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The Growth of Women’s Sports and Why It Matters for Youth Sport

  • September 1, 2024
  • Leadership, Trending
CoachesEducatorsParents

Kara Winger about to throw a javelin.Four-time Olympian and javelin thrower Kara Winger has seen a change happening. Not only are more women coming to sport, but they are also being celebrated and promoted as equals to their male counterparts, they’re getting more coverage on TV and in print, and they are getting more financial recognition. There is still a long way to go to ensure sport is as accessible for girls as it is for boys, but progress is being made.

Here, Winger talks about what being a role model in sport means, how the narrative around girls in sport is changing, and why professional women athletes are a necessary part of that change.

 

Visibility

We know that sports are about so much more than scoring goals and winning competitions, and when girls aren’t able to see a pathway to sport, they miss more than just physical activity. “I grew up playing sports, but mostly in order to make friends,” Winger recalls. “We moved 10 times before I was in fifth grade, and I was really shy. I found it easier to play sports than to talk to other kids. It was my way to instantly be part of a community and make friends. I wasn’t necessarily a great athlete, but I enjoyed trying hard and having people around me.”

Winger was lucky that she had that early intuition to get involved in sports, but it wasn’t until recent years that women athletes became more visible in sports media, and the numbers for girls’ sport participation finally began to rise (though there’s still a lot of work to be done). And now, with athletes like Caitlyn Clark, Simone Biles, and Katie Ledecky constantly in the headlines, it feels as though there is finally a cultural shift towards normalizing and celebrating girls and women in sport.

 

Opportunity

As coaches and caregivers to young athletes, you have a huge opportunity right now. Young girls and boys are watching and learning from what they see athletes and coaches saying and doing. They’re seeing how the media portrays athletes, and if we can continue on the path of broadening awareness and interest in women’s sport, we start to set the precedent that girls and women are just as capable and valid athletes as men. At the same time, young men can find their role in lifting the voices and experiences of women athletes.

This doesn’t mean that coaches and caregivers (or the female athletes themselves) should feel a greater pressure to perform or to ‘turn pro.’ Ultimately, what will bring more girls and women to sport is a sense that regardless of their level, they belong on the field. As Winger noted, she wasn’t an amazing athlete as a child. She played plenty of sports—soccer, softball, basketball, volleyball, swimming, track—and didn’t excel at all of them. It wasn’t until high school that she found the javelin, thanks to the recommendation of her track coach.

“We just hung out every day and got to be outside,” she recalls. “I loved my teammates, and I really enjoyed the puzzle of learning how to throw. I accelerated pretty quickly, but it was the newness of it that I really loved and the individual pursuit while still being part of a team.”

 

Inspiration

Woman stretching with prosthetic leg.It may come as a shock, but 2024 marks the first time in history that the Olympics will have full gender equality. And that’s a major opportunity for women’s sport. “Right now, women and girls in sport are thriving,” says Winger. “It’s been building for so many years and it really has such momentum now. I see women like Sha’Carri Richardson competing on the track now and watching her become the best version of herself in such a loud way is really, really fun. And the way that she uplifts women around her is very exciting.”

Winger also adds that visibility is increasing across a range of sports, and with that, a range of body types. That’s an important message for young girls to see, since not every girl fits the cliche “athlete” stereotype. Para athletes are also becoming more visible as media coverage becomes more inclusive of the Paralympic Games.

“Even visibility of the different events is such an exciting thing for me,” says Winger. “I still get a little bit frustrated with the narrowness of sports. It’s only around the Olympics that there’s attention around such a wide variety of sports, but in every other year, we should be showcasing the many ways that women and girls can participate in sport. Sports like speed climbing and field events like javelin that only get attention during the Games are all great options for girls but are so often overlooked.”

As women’s sport is on the rise, it’s easy to forget about the role that men can play in becoming fans and champions of women’s sport, but Winger is also quick to point out that men uplifting women’s stories is a powerful way to bring women’s sport to more people.

________________________________

Takeaway

With women’s sports growing fast in terms of media coverage and financial support, the face of youth sport will likely see a change as well. Olympian Kara Winger explains why visibility in elite sport will serve to bring more young girls into sport, and how coaches and caregivers can support the growth of women and girls in sport.

