efa.
Behind every great woman is another great woman. (Kate Hodges)
reflections on the [empowering female athletes] retreat, version 4.0
back in the fall of 2020, i had an idea to create a retreat for women to share stories, lift each other up, and gain resources & knowledge to support our athletic endeavors, whatever they may be. the first ever efa retreat was held on my farm in june 2021, on a beautiful summer day. we had a small group, which was perfect for the covid-ish era we were still in. i invited theresa delorenzo as a speaker and she said to me after “this needs to be bigger. we’re doing an overnight.” my eyes got real wide, and then i said “OK!” (for those of you who know us, this is pretty typical!)
in 2022 and 2023 we held the retreat at wiawaka resort on lake george. it was another beautiful setting, and perfect for those groups. the only challenge was that we were limited to a very specific 3-day stretch in mid-june, which conflicted with a lot of those end-of-year things for any teachers and parents.
>> enter brookledge <<
theresa and i spent a day last summer exploring new venues (& getting lost between them, with no cell service … whoops!). as soon as we drove into brookledge, we knew that was it. we found our place.
INTRODUCING: jenn newman
jenn has been to all 4 retreats, and now that we’ve made this publicly known, she can’t ever not come :) we’ve had some repeat retreaters, and many new ones, and some who return with an entourage!
every year of the efa has been different — special in its own, unique way. for those who have not yet experienced the efa, here are a few things you should know:
theresa and i prep almost all of the food. we feel like this is “our thing” in making this a unique retreat. we both love to cook (and i love to bake too!), and take great care in crafting a menu that covers a variety of food preferences, nutrients, and serving styles.
we bring “interns” along with us to help with the remainder of food prep, helping to facilitate some activities, and engaging with the retreaters throughout the time together. this was a decision we made after our first year at wiawaka and we will never go back — not only do they help us out tremendously, but they add a lot to our retreaters’ experience, and they get to learn some valuable things too. it’s a win for all!
you will be challenged to go outside of your comfort zone. we’re not going to tell you how far but we certainly encourage you to push the boundaries a bit, knowing that you’re in a safe space at the retreat.
every activity is optional. we have a full schedule with a variety of workshops designed to support the female athlete: physically, mentally, socially & emotionally. while we certainly want everyone to do everything, sometimes women find they need a little extra quiet time — and we want to respect that too.
an open mind & open heart are required. many of you will come as strangers, or mere acquaintances … and leave as friends and cheerleaders of each other. i can’t tell you how incredible it feels to be a facilitator & witness of this “women lifting each other up” over the course of just a couple days. we all have different backgrounds, but our desire to be better — for ourselves, for our families, for our communities — and leave the world a brighter place for those who come after us … well, that’s across the board.
so while i won’t share any specific details about this year’s retreat, or any other — because some of the things we talk about are shared in confidence of the retreat space (or “holding a container” as i’ve recently heard in a training i’m in) — i can tell you these things:
if you move your body for the purpose of your health & well-being, you are an athlete in our eyes. you don’t have to be a world-class runner, or an accomplished ADK 46er, or even an every-day exerciser. we want you to come and be with us, and learn for whatever level you’re at.
you are worth the investment. of time, of money, of energy. is going away from home, from family, from work for a few days stressful? it certainly can be! but you know in your head that you deserve some time dedicated to you — so let this be it, and enjoy yourself!
if you are planning to get married anytime soon, please hold your wedding at brookledge and invite me & theresa. we absolutely love this venue and can’t wait to go back!!
[empowering female athletes] retreat, version 5.0 — dates coming soon!!!
