Womxn in the Game: Beyond the Game. Presenting Alana Laws

Alana grew up playing a number of sports, but it was basketball that she fell in love with. The game became a space where she could express herself, discover what she enjoyed, and begin to see a vision for her future. Those experiences as a player continue to shape the way she approaches the game today.

Through her work in player and skill development, Alana looks beyond the physical side of sport. She believes the mental and emotional skills athletes develop are just as important to how they perform, and who they become. In this month's feature, Alana shares her journey, the deeper work behind skill development, and why your value is never measured only by what you accomplish in sport.

Alana Laws - Player and skills development coach.

Quick Profile

• Name: Alana Laws

• Role: Player and Skills Development

• Organization: Concrete Connection

• Location: Toronto, Ontario

• Instagram: @createconcreteconnection

  
  

Her Journey

Alana grew up playing many sports, but basketball quickly became the one she fell in love with. The game helped her discover what she enjoyed and gave her a vision for where she wanted to go. Her experiences as a player continue to influence the work she does today.

The Work

Alana believes great development goes beyond physical skills. She works with athletes on movement, footwork, coordination, strength, and mobility, while also helping them recognize the mental and emotional skills that influence performance.

For her, developing the athlete means helping them understand the person behind the performance.

Alana in her playing days, now using what basketball has taught her to help others beyond the game.

In Her Words

“Your value is not measured by what you do in the sport, but by the person you continue to develop into through it.”

For the Next Generation

Alana wants girls to understand that how they see themselves can take them far beyond the sport they play. They have to be willing to give, have fun, and keep learning. She want the next generation to let sport be a place where they leave their print, not only through what they accomplish, but through who they are becoming.

Representation

Representation means seeing all the different ways people can contribute to sport. It’s creating space for everyone to show up, contribute, and be valued for who they are.

Beyond the Game Means

Being an individual first. Using your talents with purpose and leaving every space, opportunity, and person better than you found them.

Player and Skill Development Coach Alana

Full Q&A

1. Can you share your current role and how you first got involved?

My current role is in player and skill development training. I first got involved through participating in sports, and basketball became one of the key spaces where I was able to express myself.

2. Did you play sports growing up? How did that (or not) shape your path?

I grew up playing a number of sports but fell in love with playing basketball. This interaction along with other interactions shaped my path by helping me discover what I enjoyed doing and gave me a vision that became a goal that drove me.

3. What skills are most important in your role?

The Skills that are most important in my role are helping participants identify their physical skills and strengthening them to elevate how they perform. For example in basketball movement with and without the ball whether it is on offense or defense sharpen skills like: footwork, coordination, strength and mobility. More importantly the goal is to help others understand the internal skills such as mental, emotional components play a role in overall performance.

4. What is a moment in your career that you are most proud of?

   
   

A highlight in my career that lifted a weight was a shift in perspective around basketball. I came to understand that the game is filled with inner skills that are just as important as the physical ones, and that the game can be a tool to teach us about ourselves. That changed how I approached skill development because basketball became a vehicle for something deeper, helping others reach their physical goals while understanding that the game does not define who they are.

5. What has been one of your biggest challenges as a woman working in sports?

One of my biggest challenges as a woman working in sports has been navigating an industry that often prioritizes immediate gratification and visible physical results. My approach is rooted in developing the inner skills that sharpen physical performance, but those qualities are not always as immediately visible or valued. Learning how to highlight the importance of that deeper development while still helping athletes achieve measurable results has been one of my biggest challenges.

6. What does balance realistically look like for you in this season of life?

Balance realistically looks like making sure my actions, thoughts and feelings are aligned with my purpose. It is not just about finding balance in what I do, but making sure the different areas of my life are moving in a direction that feels true to who I am and what I am called to do.

7. What impact do you hope to have on the next generation of girls in sport? One piece of advice you would give to young girls who want to be involved in sports (in any capacity).

I hope to leave the next generation of girls with the understanding that how they see themselves can take them far beyond the sport they participate in. My advice would be to be willing to give, have fun, and make learning a way of life. Let sport be a place where you leave your print, not simply through what you accomplish, but through who you are becoming. Your value is not measured by what you do in the sport, but by the person you continue to develop into through it.

8. What does representation mean to you?

Representation in sport to me means seeing the many different avenues that make up the game, not just the athlete, but coaches, leaders, fans and the many people who contribute to the sport. It means creating space to understand individual needs, make adjustments where necessary, and allow people to show up authentically and express their culture and identity in a respectful and healthy manner. Representation should create an environment where people are given the space to perform, contribute, and be valued for what they bring to the sport.

9. Outside of sport, who are you? (Hobbies, passions, fun facts, etc.)

Outside of sports, I am that individual who embraces the art form, such as music and writing. I am passionate about bringing a better awareness to the neglected components that get overlooked due to hyperfocus on the external rewards or validation.

10. Being a woman in the game, beyond the game means...

Being a woman in the game, beyond the game, means recognizing that I am an individual first, born with a talent that is meant to be used with purpose. It is about leaving a print through every moment, environment, and opportunity, with the hope of leaving each one better than I found it.

Closing:

Womxn Ball exists to show that there is space for you in sports — in every role, at every level.