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Goal-Setting Lesson Video Transcript

Hi. I’m Trevon, Trey, Jennifer. Team USA wheelchair basketball player, paralympian, and true sport athlete. Today, I want to talk to you about goal setting. And there are three things that I would like you to know. First, successful athletes set goals and a planned roadmap. Second, goals should be written down, assessed over time, and changed if necessary. And third, goals need to be challenging in order to be worthwhile. As a freshmen at Edinboro University, I was a part of a team that made the national championship game. And at that time I recognized I was the low man on the totem pole, but I felt in my heart that I knew my dreams were so much bigger than winning a national title. I wanted to make Team USA. I knew what achieving my lofty goal was not going to be easy and that I would need to work hard every day.

So, as a reminder, I created a pyramid of goals that I kept right above my bed. This pyramid reminded me of the accomplishments that I was working towards and visually represented my need to create a solid foundation underneath me before reaching the top. In the bottom roll of my pyramid of goals I listed goals such as obtaining my bachelor’s degree, becoming a scholar athlete award recipient, and becoming an All-American. The middle row listed winning a national title and playing for a professional team. And at the top row, the most challenging of them all, I listed becoming a gold medalist for Team USA.

By understanding that there are smaller stepping stones to achieving my ultimate goal of being on Team USA, I was able to stay motivated and to stay focused on completing the smaller stepping stones fully before moving onto the next one. Now I’ll be the first to admit that not every goal that I listed on my pyramid was accomplished, but seeing my goals every day when I went to bed, I was able to push through the days that I felt like doing nothing in hopes of achieving the bigger picture. Remember, create a clear goal roadmap, assess your goals often, and continue to challenge yourself. I hope that you never stopped dreaming big or reaching for the stars. And I look forward to seeing where your roadmap takes you.

Body Image Lesson Video Transcript

Hi, I’m Kara Winger, Olympic javelin thrower, and true sport athlete. Today I want to talk to you about body image and I have three things I’d like you to know. First, healthy thoughts often lead to healthier bodies. Second, there are varying body types and no one’s body is exactly like another. And third, true beauty goes deeper than the skin. As a multi-time Olympian, I’ve experienced a lot of variation and progression in my training. My coaches and I adapt to my training frequently, all with the goal of supporting my long-term success and health in the sport of javelin. I’m talking to you about body image today because sometimes even with the best of intentions and a common goal in mind, the changes you make to your training habits can prove to be detrimental if made for the wrong reasons. In the lead up to the 2012 Olympic trials, I was told in order to improve my performance on the field, I should try to become a leaner, skinnier version of myself.

So I changed my diet. I went along with what I was being told to do, even though I’d had great success at a slightly heavier weight and higher body fat percentage, and became much leaner than ever before. It seemed like a successful change at first, but I didn’t have nearly the results I’d had before. And I believe becoming leaner than my body naturally wanted to be was what caused my ACL to tear. In the end, it cost me heavily going into the 2012 London games. The takeaway for me, and hopefully for you, is that it’s important to know what works for you and your body and to not compare yourself to others. You should do your research and experiment with your diet to find what makes you feel the best, rather than focusing on what you look like. Today, if I feel like having a chocolate chip cookie, I have one, just not every day.

I’ve learned what a properly balanced meal for my body looks like and I recognize food as the fuel that keeps me throwing. I hydrate and allow myself time to recover. And I listen to and communicate with my body so that I can be the best version of myself. In the end, you are in control of how you see, treat, and respond to your body. We only get one and it’s amazing to discover how many things our bodies can do. Be a true sport athlete. Love who you are in this moment and get excited for all the places your body will take you.

A Good Sport Lesson Video Transcript

Hi, I’m Izy Isaksen, Team USA, Modern Pentathlon, Olympian, US Army Sergeant, and True Sport Ambassador. Today, I want to talk to you about being a good sport. There are three things I’d like you to know. First, real winners act the same toward their opponent, whether they win or lose. Second, follow the rules and be a gracious winner and respectful loser. And third, sportsmanship reveals your true character.

