While working out, your muscles are constantly cycling between flexing and contracting, causing tiny tears that over time allow your muscles to grow. As athletes, our muscles undergo such strain more frequently since we are consistently exercising and pushing physical limits. So, how do we ensure our body is maximizing its full potential?
Read MoreAs a freshman, I HATED going to the weight room. Not because I hated lifting weights, in fact it was truly the highlight of my day. But because I always got a pit in my stomach when thinking about using equipment. Do I remember how to set up the cable machine? Am I putting the weight on right? Where are the lighter dumbbells? Add this to internal dialogue about being the only girl, lifting lighter weight, and doing exercises wrong, and I was a melting pot of nerves all day leading up to gym training.
Read MoreFor every athlete there comes a day when they are forced to retire from the game they love. Maybe that day comes at the final whistle of a high school season. Maybe it is the result of a professional career-ending injury. Or maybe it is the bittersweet arrival from a final olympic games.
By guest writer Delaney Jobe with Head Games Podcast
Read MoreWeekend after weekend, tailgate after tailgate, the country indulges in our collective addiction: college football. Pac12. Big 10. SEC. Rivalries like no other. The epitome of the “American college experience” that lasts decades post graduation. Sitting on our couches, we watch the men take the field. But, not for long.
Read MoreA significant piece of fostering gender equality in a male dominated field, is through creating a community of support and empowerment from both sides. It is so uplifting to see male athletes, like the late Kobe Bryant, advocate for gender equality because the larger the support system, the faster we can accomplish our goals. Here is our shot guide for male allyship: what we need more of and how to achieve it.
Read MoreWeeks ago, fans booed as the Kansas City Chiefs listened to “Lift Every Voice and Sing” and paused for a moment of silence to stand against racial injustice in the United States; fans booed at the sight of athletes using their platform to speak out against injustice and systems that need to be changed. However, that will not stop athletes from around the country from leading the charge on many social justice issues. Here are four female athletes and teams that are sparking much-needed change in our world.
Read MoreMotivation and determination are two different entities; motivation is the reason you get up everyday and perform your tasks, determination is the quality that forces you to work towards a goal no matter what life throws at you. Motivation is temporary, it gives you the inspiration to do something for a period of time, but determination is everlasting and can only come from within. Most athletes are considered motivated, whether that be intrinsically or extrinsically. However, GREAT athletes are determined. Determined to win. Determined to meet their personal goals. Determined to grow. Determined to rehab an injury. While nobody could provide a list of how to stay determined (because as stated that feeling comes from within), we can provide you with ways to establish the building blocks of determination; motivation. Here is a list of ways to stay motivated with your sport during the global pandemic.
Read More“Think of all the girls who could become top athletes but quit sports because they’re afraid of having too many defined muscles and being made fun of or called unattractive” - Serena Williams
For a lot of female athletes, the weight room can be intimidating, especially your first time. The equipment, the males surrounding you lifting twice your bodyweight, and the blasting Workout Spotify playlist can be daunting. But not only are the females considering all the external factors blinding them from their goals, they are also fighting internal demons; the thought of how their body could change. Bulky thighs and muscular biceps are not a part of the Victoria Secret Model beauty standard. While body image and appearance is a whole other issue for countless female athletes, it plays a major factor in the reluctance to lift weights when not forced to.
Read MoreOne of the largest, yet most unrecognized, legacy that Kobe Bryant left was the power of the girl dad. Watching the videos of Kobe and Gigi emphasized the importance of the relationship a girl has with her dad. Kobe showed us that dads could not only play the parent role, but also the part of the coach, mentor, and supporter. Sports are such a grand commitment not only for the athlete and coach, but for the family as a whole. As an athlete, it is important to take the time to reflect on and appreciate all of the people who help you get to where you are today. Today we thank the girl dads.
Read MoreRead our list of different companies who may have volunteer or internship opportunities still available for female athletes! If you would like your company or brand to be mentioned email us @femaleathletemovement@gmail.com!
Read MoreIn honor of mental awareness month:
A letter to student athletes,
This is a letter for you to know that someone cares about you and your health. While you are recognized for your strength, your muscle, your power, your greatness, and while you are defined by your wins and your championships, you encounter much more that others don’t see. Whether you are a college athlete whose face makes millions for your institution, or a high school student trying to be noticed by that one college coach, we see you. We see that you are not entirely your wins and losses, we see that you are not just a person in the weight room, we see that you are layered and deep; we see that while your peers go home after a long day's work that your job is just beginning. You work two full time jobs and while the ones in the stands may criticize the shots you don’t make, we see the real you.
