and still fit into the | | | | models, but it does make them terrific role models. |
| "skinny size zero" ideal?" | | | | Female hockey players can help to redefine the |
| Players CAN'T have it both ways. The rink is NO | | | | female ideal. |
| runway. | | | | So is it going to be... |
| If a player wants to be the next great player, she has | | | | Runway Model or Role Model? |
| to train like one. When an athlete says that she doesn't | | | | "Next Top Model" or "Next Great Player"? |
| want to strength train because she is worried about | | | | |