By Ella Hupka and Nicole Bucur

Over the summer, the Girls Forward Youth Advisory Council (YAC) participated in a powerful workshop led by Jennifer Johnson, founder of Captains & Poets. Through exploring the “how” and “why” behind our actions, we came to better understand our inner Captain and Poet—two essential parts of who we are. We realized that sport has not only shaped our skillsets, but that it has played a defining role in developing these inner voices. It’s where many of us first discovered what it means to lead, to persevere, and to show up authentically.

For each of us, our inner Captain and Poet is at the heart of everything we do. Our Captain is the part of us that takes charge. They navigate challenges, set goals, make decisions, and lead us into new experiences. Our Poet, while quieter, is just as powerful. This is the inner spark that drives and impassions us: our most vivid imagination, core values, wildest aspirations, our most daring dreams. Both the Captain and Poet are defined by key traits. On our council, we recognized just how differently these traits show up in each of us. Some of us lead with an ambitious and strategic Captain, while others are anchored by a deeply compassionate and idealistic Poet. But no matter the shape they take, these parts of ourselves thrive most when they work in harmony.

“The beauty of the Captain and Poet relationship is they enhance one another’s greatest strengths. The Captain nudges the Poet to be more self-expressed, to share that idea, to go after our dreams. The Poet reminds the Captain of what is most important and what is in their heart. Paired together, the Captain and Poet marry awareness with action, vision with strategy, idealism with practicality, dreaming with actualization.”

For many of us, sport has been a space to connect with our inner selves. For some of us, it was the first place we felt confident enough to lead, to speak up, or to take risks. For others, it was a place of belonging—where we were reminded that we didn’t need to be perfect or fit a mold to have value. Through sport, we learned to be both strong and soft, to fail forward, and to embrace the full spectrum of who we are.

“Many of us remember those first moments in our young lives when we became self-conscious and started to shut parts of ourself down. We may have received a message from the world around us that somehow we weren’t enough, we were wrong, or we were different.”

Nicole, one of our YAC members, shared how her assertive Captain and passion-driven poet were deeply influenced by her early experiences as a ski racer. Coaches who empowered her to own her training and trust her instincts helped develop her voice as a leader. At the same time, the space to set and pursue personal goals within the sport was instrumental in nurturing her Poet: someone deeply fueled by a sense of purpose.

Ella, another one of our YAC members, found that her predominantly Brave captain along with her Empathetic poet were also strongly shaped by her experiences in sport. Primarily through her time in competitive swimming along with other school sports, where she sometimes had to use her Brave captain to show herself that she belonged and deserved a place on the team as much as anyone else. Through her Empathetic poet, she was then able to recognize others who were feeling as if they did not belong by relating to them and using her bravery to encourage them in the same ways she did for herself.

Reflecting on the takeaways in the weeks following the workshop, we recognize—now more than ever—that the impact of sport goes far beyond competition or performance. It has taught us how to lead with intention, how to navigate challenges with resilience, and how to stay grounded in who we are. It has also reminded us of the importance of spaces where girls can explore both their strength and sensitivity without apology. When we lead with both our Captain and Poet, we lead with more clarity, courage, and compassion. And when sport becomes a space where both are welcomed, girls are more likely to stay—not because they have to prove they belong, but because they already know they do.