Strong Girl Publishing Celebrates National Girls & Women in Sports Day with Inspiring Books for Young Athletes

January 16, 2025

Books that get girls excited about sport and to see themselves in athletic spaces—and that support young women athletes along the way!

January 16, 2025 /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – With National Girls & Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) coming up on February 5, 2025, Strong Girl Publishing is ready to celebrate with our collection of empowering middle grade and young adult books featuring girls who love to play. As we approach the 39th annual NGWSD, our mission to increase visibility of girls in sport aligns perfectly with this nationwide celebration.

Our catalog includes titles that showcase the multifaceted nature of young female athletes, from BMX bikers to runners and beyond. These stories not only entertain but also inspire girls to realize their full potential through sports participation.

Strong Girl Publishing creates books and content to inspire girls in sport, written by young women who’ve been there. The small publishing company was founded by longtime author, journalist, and athlete Molly Hurford, who has been writing stories for young women athletes for years—including the popular Shred Girls series. Strong Girl Publishing aims to increase visibility of girls in sport and outdoor adventure, while also providing an outlet for young women athletes to share their stories authentically.

“We believe that every girl contains multitudes and can tap into her inner athlete, on and off the playing field,” says Molly Hurford, founder of Strong Girl Publishing. “Our books offer young readers the chance to see themselves represented in sports literature, something that has been lacking in traditional publishing.”

Readers can find stories that celebrate the confidence, strength, and character gained through sports participation—tools that girls need to become strong leaders in sports and life. Reading is one of the best ways for girls to be able to see themselves in sport and in activities traditionally dominated by boys, but girls are wildly underrepresented in books, especially in the middle grade and young adult age range where the dropout rate in sport is highest.

Since our start in 2023, we’ve published books and workbooks from three new female athlete voices: mountain biker Mackenzie Myatt, downhiller Rachel Pageau and Commonwealth Games gold medalist track sprinter Micha Powell. We also recently announced our new author Vanessa Coulbeck, a body image researcher, social entrepreneur and advocate for girls in sport. Coulbeck’s first book in the Mirror Diaries series will be released in the fall.

To give back to the community, a percentage of our profits are donated to organizations that support girls in sport. In 2024, we were able to donate to Fast & Female in addition to a donation of over 50 books to CanFund. And every time someone purchases one of our books, sweatshirts or other merch, our authors directly benefit, allowing them to continue to pursue their sporting goals.

Our authors as well as founder/author/athlete Molly Hurford are available for interviews on the topic of girls in sport, and if you’re looking for unique ways to get young girls interested in sport or ways to keep women chasing their sporting dreams, check out just a few of our titles:

Running as Fast as We Can by Molly Hurford
Juniors Krista and Elle might have been best friends once. Not anymore. But they do have one thing in common: A distaste for school sports, and need for an athletic extracurricular on their college resumes. When they both show up to the first cross-country practice of the season, it’s a surprise to both of them.

Writer and wannabe punk Krista wants nothing to do with preppy go-getter Elle, at least not anymore. But what caused the rift between the former childhood friends… and what will happen when the reason for their mutual dislike shows up with swagger?

Competitive sparks will fly, but it’s going to take the two girls finding common ground if they’re going to make it through junior year and fight back against the real enemy.

• Age range: 13+
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• COVER: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1egR0G5mAd6ePwBSWKyvnJGfhx-AenqS2/view?usp=drive_link

Sprinting Through Setbacks: An Olympian’s Guide to Overcoming Self-Doubt and Imposter Syndrome by Micha Powell
Commonwealth Games gold medalist Micha Powell’s memoir-slash-workbook showcases stories from Micha’s decade of professional racing experience, including vulnerable stories of growing up in the shadow of two Olympian parents, navigating injury, and finding the courage to embrace an Olympic mindset.

Micha is a world-class Canadian Olympic sprinter specializing in the 400m, currently running for New Balance. She is also a 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medalist. Born in Montreal to three-time Olympian Rosey Edeh and Long Jump World Record Holder Mike Powell, athletics is a part of her DNA. “I’m thrilled to share my story about how I accomplished my goals while overcoming setbacks and self-doubt as an Olympic athlete,” says Micha. “I want people to take away from this book that it’s not a linear path to success and embrace the imperfect journey to triumph and use that resilience to accomplish their big goals in life.”

The collection of essays covers 10 pivotal races and the lessons learned and will include workbook-style sections so that young readers can apply Micha’s learnings to their own lives. Topics include things like finding balance, personal style, a sense of belonging, imposter syndrome, finding your spotlight, and more.

• Age range: 12+
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• Cover: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tE9yY2ldLmDJTyArkWnOb5TMayr7fLpD/view?usp=drive_link

In Defense of Big Dreams by Mackenzie Myatt
Nova Scotia-based elite multi-discipline cyclist Mackenzie Myatt’s first book of poetry, In Defense of Big Dreams, is all about life as an athlete and a creative soul. In Defense of Big Dreams contains more than 50 of cyclist Mackenzie Myatt’s poems along with gorgeous layouts with photos shot by Artúr Sagát. The design elements were carefully chosen to enhance each poem, and the collection focuses on topics ranging from self-confidence to sport to body image, and everything in between. While the target demographic is young women, people of all ages will appreciate the stories contained in these pages.

