#078 Female health in the grassroots with Sarah Thorne

In this episode, host Carolyn Kent speaks with pelvic health expert Sarah Thorne about one of the most overlooked areas in women’s and girls’ sport: female health at grassroots level. With tens of thousands of young girls entering the game, understanding how puberty, menstrual cycles, pelvic health, growth, nutrition and confidence affect performance is more essential than ever. Sarah shares insights from her extensive work in London grassroots clubs, where she supports coaches, parents, and players to build healthier, safer training environments. From the importance of sports bras and cycle awareness to managing growth-related pain and reducing injury risk, this conversation offers practical, immediately useful advice for every club. Whether you're coaching under-10s, parenting a teenage footballer, or working within a club structure, this episode will help you understand how to better support young female players in the most crucial years of their development. Key areas we explore: • What young players experience during puberty • Why menstrual cycles matter in sport • How clubs can promote confidence and reduce stigma • Pelvic floor and breathing awareness for youth athletes • Practical tips on nutrition and load management • The top three essentials every club must implement Hashtags: #femaleathlete #femalehealth #grassrootsfootball #sportshealth #pelvichealth #girlsfootball #youthdevelopment #womensfootballhub