Hitting The Wall Curriculum

About the Hitting The Wall Curriculum

Each Hitting The Wall resource is written by teen athletes in collaboration with sports medicine professionals, psychologists, and educators. All materials are grounded in current research and reviewed by experts to ensure accuracy and accessibility. Our content is vetted through a multi-step process that includes scientific review and athlete feedback, so every resource reflects both evidence-based knowledge and real athlete experience.

HTW

Review Team

The Hitting the Wall Curriculum Project Review Team includes student researchers, teen athletes, educators, and health professionals from UCSF and beyond who review each resource for accuracy, clarity, and relevance.

Faustine Ramirez, MD

UCSF - primary care sports medicine doctor

Jason Nagata, MD

UCSF - adolescent medicine specialist

Sarah Pawlowksy, DPT

UCSF - physical therapist

Ashley Mason, PhD

UCSF - clinical psychologist

Abigail Arons, MD

UCSF - adolescent medicine doctor

Chelsea Garnett, MD

UCSF - adolescent medicine specialist

Lindsey Denman

Volleyball Coach

Dolores Allen

Athletic Trainer

Narciso Valencia

CIF - assistant commissioner

Matea Gebala

Teen-Athlete

Screenshot 2025-08-17 at 12.17.23 PM.png

Rupsa Mitra

Teen-Athlete, Research Manager

Caitlin See

Teen-Athlete

Aanya Chandarana

Teen-Athlete, Research Manager

Anchor 2

Anchor 1

Body Understanding & Development

Understand your body to train smarter and stay healthy.

Chapter 1: Understanding Your Menstrual Cycle – Learn your cycle, how it affects energy and training, manage period symptoms, and hear tips from top athletes.

Chapter 2: Nutrition for Peak Performance – Fuel your body with the right foods, hydration, and meal plans while balancing culture, preferences, and busy schedules.

Chapter 3: The Female Athlete Triad and Avoiding Undereating – Know the risks of undereating, protect your bones and

The Athlete’s Guide to the Menstrual Cycle

While exercise offers numerous benefits, it is essential to properly work alongside your cycle by planning specific-intensity workouts and recovery days to match your hormonal fluctuations. Exercise, especially when prolonged or intense, can result in the release of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, which can lead to irregular periods, low bone density, or even amenorrhea.

Body Understanding & Development

Samantha Sherman & Aanya Chandarana

7 min read

Nutrition for Peak Performance

Be patient with yourself as you discover what works best; learning what healthy means for your body is a dynamic process that takes time. It will happen through learning, talking with trusted professionals, and experimenting with habits. Reading this chapter is already a fantastic step forward!

Body Understanding & Development

Elyse Squires

5 min read

Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs, including the Female Athlete Triad), and Avoiding Undereating

The relationship between low energy availability and mental health outcomes is bidirectional: low energy availability may contribute to adverse mental health outcomes and psychological stress, like depression, anxiety, and sleep problems, and mental health problems may also be a risk factor for the development of low energy availability.

Body Understanding & Development

Siya Patel & Leena Liang

7 min read

Recipes/Meal Prep For Female Athletes

Eat like an athlete recipes | Good Food This resource provides countless recipes regarding healthy eating for young athletes. Some of...

Resources for Further Learning

Jacqueline M

2 min read

The Role of Sports Psychologists, Nutritionists, and Physical Therapists

Resources: Sports Psychologist | Sports Medicine Career Overview | UCLA Medical School The role of the nutritionist and sports...

Resources for Further Learning

Jacqueline M

1 min read

Books, Podcasts, YouTube Channels On Sports Psychology, Nutrition, and Women In Athletics

Resources: Nutrition and the Female Athlete (Nutrition in Exercise & Sport): 9780849379178 Up to Speed: The Groundbreaking Science of...

Resources for Further Learning

Jacqueline M

2 min read

Apps for Tracking Workouts, Periods, and Mental health

Resources: Period Trackers: Flo Period & Pregnancy Tracker on the App Store The Flo Period and Pregnancy Tracker is an incredibly helpful...

Resources for Further Learning

Jacqueline M

2 min read

Athlete Anecdote - Undereating

As a female tennis player who suffered from body dysmorphia, I used to intentionally under-eat after intense training sessions, punishing...

Body Understanding & Development

Caitlin See

2 min read

Athlete Anecdote - Menstrual Cycle

I used to feel like my period was something I just had to push through. But once I started understanding my cycle, I started performing better.

Body Understanding & Development

Rupsa Mitra

2 min read

Athlete Anecdote - Nutrition

Her story helps me be more aware of what I’m eating, but it also helps me understand that eating less is definitely not always the healthier thing to do.

Body Understanding & Development