We have a special entry to our blog from none other than Olympian, Natasha Hastings. It's so easy to perceive elite athletes as invulnerable, super-human even...Well, it is very refreshing to meet an athlete who is superbly human and is passionate about her calling to inspire others...
When I was about 15 years old, I noticed I was a lot different from the girls in my class. I didn't have the breasts and curves that I noticed the rest of the girls started to develop. I became self conscious about it, and even got teased a little bit for having an “athletic” body.
As I got older, I learned to love my body, and in fact, a lot of people actually envied it. But the saying, “we want what we don't have,” couldn't be any truer because there are still days that I look at other women and envy their bodies. Over the years, and through talking with some of my peers, I noticed I wasn't alone. Women of all shapes and sizes deal with the same thing. Loving yourself, and even believing in your worthiness for all of the things life has to offer.
It was because of this that I decided to create Tea Time with Tasha. I thought, “what would have helped me at that impressionable age?” I thought it would be worthwhile to create a safe space for young girls to be able to ask the questions that might be burning on their hearts. To let them know, that silly notion that they probably already have in their head, that they're alone, is false!
Sport has taught me so much from responsibility to loving myself to building character. I went to college and earned a degree, because of sport. I’ve traveled the world because of sport. I’ve met great people and friends because of sport. Although, I’m still competing, I also like to point out that I have several friends that played in sport all through college, that are now doctors, lawyers, and nurses and more! The world is yours through sport! N.H.
My hope is to share all these things with girls ages 12-18 at St Anthony’s High School on October 28th. I’ve invited my friends Mechelle Freeman, founder of Track Girlz, and Alison Désir, founder of Harlem Run, to help discuss some of their experiences and share what sport means to them. We will create a safe space for the girls to ask whatever questions they may have about life in sport and practices on how to overcome the challenges of our teenage years of loving ourselves. I want these girls to leave feeling equipped with the tools to overcome the challenges most girls face through their adolescent years. I’ve taken the time to create a curriculum, along with many other goodies including a brand new pair of Under Armour sneakers, that each girl will leave with for continued practice. Although, this event will be one day, my hope is to create and establish relationships with these girls so they know, they are not alone.
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