Menstrual Health Education for Female Athletes
We help female athletes work with their cycles, not against them. Our 'Play Without Pause' program breaks taboos through science-backed education, practical training diaries, and coach workshops.
This graphic summarizes the core of our 'Play Without Pause' pilot program. We moved beyond just awareness to implement practical solutions like workshops, training diaries, and coach education to help girls train through their periods with confidence.
Menstrual health in sport is a global movement, and we are proud to be leading the charge in India. This map shows how our 'Play Without Pause' pilot, which impacted over 1,145 athletes, positions India alongside global leaders in advancing research and education for female athletes.
In grassroots sports, simple solutions are often the most effective. We chose a paper diary over a digital app for our 'Meri Khel Yatra' program because it's offline, inclusive, and scalable, requiring no phone. This approach successfully built self-awareness and tracking habits, with 80% of girls continuing to use it post-program.
This is the 'Meri Khel Yatra' diary, a period tracking tool we designed specifically for young athletes in Uttar Pradesh. It's more than a tracker; it's a guide for reflection and self-awareness that helps girls connect their cycle to their energy, mood, and training.
Inside the 'Meri Khel Yatra' diary, athletes find sections to track not just period symptoms but also hydration, sleep, nutrition, and energy levels. It also includes exercises for injury prevention and period pain, making it a holistic wellness tool.
The results of our 'Play Without Pause' pilot speak for themselves. We saw a significant boost in menstrual health literacy, with average test scores rising from 5.96 to 8.0 out of 10. Athletes also adopted smarter habits for pain management and nutrition, demonstrating the power of targeted education.
At the Khelo India Youth Games, a simple sanitary pad provided at our kiosk was just the start of a deeper conversation. This article highlights how our 'Simply Periods' initiative in Bihar is creating an ambitious movement, turning moments of need into opportunities for empowerment and education.
About this collection
The biggest barrier to performance isn't biology; it's the silence surrounding it. We implement the '3-Tiered Training System,' mapping light, medium, and intense loads against menstrual cycle phases so coaches can adapt training plans based on real-time energy levels rather than guesswork.
Moving Beyond Taboos
Menstrual health shouldn't be a hurdle for any athlete, yet it often remains the 'hidden' reason for dropouts and performance dips. Our 'Play Without Pause' and 'Simply Periods' initiatives were born from a need to replace silence with science. We don't just talk about periods; we provide the tools to navigate them.
Our 'Simply Periods' Approach
We work directly with academies and schools across India to implement a curriculum that goes beyond the basics. Our training modules cover:
- Cycle-Syncing: Helping athletes and coaches understand how different cycle phases impact power, endurance, and recovery.
- The 'Meri Khel Yatra' Diary: An offline, paper-based tracking tool designed for inclusivity in grassroots settings. It allows athletes to track energy, mood, hydration, and nutrition without needing smartphones, building habit and self-awareness.
- Practical Kits: We supply curated care kits—including sanitary products, cramp-relief solutions, and informational handbooks—to ensure athletes have what they need when they need it.
Impact on the Ground
Our pilot programs in Uttar Pradesh and kiosks at the Khelo India Youth Games have reached over 1,100 athletes. We've seen test scores on menstrual health literacy rise from 5.96 to 8.0 out of 10. More importantly, we've seen a shift in culture: athletes are asking for period-care kits, coaches are adjusting training loads, and the conversation is finally moving from the locker room to the field.
Whether you are a coach looking to support your girls or a sports authority wanting to build more inclusive spaces, we provide the curriculum, the tools, and the training to make it happen.
Simply Sport Foundation
We believe that har ek player ki journey itni easy nahi hoti—not every athlete's journey is easy. Our team works directly on the ground to build safe spaces where girls can talk, learn, and train through their cycles without fear or shame.
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