We talk to a young athlete who is making a big impact away from the track.
On the track, Issy Kayson, 17, is a promising 400m and 400m hurdler with medals at the district and national levels. But it’s off the track where he really makes an impact, standing out as a rising star for many different reasons. Still building her track and field career, she has become a powerful advocate for addressing the challenges that cause so many girls to drop out of sports at puberty. At just 15 years old, he began making a documentary that explored this issue, interviewing elite athletes, coaches, scientists and policy makers.
Her efforts have led to the co-development of a national schools campaign and accompanying toolkit that is expected to reach over one million students and 20,000 EC teachers. He has also contributed to policy recommendations currently under discussion for the UK National Curriculum, designed to improve understanding of puberty and its impact on the performance of young athletes.
As a Nike Youth Ambassador, Issy continues to use her platform to drive change and better support girls on their athletic journeys.
How did you become a hurdler?
I started doing junior bags when I was nine. One of the coaches at the club saw me and invited me to join. I started cross country and got pretty good at it. I won national silver at the Liverpool Cross Challenge.
Then I decided I wanted to do heptathlon because of Jessica Ennis-Hill. My dad showed me a replay of it in the 2012 Olympics and I thought, “I want to be like him.” But I’m out in the high jump and long jump. I had a bad experience in high jump. hit the upright, kicked the marshal, cut my leg and my dad had to pull me off the track. After that I was just terrified.
I loved the obstacles though. I ran hurdles and long sprints for a while, but by the time I was 15 and 17 my coach said I should pick one up. The training of the two did not match. So I opted for long barriers, the best of both worlds.
How did you first decide you wanted to be an advocate for girls in sports?
I was about 11 years old when I noticed a lot of younger age group girls running track and cross country. There were mostly girls and one boy. But in the older groups, under 15, under 17, the girls had disappeared. That’s when I first noticed the difference in participation.
It wasn’t until I went through puberty that I realized why.
When I was 13 years old, I gained six kilograms in six weeks. It slowed my performance even though I was exercising a lot. I didn’t know it was a natural part of transitioning into a woman’s body. i just thought i was fat and slow.
I also began to feel self-conscious about my outfit. I used to race in a crop top and shorts, but I started to worry about how I looked, the way my stomach was rolling. It made me uncomfortable during training and competition.
Periods were another matter. The first time I got a cramp was during a race warm-up. I didn’t know what it was. I told my dad I was in too much pain to race. Luckily, she found a sporty mom who assured us that I could run, and I actually won that race.
It all made me realize that no one tells girls what to expect. If I didn’t have support, I probably would have quit. That’s when I realized it had to be addressed through education.
What have you done to protect it?
I thought the best way to help was to talk about my own experiences. I’ve attended Nike’s Women’s Hour twice, once with Paula Radcliffe and once with Katharina Johnson-Thompson, who was my childhood hero. It was amazing.
I also post a lot on Instagram. I did a series where I talked about how puberty affected me and how I overcame it.
I tried to start a petition on Change.org to change the curriculum, but I didn’t get enough signatures, so instead I started writing emails and handwritten letters to MPs and members of the government to push for change.
And we’ve made a documentary called Out of Competition, where I interview different people to understand how puberty affects girls in sports. For example, I spoke to Tanni Gray-Thompson and Jessica Ennis-Hill about why girls drop out of school. It’s done, we just don’t know where it’s going yet.
What have you noticed in schools and sports organizations about how they deal with the effects of puberty on teenage girls?
We are taught the biological side, like the menstrual cycle, wider hips, mood swings, and maybe a little self-esteem lessons. But no one tells you how it affects you in sports or in everyday life. It is surface level.
At first I thought wellness classes were the best place for this. When I spoke to the Conservative government they said there was room in the curriculum and it looked like it would happen. Then the government changed and it came off the shelf.
Later, through the Department of Education, I created the Private Association. That’s when we came up with the idea of ​​creating a toolkit for pedagogy teachers as they work with young people who play sports. So I thought that might be a better way to make a difference.
What would you say to other teenage girls who are thinking about giving up sports?
This is something KJT told me stuck with me. We are all on our own biological timelines, so our progress cannot be compared. Success looks different for everyone.
If you don’t compare yourself to others, you’re good. But as soon as you start, that’s when doubts creep in. Just stay in your own lane.
Isi Kaison
The age: 17:00
clubWoodford Green with Essex Ladies
TrainerGladys Byrd
Event400 m hurdles
PB:64.79
