It’s hard not to be touched by Steph Wood’s story. She recounts a life where both parents committed suicide in her infancy, recalls sleeping in a crib in a closet while she funneled through the foster care system, and talks of an abusive marriage she wandered into at a young age.

At one point in the telling, she stops to wipe her eyes. She apologizes for the small display of emotion, but there’s nothing weak about her.

“Even if I don’t make a million dollars, I’ve got to help somebody so that [what happened to me] doesn’t happen again,” she explains.

Wood’s message is simple: Girls who find stability in sports at a young age can find inner strength to help them deal with the unique challenges life presents women with. They’re less likely to become pregnant before age 18, and have more confidence and higher self-esteem, she says.

Wood was in town putting that philosophy to work this week, during a basketball camp put on at Central Park through her organization, The Stronger Woman.

The camp was a combination of instruction in fundamental basketball skills and life training.

Wood said it was basketball that helped her develop a relationship with her adoptive father. After playing for a short time at Division II Chowan University (N.C.), she became a high school coach and personal trainer after college.

In October, she founded The Stronger Woman to help young women develop physical and inner strength through a variety of sports-related ventures, like the camp she oversaw for three days this week.

She strongly believes that girls are benefitted from coaches, teachers and mentors of their own gender, and uses her organization to encourage young women with a desire to teach or coach and give them experience leading girls.

“A lot of life building comes in, a lot of life skills happen here, and lifelong friendships too,” she said.

Wood presents herself as a true believer. She won’t even sleep in hotels on the road, she said, because she prefers to board with the families she’s working with.

The mission has brought her in contact with plenty of women who share her concern and have pitched in along the way. Former WNBA player Rushia Brown came in to talk to the nine eighth grade girls who attended this week’s camp, and recent college graduate Martina Wood — who is no relation to Steph Wood — worked as an assistant coach at the camp.

Martina Wood, who played at the University of North Carolina and is hoping to play professionally in Europe, met Steph Wood at a Nike Skills Academy four years ago and the two became fast friends.

“Anytime she calls me, I’m there,” Martina Wood said.

“I’ve been where [these girls] are right now ... so it’s always good to help someone else, like I’ve been helped. That’s why I’m here.”

Brian Clark, a local AAU coach, met Steph Wood during a camp at Pinecrest Academy earlier in the year and encouraged her to return to the area. His daughter Madison was one of those attending this week’s camp.

He said he does his best to help his daughters develop their games, but prefers seeing them work under women.

For Steph Wood, one key consideration is encouraging girls to approach sports on their own terms.

While the girls worked hard, there was a light-hearted feel around the court. While toughness is the goal, it was clear the approach was different from that a roomful of boys would take.

When a girl put up a jump shot with the appropriate form, she was encouraged to call it “so, so pretty” in an
expressive tone.

It’s not exactly the kind of language one can imagine NBA superstar Dwyane Wade using.

“Growing up, I was always told if I wanted to be good, I had to play like a guy. I was called a guy: ‘Come on guys, come on guys,’” Steph Wood said.

“Femininity can be taken away from you if you’re constantly talked to a certain way. ...  The key to finding a balance is to not lose your femininity, to realize it’s OK to be a female and play basketball and in fact you’re a female first, athlete second,” she said.