“There are no constraints in life, only choices. Choose to do any sport you love, and if no woman or girl has done so before you, choose to be the first.” – Maxine Tate
Our motto “inspiring women to live bold brave lives” stems from some very important historical events within women’s sports. Gender equality has and continues to be something to strive for and it’s important to take a look at the history of women in sports to truly appreciate how far it has come and where it still needs to go. Did you know, women couldn’t compete in the Olympics until 1900? Of a total of 997 athletes, 22 women competed in five sports: tennis, sailing, croquet, equestrianism and golf. We want to highlight the Olympics as it’s amazing to see the progress and what can be achieved. It inspires us to look at our own sport and see where a shift is needed and how we can be part of that change.
“If you think something looks cool or fun, just do it. No one should tell you that you can or can’t do something. Playing sports are a vital part of our development, it teaches us teamwork, tenacity and discipline. Find some confident, strong female athletes as role models. Sample, try as many sports as you can. There are so many team and individual sports out there, and they don’t have to be your traditional sports.” – Keri Bell
In the 2008 Beijing Olympics there were still more men than women on the Team USA Roster, however the women won more medals than the men. Four years later in London, for the first time ever there were more women than men on the U.S. team with women winning 58 medals and the men claiming 45.
“All the more reason to get out there and prove that you can do it because the only person who decides what you do with your life and your body is you.” – Karen Lewis Dalton
As the years went on, more female sports were added to the Olympics, and by 2016 45% of athletes were now women!
“Try it! There are a lot of things that people can’t do, but it’s not because they are a girl or a boy, big or little, or strong or weak; it’s because they don’t try. And when I say “try”, I mean really try it with focus and discipline. Know that you’re probably not going to be good at right away, and that’s OK. And if you like it when you’re just starting and learning how, you’re really going to love it when you start to master the fundamentals and start exploring where your hard work can take you.” – Hanna Albrecht
In the last three Olympic Games, the Team USA roster has more women than men on it. This has not only been a monumental shift in sports for Women, but has helped women achieve their goals.
“Don’t listen to others’ negative talk, don’t take no for an answer. If you want to do something, DO IT. And know you’ll do it well. Girls can do ANYTHING.” -Hannah Betts