“I wrote In Defense of Big Dreams because I wanted to share what makes me tick and how to harness it. I want to inspire not just girls and women through sport, but everyone to act on their potential,” Myatt says. “It’s amazing what can happen when you consistently show up for yourself and take chances. This book came at a time in my life when I decided to stop taking the path of least resistance and trust myself. Something had to change and in that, I tried to change as many things as possible. I didn’t want to tweak the rules, I wanted to chuck them out the window. I hope this book inspires you to do the same.”

• Age range: 12+
• https://stronggirlpublishing.com/product/in-defense-of-big-dreams/
• https://amzn.to/3NgdDJk
• Cover: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DYK436Dtoc0WlWGezTOzwHHvFsROFHoz/view?usp=drive_link

Sprinting Through My Setbacks Workbook
Based on prompts from Micha Powell’s SPRINTING THROUGH SETBACKS, this guided workbook and journal provides prompts, plenty of space to dream and set goals, and new ways to think about how you can sprint through your own setbacks and achieve your greatest goals. This journal is for anyone who’s out there chasing their big dreams: Maybe those dreams are on the track, maybe they’re in another part of your life. We can get there together. Each of these prompts and sample journal pages will help you get clear on your goals, dial in your routines, hone your style, and kick negative self-talk and imposter syndrome to the curb.

• Age range: 12+
• https://stronggirlpublishing.com/product/sprinting-through-my-setbacks-journal-a-guided-workbook-for-achieving-your-dreams/
• https://amzn.to/3UxDVvh
• Cover: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qvwXsRwcVsZEcteC3qtrYSQw1SchtLMJ/view?usp=drive_link

Shred Girls: Lindsay’s Joyride by Molly Hurford
An empowering series from cyclist Molly Hurford is guaranteed to give readers an adrenaline rush–and the confidence girls gain from participating in sports!

It’s time to ride and save the day! Lindsay can’t wait to spend her summer break reading comics and watching superhero movies–until she finds out she’ll be moving in with her weird older cousin Phoebe instead. And Phoebe has big plans for Lindsay: a BMX class at her bike park with cool-girl Jen and perfectionist Ali.

Lindsay’s summer of learning awesome BMX tricks with new friends and a new bike turns out to be more epic than any comic book–and it’s all leading up to a jumping competition. But some of the biker boys don’t think girls should be allowed to compete in BMX. Now it’s up to Lindsay, Jen, and Ali to win the competition and prove that anyone can be great at BMX.

• Ages: 9+
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• Cover: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YryRLnz2_MutkZstHBxhJkiOXYYuBwFO/view?usp=drive_link

Shred Girls: Jen’s Bumpy Ride by Molly Hurford
In the third Shred Girls adventure, Jen’s Bumpy Ride, ultra-perfectionist Jen has to make a big decision: Should she stick with the Shred Girls, or join the local cycling team that promises to make her faster, and help her to become a pro cyclist? The local cycling team is fast, but they’re not nearly as nice as Ali and Lindsay. Still, if Jen wants to make her pro racing dreams come true, this team is the best way to do it. She’ll have to decide soon, since the clock is ticking down to the next race…

But first, the Shred Girls crew of Jen, Ali and Lindsay along with their coach Phoebe will need to make it through their first ever bikepacking trip, riding big miles and camping in the mountains. Can their friendship survive the ups and downs that come with campouts, no showers, tired legs and a storm brewing in the distance? Bikepacking—combining camping with cycling and bringing all of your camping equipment along by bike—may not be as speedy as racing, but it can be a lot harder, especially for someone like Jen who has a serious need for speed. But the camping lifestyle will force Jen to come to terms with what she really wants: Friendships that stand the test of time and distance, and maybe even a new way at looking at her goals in sport. Winning might not be everything, after all (though it’s still pretty darn fun!).

Whether you’re a cyclist or you love exploring the great outdoors, this book will have your heart racing as the girls navigate their longest trip ever—and decide the fate of the Shred Girls team while they’re out in the mountains.

• Ages: 9+
• https://stronggirlpublishing.com/product/shred-girls-jens-bumpy-ride/
• https://amzn.to/3zSnAda
• Cover: https://drive.google.com/file/d/12lzcrh5sRDeGYh3RHNmdJq70ITSowKvg/view?usp=drive_link

The Strong Girl by Molly Hurford
In the 1860s, opportunities for a young farm girl on the outskirts of Montreal are slim. Lizzy has two choices: Take an apprenticeship and save her family farm, or run away to save herself from the life that’s been decided for her—and follow her dreams.

When the circus comes to town, the choice is easy—but she quickly realizes that no decision is black and white. As mysterious things start happening within her newfound family, she’ll have to fight to save her friends and herself.

Loosely based on the amazing and nearly unbelievable life of high wheel cycling legend Louise Armaindo, The Strong Girl is an action-packed adventure that reminds girls of any age that anything is possible.

• Ages: 9+
• https://stronggirlpublishing.com/product/the-strong-girl/
• https://amzn.to/47XGETM
• Cover: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KmUYw3CbfU8IkYrxEI0f85qzquiSjgPv/view?usp=drive_link

More info: https://stronggirlpublishing.com/ | Molly Hurford: info@StrongGirlPublishing.com