I started competing in Modern Pentathlon eight years after my older sister and three-time Olympian, Margaux Isaksen, began competing. I soon realized that people often compared the two of us. I would overhear spectators and teammates asking, “Who’s the better athlete,” and “Who’s going to beat the other.” Instead of letting outside pressures create a negative experience for us, I chose to practice winning and losing with grace and respect. I know that it would have been easy to let our hyper competitive mindset affect our relationship, but instead we decided to support and cheer for each other, regardless of our own performance. My experience of competing against and being compared to my older sister, taught me to focus on how to perform at my best, rather than putting wasted energy into wishing for others to fail.

I believe that sportsmanship reveals true character. So, no matter what situation I encounter during competition, I know it’s important to always treat people with respect and be a good sport. Remember, be a fierce competitor, find grace in all your victories and losses. And I hope to see you out there.

What Kind of Coach Do You Want to Be? Video Transcript

Edwin Moses: You’re a coach. Maybe what you want is very simple, for everyone to just run in the right direction, score for their own team, to try and try again and again. Maybe you want your athletes to become all stars. You want them to earn trophies, medals, win titles. You want them to reach the highest height their sport allows. And wanting all of that, of course, that’s good. But as every great coach discovers, developing a great athlete means nurturing, nurturing the even greater person within. Truth is, you have even more influence than you know.

You have the ability to affect even deeper change, to take what’s in your hands and do something even more extraordinary. You can be both the coach who provides the skills needed to win the game and the coach who helps them learn and succeed beyond the sport, to become all stars wherever they land in the future, and to enjoy their lives more now, because the confidence and courage they find working with you will stay with them when they need it the most. There are games to be won, lives to change. Coaches have the power to do both.

I’m Edwin Moses, and the lessons I’ve learned through sport have challenged me, guided me, and shaped my life forever. What kind of coach do you want to be?

THE SIMPLE TRUTH: DECODING THE SUPPLEMENT INDUSTRY VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

At first glance, dietary supplements look the same. They seem safe and healthy, but just because the label says a product is a dietary supplement, that doesn’t mean it’s safe. Unfortunately, you can’t tell whether a product is safe or not just by looking at the label. Most vitamins, minerals, fish oil, and other supplements containing nutrients are probably just fine, but supplements are not evaluated or approved by FDA before they are sold. Although it is rare for vitamins or minerals to be contaminated with drugs, there has been at least one case of a vitamin containing an anabolic steroid.

At the other extreme are products that contain drugs, stimulants, anabolic steroids, or other hormones. Even though these are not technically dietary supplements, many of them are labeled as supplements. For example, body-building products sometimes contain anabolic steroids or Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators, known as SARMs, or other hormones. Some pre-workout or energy products contain illegal stimulants like DMAA, ephedra, or other amphetamine-like stimulants. Weight loss products might contain prescription drugs like sibutramine, or hormones, like human chorionic gonadotropin, also known as hCG. All natural or herbal sexual enhancement products might contain hormones or Viagra-like drugs. Products like these can harm your health and career, but they’re for sale online, in some nutrition stores, and they’re labeled as dietary supplements.

When you pick up a supplement, especially one that promises performance enhancement, you don’t know if it belongs in the “Mostly O.K.” pile or in the “Dangerous” pile. After all, two products might look the same, but one might contain just amino acids and other legitimate ingredients, while the other also contains anabolic steroids. Because of this, FDA has issued a warning about certain categories of supplements: body building products, weight loss products, and sexual enhancement products. Be extremely careful when considering a supplement in one of these categories. We strongly recommend that you avoid products in these categories.

Even when FDA tests supplements and finds dangerous ingredients, companies sometimes refuse to recall them. Sometimes, they simply repackage their product and continue selling it under a new name. Just because a product is on a store shelf doesn’t mean it is safe. You need to do your research and be an informed consumer. The dietary supplement industry is enormous. Supplements that appear to be safe could actually be dangerous products in disguise. If you use dietary supplements without doing your research, you may be taking serious risks with your health and your career. Please visit USADA’s Supplement 411 for more information about dietary supplements.