The Center for the Female Athlete empowers Ella

Ella Combs first heard about the Center for the Female Athlete at Dayton Children’s from her teammates on the Tipp City cross-country team. Several of her friends had participated in the program and had been raving about how it had changed their lives.

Based on their recommendations, Ella decided to give the Center for the Female Athlete a try.

The Center for the Female Athlete is an innovative, multidisciplinary program designed to tackle barriers and gaps in female athletes’ physical, nutritional and emotional health. The center is the only one of its kind in Ohio and is led by an all-female team that works with female athletes, ages 11-18, to give them the tools and resources to understand their bodies' unique needs. Through the center, female athletes can find the program they’ve been looking for that helps them not only be the best version of their athletic self, but the best version of their whole self.

“We are absolutely thrilled with the Center for the Female Athlete,” said Ella’s mom, Heather. “We love the communication between the staff and that the team is made up of female athletes that understand where Ella is coming from. We’ve been recommending the Center for the Female Athlete to everyone we can think of.”

Since September, Ella has been working with the Center for the Female Athlete team to recover from an overuse injury after a busy cross-country season. The team is giving her tips and actionable steps she can take to help manage both her injury and her mental health as a result of her injury.

And her family and peers have noticed a difference in Ella.

“We have seen such a difference in Ella since she started the program,” said Heather. “There’s been noticeable changes when it comes to her nutrition and mental health. Ella has been so inspired by the women on the Center for the Female Athlete team that she’s thinking of going into the sports science field, so she can be part of the next generation of this program.”

When asked what she would tell families considering the Center for the Female Athlete for their daughter, Heather shares.

“Do it. Anytime you can get a team of people that takes care of an athlete’s physical and mental wellbeing, all at one place, all at the same time and communicates so effectively, that’s just the best-case scenario.”

To learn more about the Center for the Female Athlete, families can visit www.childrensdayton.org/centerforthefemaleathlete. Athletes can also schedule a free 30-minute consult with one of the center’s athletic trainers to learn more about the program and see if they are a good fit. To book a consult, click here.