Read MoreIt is no secret that girls quit sports at a younger age than boys do. It is no secret that there is greater female participation in sports in the youth population than the teen population. It is no secret that many girls have less access to sports than boys do. It is no secret that gender roles and stereotypes are present in society. It is no secret that in all parts of the world women are sexualized for their bodies. It is no secret that females in the sports world are deprived of equal opportunities. There are a lot of reasons why females quit sports but today we are just diving into one: the masculinity stereotype. It is time to erase these factors that play into a girls reluctance to play sports and start fostering a new type of culture where femininity and athletics do not contradict one another.
Read MoreAn early blog post “How Sports Can Lead to Greater Female Success”, discusses the benefits sports can have for females and demonstrates why all young girls should be encouraged to play sports. We are trying to build the future generation of victorious women. Female CEO’s. Female Doctors. Female Scientists. We want to cultivate an era of strong, independent, successful women, and as proven, sports can assist us in doing so. Yet, a lot of times when we think about how the athletic community can drive female success, we think about skills such as team building and leadership that typically only come with team sports. What if we started rewiring the way we address the benefits of sports and also encourage young girls to play individual sports? How can this contribute to the next generation of female CEOs, doctors, and scientists? Here are a few life lessons that individual sports can teach people, allowing the next generation of females to thrive:
Read MoreIt’s been almost 3 weeks since University of Oregon basketball player Sabrina Ionescu broke Division I college basketball records during her game at Stanford. After attending, and speaking, at Kobe and Gianna Bryant’s memorial service in Los Angeles, Ionescu competed against the Stanford women's basketball team and became the first Division I player, male or female, to have over 2000 points, 1000 rebounds, and 1000 assists. Let Sabrina be an example.
Read MoreWe all heard the big news about the superbowl, not the fact that the Kansas City Chiefs won and JLO had a killer performance, but the fact that Katie Sowers was the first ever female coach to coach in the Superbowl. This blog post is not a biography of Katie, nor a feature on her success, but rather an analysis of why women can coach male sports (however, a biography of Katie and her accomplishments is the first link down below). Thus, Sowers is just one example that supplements the idea and shows women that they can.
Read More“The most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they can be great in whatever they want to do” - Kobe Bryant.
After the tragic incident that occurred this past weekend, it feels weird and inappropriate to move on without addressing the legacy of the household figure, Kobe Bryant. Not only was Bryant a 5 time National Champion, father, husband, and friend, he also was a significant supporter of women in sports and the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Today we honor him and his daughter Gianna (Gigi) for their contributions to the understated female athlete movement. Before we move forward in the article, we will honor the lives of the other seven individuals, many of whom also contributed to the athletic field.
Read MoreWhen someone mentions cheerleading what do you think of? Do you think of the girl next door who holds pom poms while ‘hurraying’ for the try-hard high school football team? Do you think of the women you see through the TV screen in scandalous outfits dancing around at halftime? When you think cheerleading what do you think of, but more importantly, why?
Read MoreLast year around this time, many news stations were discussing quarterback, Tom Brady, and his future in football. After being drafted from the University of Michigan in 2000 as the 6th round draft pick and leading the New England Patriots to win six Super Bowl championships, the question was, will he continue or will he stop now with the numerous victories on his back? A large factor that was displayed greatly via sports media was his age as he, at the time, was 41 years old. This is a factor we see a lot when discussing the ‘GOAT’S’ of sports. Some even compliment Lebron James, who is 34, for playing past the technical age of his ‘athletic prime’. However, we rarely highlight, discuss, or compliment the female athletes who also are considered “old” in the sports world.
Read MoreIt is evident that one main problem surrounding women in sports is the lack of female athletes shown in sports media. From sports reports, to athletic commercials, to even the ratio of male games aired to female games aired, there is an absence of women in these sects of sports media. We can acknowledge this all we want, but it is not until we start spreading successful female stories and displaying women in sports media, that we will actually see change. We simply need to normalize viewing women in conjunction with sports -- whether that means seeing them play sports or even seeing them in advertisements for sports equipment, brands, etc. Here are a few commercials and television advertisements that display female athletes that every young girl should see! Spread the word so the girls around the world can begin to normalize this phenomenon.
Read MoreIf one were to put a group of coaches from around the country in a room and ask the question; should male and female athletes be coached differently, a debate would guaranteed be started. Some believe males are better at handling hard driven criticism and can be yelled at more often. Others believe that women are more coachable athletes because males think they already know everything about the sport. The answer to this question is far less complex than what people make it appear to be. At the end of the day, every person, no matter male or female, prefer a certain coaching style that they believe is ideal and critical to their sport development. Coaching is not necessarily an issue on gender, but rather an individual preference.
Read More