Gold Award Girl Scout Empowers Student Athletes to Prioritize Health, Confidence and Injury Prevention

As the new year begins and many students set goals for success in school, sports, and life, one local Girl Scout is reminding her peers that true achievement starts with taking care of both body and mind. Chase Lowry, a 2026 graduate of Lutheran High School South and a dedicated student athlete and Girl Scout, earned the prestigious Girl Scout Gold Award by creating a project focused on educating young athletes about injury prevention, physical health, and self-advocacy in sports.

Chase recognized a critical gap in youth athletics: while coaches and teams often emphasize performance and winning, many student athletes lack the knowledge and resources to protect their bodies from injury. According to the National Institutes of Health, 90 percent of student athletes report sustaining an injury while participating in a sport. These injuries can lead not only to physical setbacks, but also to emotional stress, decreased confidence, and a growing resentment toward the sport they once loved.

“Many athletes feel pressure to push through pain so they can stay in the game,” said Chase. “I’ve been injured multiple times and know how frustrating it is to sit on the sidelines or feel like you’re letting your team down. I wanted athletes to know that their health matters and that listening to their bodies makes them stronger in the long run.”

To address the root cause of the issue, Chase developed an educational outreach initiative designed to reach student athletes where they already are, both online and in their schools. She created an Instagram platform, @its.not.just.winning, to share accessible information about common sports injuries, proper stretching techniques, strength-building workouts, and the importance of understanding personal limits. Her posts also focused on mental health and confidence, encouraging athletes to prioritize well-being over pressure to perform.

In addition to her digital outreach, Chase worked directly with student athletes in her community. She spoke with members of a middle school cross country team at Christ Community Lutheran School, sharing practical strategies for stretching, warming up, and preventing injuries. She also engaged high school athletes, teammates, and peers she met at cheer camps and competitions, expanding the reach of her project across multiple schools and sports.

Chase also connected her work to the global issue of injuries in professional sports, researching and sharing the stories of elite athletes such as Olympic champions Jackie Joyner-Kersee and Kerri Strug. By highlighting their experiences, she demonstrated that even the most accomplished athletes face physical challenges, and that prioritizing health is essential at every level of competition.

“Often, athletes don’t feel comfortable telling their coaches they’re hurt,” Chase explained. “They want to be seen as valuable members of the team. My project helps athletes understand that speaking up is not weakness—it’s strength.”

The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest achievement in Girl Scouting, recognizing girls in grades 9–12 who identify a community need, create a sustainable solution, and lead others to make a lasting impact. Chase’s project not only educated hundreds of athletes but also sparked important conversations about athlete safety, mental health, and the culture of youth sports.

As January marks a season of renewal, resolutions, and healthy habits, Chase’s Gold Award project sets an inspiring example. Her message is clear: success in sports is not just about winning—it’s about wellness, confidence, and caring for yourself, and your team.

About the Gold Award
The Gold Award is earned by a high-school-aged Girl Scout who has dedicated, on average more than 80 hours, to address an issue they are passionate about in a way that produces meaningful and permanent change. Whether it is on a local, national, or global level, Gold Award Girl Scouts provide innovative solutions to pressing and relevant challenges.

Gold Award Girl Scouts become innovative problem-solvers, empathetic leaders, confident public speakers, and focused project managers. They learn resourcefulness, tenacity, and decision-making skills, giving them an edge personally and professionally. As they take action to transform their communities, Gold Award Girl Scouts gain tangible skills and prove they’re the leaders our world needs.

The 2026 Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri class are identifying issues in their communities, taking action, and finding or creating solutions to earn their Gold Awards, addressing real-life problems such as environmental sustainability, food insecurities, mental and physical well-being, emergency preparedness and veteran affairs.

For more details on this event and Girl Scouts Highest Awards, visit girlscoutsem.org/highestawards.