Since then, bills have been introduced in at least 31 states in 2021 aiming to restrict trans athletes from playing sports on teams that reflect their gender identity. So far, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Mississippi, Montana, Tennessee and West Virginia have all passed laws enacting such a ban. South Dakota’s governor, Kristi Noem, vetoed its anti-trans sports bill, but then signed two executive orders directing the state to ensure athletes play on teams that match their sex assigned at birth.
As these bills have made their way into law, trans athletes have fought back, telling stories of how important sports have been to their mental health and wellbeing. They have gone to their state capitols and testified on behalf of the benefits sports bring to their life, pleading with lawmakers not to prevent them from being able to play.
All the while, they continued to train.
Despite what these anti-trans bills seem to imply, trans athletes are just like any other athletes, and being an athlete is a commitment. It requires discipline and dedication to achieve success. It also means having a routine that is pretty consistent from season to season, while pushing to improve yourself.
So, Teen Vogue and them partnered up and reached out to three different trans athletes — Andraya Yearwood, Schuyler Bailar, and Sarah Huckman — to learn about their routines to stay healthy and put themselves in the best position to succeed during their respective seasons.
Yearwood was a state champion in Connecticut in track and field, Bailar was the first openly transgender Division I athlete, and Huckman was a two-sport athlete — cross country and nordic skiing — from New Hampshire.
Spending just a day in the life of one of these elite athletes would prove too difficult for most, never mind those attempting to legislate their right to play away. But if they could, it would be clear that the athletes’ practice and dedication are what propelled them to the top — nothing else. Because these lawmakers might not be able to take that time, we did.
Schuyler Bailar
Andraya Yearwood
Sarah Huckman
Two-A-Days At University
Bailar’s practice schedule when swimming at Harvard featured three two-a-day practices, and one day off. That totaled around nine or 10 practices a week.
Each practice was about two hours long, meaning Bailar spent approximately 20 hours a week working out and getting ready for the competition season.
Practices consisted of long swims in the pool and spending plenty of time in the weight room, toning different muscles in his body in order to reach peak performance.
To accommodate morning practices, classes, and time to study, Bailar was up around 6 a.m. most days, unlike the typical college student. Morning practices began promptly at 6:30 a.m. leaving enough time before early classes at 9 a.m.
Classes would run typically between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Bailar said, and then it was back in the pool by 2:45 p.m.
After the second practice, there was just enough time to eat dinner before the possibility of an evening class. While traditional students try to schedule classes for times that work best for them, athletes have to work in a more rigid schedule with practice times predetermined.
Once classes and practices were over, then it was time to study and try to get to bed before midnight to ensure a good night’s sleep before doing it all over again.
The swim season began in August and September, according to Bailar, with practices designed to train swimmer’s bodies before meets begin in earnest around November. A typical practice, he said, would consist of about 30 minutes of warm up laps and then a 45 to 60-minute main set of laps. The main set varied on what swimmers were working on that practice, and could consist of anything from speed sets, drill sets, or racing sets. Finally, the swimmers would cool down for 15 minutes before exiting the water.
