Importance of Female Role Models in Sports
Women in sports are one of the best examples of role modeling success for not only women but everyone. The reality is women are making major strides in the sporting world. Tennis and women’s soccer is in front and center when you discuss growing popularity and even increasing media coverage.
There is a widespread belief that sports are a man’s forte. Until recently, the sports world has been mainly dominated by men. It was considered unladylike for women to engage in sports activities. But although most of us are not aware of this, female sports have existed for centuries. There have always been great female athletes.
When I looked a little closer at this topic, I found that although women have made great strides in the sporting world, many countries still restrict their female population from certain sporting activities, especially in the ‘conservative’ Islamic nations. However, more recently, women are seen participating in more significant numbers and getting into sports that have been exclusively reserved for men.
Female Athletes Taking Center Stage
Over time, I have witnessed cases where women won big in sports activities, especially in the area of soccer and tennis. Women are becoming a strong force to be reckoned with.
From football, tennis, and car racing to weightlifting, wrestling, and other extremely rigorous sports that women were barred from going into, women are creating impressive niches for themselves in the world of sports.
Sports have the power to influence and change lives. By teaching young women and girls teamwork, self-reliance, resilience, and confidence, games are one of the great drivers of gender equality. Women in sports defy gender stereotypes and social norms, make inspiring role models, and show men and women as equal in skill and athletic acumen.
Why Women’s Sports are Important
The presence of women taking part in the competition has only grown over time, and the gap between men and women in their interest in the sport has narrowed considerably over the last 50 years. This is one of the conclusions that can be taken from the latest Women and Sport report from Repucom (Nielsen, 2016).
Most schools in America and other countries allow their female students to participate in soccer, tennis, basketball, and volleyball. Some offer alternative sports that appeal to both genders, including Judo and karate. Many schools are even beginning to allow female students to participate in American football. Women are beginning to embrace sports as a means of harnessing their talents and showcasing them to the world. Even the men are beginning to accept their female counterparts as vital members, and the world has started to pay more attention to women in sports.
Athletic Female Role Models Have Been Around For Some Time
In recent times, there have been female role models and pioneers in basically every sporting field known to man. These women have been able to carve a niche and build an outstanding reputation for themselves by excelling in their sport of choice. They have been able to inspire and motivate other women, especially young girls, to pay more attention to the athletic world and develop their sports skills.
Sportswomen such as Yelena Isinbayeva, Serena Williams, and Laure Manadou have taken the baton from pioneers such as Kathrine Switzer, Nadia Comaneci, and Larissa Latynina and, nowadays, almost 50% of women worldwide are interested in the sport.
In sports, several female role models have paved a way and created history with their memorable sports performances. The fact that games are still such a male-dominated world makes highlighting the influential women in the industry all the more worthwhile.
Female Role Models in Sports
Some of these female role models in sports worthy of mention are Russian tennis professional Maria Sharapova, Track Athlete Evelyn Ashford, Basketball Great Cheryl Miller, NASCAR driver Danica Patrick, Debbie Jevans, the first woman to organize a Rugby World Cup, Chinese tennis star Li Na, and Venus Williams. But the most popular of these female role models may happen to be Serena Williams.
Serena Williams has been described as a great example for sportswomen everywhere. Her incredible confidence, drive, and competitive nature have pushed her to be 2nd all-time Grand Slam Champion in tennis. She has worked consistently for her success and encourages other young women to do the same. Along with her incredible tennis career, Serena Williams is an actress, Ambassador, fashion leader, equipment spokeswoman, philanthropist, part-owner of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, and a mother.
Greatness is Greatness
There is a necessary need for female role models in Sports. The importance of female role models cannot be overemphasized. Young women need to know that they have other women they can look up to. Women are a huge source of motivation for young athletes out there, and this is not even only restricted to girls. Boys, too, are motivated by these female sports role models in sports!
Creating positive female role models in sports is as much about remodeling the current perceptions as it is about being honest and rewarding athletes equally. Young girls need to see the confidence, drive, focus, and success in other women, as well as the sacrifices needed to excel in an elite level sport. To envision themselves with those qualities and develop the endurance needed to succeed at high levels, they must first realize that it is indeed possible for them to become equally successful.
Also, it should be essential to note that female sport role models can instill confidence, a strong work ethic, and even with a strong focus on education. Confidence, teamwork, and cooperation are all essential qualities. Successful women’s collegiate athletes are great role models in showing young athletic ladies the importance of seeking education and athletic career.
Female Role Models and Self Esteem
Female athletes portrayed in a positive, healthy way has shown to help keep girls in sports. Self-esteem and body confidence is important to young women as they are trying to grow and identify themselves. Self-esteem, which influences so much else in adolescence, increases with sports participation. In essence, young teens who participate in two or more sports have a 10 percent higher score on self-esteem than young ladies who don’t play any games. Girls must have positive representation in the media, and female athletes are a great way to deliver those role models.
With more focus on women in sports in the media coverage, girls have more opportunities to find female sport role models to look up to. As positive media portrayals of female athletes increases, so will the number of girls participating in sports. This is why I truly believe that the Olympics is so important because they showcase many beautiful female athletes from countries all around the world, playing sports that they love—beauty in intellect, in the drive, character, and physical stature.
No female Olympic athlete got to the Olympics by worrying about what other people or society think of them. They got there with a lot of hard work, focus, and determination.
Women In Sports Promote a Positive Lifestyle
Female athletes promote a healthy lifestyle and participation in physical activity. They defy stereotypes of what society believes a female body should look like. They are reliable, which sends the message to young girls that it is possible to have muscles and still be feminine. It shows young girls that the number on a scale does not define their value as a woman. Females who participate in sports also develop essential life skills such as dedication, leadership, the ability to work in groups, and more.
Ignoring how vital female role models are in sports is like neglecting the importance of water to the body system. Female role models have and will continue to play a critical role in inspiring and motivating young people. As women continue to strive for and reach greatness in sports, harness their sporting talents, this will encourage others to bring their “A-game.” These female role models are changing definitions of femininity and inspiring the world to envision better versions of ourselves.