We are currently accepting applications for our Fall 2026 Lane 9 Athlete Ambassador Program, open to all college athletes competing in women’s sports programs. Click below to apply, or share with an athlete you know!
Meet one of our Lane 9 Ambassadors from the Fall 2025 program, who is joining us again this year (2026), Isabella (Bella) Grant. When she applied last year, for our inaugural college athlete ambassador program, she wrote:
“Sports physicians have told my teammates that it is NORMAL to lose their period since they are long distance athletes. It is grueling to hear that, considering I’m not even a doctor and I know that’s incorrect.”
We KNOW that feeling! It was the catalyst for starting Lane 9 Project almost ten years ago. It’s hard for us to read this, knowing that in some sport programs, not much has changed over the course of a decade. But, seeing a college athlete apply for our program because she knows things need to change? Well, that’s why we're here. Supporting the change-makers.
Here’s more from Bella Grant, on why she joined us last year and why she’s returning!
Dipping literally anything into buffalo chicken dip.
My high school coach sent me the application because he knew I had strong feelings about the behavior and overall mindset of fueling on my team. I joined because I knew it would benefit my team, my coaches, and even myself, to serve as a consistent reminder that physical and mental well-being is crucial to this sport.
I knew a decent amount of information considering I am an exercise science major, but it was all taught to me by older male professors, meaning most of my information was outdated and skewed. I knew about the importance of fueling properly from my high school coach, and I am very fortunate for that considering most female athletes had the opposite experience.
It was a little awkward at first, but it got more comfortable as time went on. My team has seemed to avoid conversations like this in the past, so it was initially scary. As the season went by, it was way easier as the girls contributed more, conversed more, and it didn’t feel like I was lecturing.
The most impactful moment was seeing my coach and other teammates start to send reminders and educational videos in our group chat. In the past, these conversations didn’t really take place, so it was very cool to see how others recognized these issues and chimed in on their own.
In the past, these [REDs and nutrition] conversations didn’t really take place, so it was very cool to see how others recognized these issues and chimed in on their own.
Although I was pretty educated on the topic coming into this program, it helped me feel a lot more comfortable. Because of this program, fueling has become a habit and something I don’t need to think about. It is just second nature. It also made me feel knowledgeable enough to speak up in conversations about nutrition. In class, when there are debates about female athletes, reproductive health, and body size, I WILL be very opinionated and speak up.
I don’t want to be the best athlete I can be right now, I want to be the best athlete I can be for as long as I can.
I value longevity in sport, as well as having control over my body. I am very injury-prone because of my running form, so I want to control any external variables that could make me even more vulnerable. I prioritize fueling, recovery, and mental health, because I want to be the strongest I can be in any circumstance. I don’t want to be the best athlete I can be right now, I want to be the best athlete I can be for as long as I can.
I am looking forward to introducing this topic to the incoming freshmen and transfers! Like I mentioned before, misinformation in high school seems to be a recurring trend. I want to make sure on Day 1 that these girls know that their health comes before this sport.
We’re excited to welcome Bella back to the program this Fall, and to welcome a new cohort of Lane 9 Athlete Ambassadors!
If you want to support your teammates and/or college women’s sports program with Lane 9’s resources, or by joining us in the Ambassador program, use the links below!
Get in touch with the Lane 9 team
Tap the 🩶 below to engage with this post and help us out!
Comments
Nothing yet. Say the first thing.
Sign in to join the conversation.