In a community where the fastest and the best receive the brightest spotlight, young girls such as track athlete Mary Cain and Olympic ice skater Gracie Gold are often forgotten about when they are unable to live up to the extreme expectations placed on them by the sports culture surrounding them. In this video and Op-Ed, Cain shares her story of the toxic training environment she experienced under now-disgraced track coach Alberto Salazar, and how it deeply damaged her athletic potential and mental health. Though she no longer currently trains for the Olympics, Cain is fighting for a sports community that will support young female athletes and allow them to reach their goals in a more healthy and empowering way (New York Times).
