Women's Sports Foundation

According to research by Dove and Nike, 45% of teenage girls globally are dropping out of sports with body confidence concerns listed as the number one reason why. Keeping girls in the game is core to our mission and WSF is proud to team up with Dove to provide resources that create a better environment for girls by increasing body confidence, body image and self-esteem. Now, coaches and program leaders can access Dove’s Body Confident Athlete tools right from WSF’s free digital coaching platform, We Play Interactive? (WPI). The tools offered in this special module are scientifically proven to improve girls’ self-esteem and body confidence to help them stay in sports. Check out Body Confident Athlete: https://lnkd.in/gBaKnsXK #KeepHerConfident

Congratulations to WSF President Scout Bassett and all the amazing women in sports named as USA TODAY Women of the Year! #PlaytoLead https://lnkd.in/gx_VVJwk

The countdown is on! ? We’re just TWO WEEKS away from the March 12 deadline to apply for our Tara VanDerveer Fund for the Advancement of Women in Coaching! This game-changing grant helps colleges and universities create and elevate coaching positions for aspiring women coaches in ALL collegiate sports. Don’t miss this opportunity to make an impact in the next generation of women leaders in sports. Apply now: https://lnkd.in/eJVy6-rR #KeepCoaching #PlayToLead

#TakeActionTuesday: Join WSF and WomenSport International on March 10 in New York City for an important conversation on the progress, changes, and future of gender equity in sports. As part of the Beijing+30 Platform for Action (PFA), this panel—featuring WSF’s Sarah Axelson and Kendra W., alongside Emily Cameron-Blake, MSc, MPP and Diane Huffman from WomenSport International—will lead a discussion on the PFA’s impact on women in sports, current challenges and the continued advocacy work needed to support access and opportunities for girls and women. Panelists will share their experiences, research, and best practices for creating sustainable opportunities and equitable access to sports. #TheEquityProject ??Where: Church Center for the United Nations, 11th Floor, 777 United Nations Plaza, NYC ??When: March 10, 2025 |12:30 PM – 2:00 PM Your Turn: 1. You’re invited! If you are local to NYC, attend the event to learn more about shaping a more equitable future in sports. All attendees are required to register: https://lnkd.in/dZAEwXWb 2. Explore ‘We Play Interactive?,’ our free resource designed to help coaches, educators, parents, and community leaders across the globe, create inclusive and empowering sports spaces for girls.

#TakeActionTuesday: Join us in celebrating Black History Month! This month and every month, we honor the extraordinary contributions of Black athletes, trailblazers, and leaders who have shaped the world of sports. Black girls and women continue to powerfully impact the sports landscape through their athletic talent, resilience, and advocacy, yet barriers to access and opportunity persist. Despite Title IX’s passage over 50 years ago, it does not protect against race-based discrimination, leaving Black girls and women facing disproportionate hurdles in sports. From limited access to facilities and funding to concerns about hair and appearance, these barriers impact participation rates and opportunities at every level. We must continue pushing for equity so that every Black girl and woman has the chance to play, compete, and lead. #TheEquityProject #BlackHistoryMonth Your Turn:? 1. Learn more about the racial disparities in sports participation in WSF’s 50 Years of Title IX: We’re Not Done Yet and Chasing Equity: The Triumphs, 2. Challenges and Opportunities in Sports for Girls and Women reports.? 2. Advocate for inclusive policies in sports programs by working to ensure equitable funding, increase coaching diversity, and address appearance-based barriers to participation.? 3. Celebrate Black excellence in sports by commenting the name of a Black woman athlete, leader or coach who inspires you! ???

We are excited to share that WSF CEO Danette Leighton will be part of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers inaugural She is Football Weekend and serve alongside dozens of incredible women leaders on Friday, March 7 as a mentor for the She is Football Summit. Space is limited so be sure to sign up today! Visit?https://lnkd.in/eNPqMqmY?for more information. #PlayToLead

Thank you to everyone across the country who joined us for National Girls & Women in Sports Day?!????Especially our WSF President, Past Presidents, Athlete Ambassadors, Trustees, friends and our amazing staff, who together made #NGWSD2025 possible. We celebrated the power of sport to inspire and lead change, but we’re not done yet.????Let’s continue to uplift the achievements of girls and women in sports every day and keep advocating for equity in sports and beyond!?#PlaytoLead ??: Dare to Be Films/Women’s Sports Foundation

#TakeActionTuesday: Super Bowl LVIX is in the books and we’re highlighting some of the women who played key roles in helping to build both teams’ Super Bowl rosters:? ? ?? Philadelphia Eagles? - Ameena Soliman, Director of Football Operations/Pro Scout and 2020 WSF Scott Pioli & Family Fund recipient?? - Autumn Lockwood, Associate Performance Coach and the first Black woman coach to win a Super Bowl? - Laural McHale, Scouting Assistant?? ? ?? Kansas City Chiefs? - Madison Aponte, Player Personnel Coordinator? - Ellie Perrigo, Player Personnel Assistant? ? While these women are making an impact today, we need more women in football leadership in the future. That’s why the WSF Scott Pioli & Family Fund for Women Football Coaches and Scouts is breaking down barriers by providing direct financial support to help more women advance in football coaching and scouting. #TheEquityProject??? ? Your Turn:? 1. Are you or someone you know an aspiring woman football coach or scout? Apply for the Scott Pioli & Family Fund by May 1 at WomensSportsFoundation.org.? 2. Encourage women to pursue careers in sports and explore opportunities on team and league websites.? 3. Support teams championing women in leadership. Attend games, engage on social media, and rep their gear.

Happy National Girls & Women in Sports Day? (NGWSD?)! ???? Co-founded by WSF in 1987, NGWSD has become a national movement where we can all come together to celebrate and inspire girls and women to realize their full potential through the power of sport. Join us in celebrating this special day and, together, let’s build a future where all girls can play, compete, and lead - in sports and beyond - without barriers. ???Share how you’re celebrating! Use #NGWSD2025 to join the conversation and visit https://lnkd.in/e4HvXQY for resources to amplify your voice and show why sports are a must-have for all girls and women. ??

#TakeActionTuesday: Tomorrow is National Girls & Women in Sports Day? (NGWSD ?)! Co-founded and powered by WSF, NGWSD celebrates the power of sports to unlock limitless potential for girls and women. Putting that into practice, WSF, along with the Washington Mystics and American University, are hosting our first Athlete Ambassador Program of 2025 in partnership with Delta Air Lines. This event will allow elite athletes to share their passion for sports while engaging with the girls in physical activity and meaningful conversation. ? ? Team WSF is uniting barrier-breaking athletes, advocates, coaches and leaders in our nation’s capital to continue the momentum of #NGWSD2025 and to advocate for policies that address important issues impacting girls and women in sports. Access and opportunity are important, because when girls play, they lead, and we all win! ?. #TheEquityProject #DeltaServes? ? Your Turn:? 1. Join the celebration! Find an NGWSD event near you at https://lnkd.in/e4HvXQY.? 2. Share your moments. Post photos and videos using #NGWSD2025 and tag @WomensSportsFoundation.? 3. Reach out to your state and federal representatives and find out what they’re doing to equal access for all girls and women in sport and to ensure schools are complying with Title IX.?