Celebrating Women in Sports

By Isabelle (Izzy) Sutton

In the 1900 Olympic Games in Paris, out of 997 athletes, can you guess how many were women??

Only twenty-two!?

In fact, this was the first year that women could compete in the Games. Now compare that to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo where women made up 48% of athletes – thats 5,457 women out of 11,420 athletes to be precise.?

It's fun statistics like these that make March one of my favorite months of the year! Throughout the month, social media is inundated with fun facts about incredible trail-blazing women who are remembered for bursting through glass ceilings and inspiring the next generation of women. As a woman and a former athlete, I wanted to take this time to mention some remarkable female athletes who broke through the glass ceiling and never looked back.?

Starting out with Serena Williams and her equally talented sister Venus. Serena Williams has achieved incredible success in tennis securing 17 singles Grand Slam titles, 13 doubles Grand Slams and just to top it off four Olympic gold medals. However, her legacy goes beyond the court itself. A glance at the diversity of crowds, notably the increase of black viewership at the US Open, demonstrates how their achievements have influenced the demographics of both tennis participants and enthusiasts.?

In the world of winter sports, few female alpine skiers can match Lindsey Vonn's remarkable achievements. Vonn’s holds 82 World Cup race victories and has earned the distinction of being one of only six female athletes to conquer World Cup races in all five skiing disciplines. As a bonus, she holds the third-highest super ranking among all skiers, regardless of gender.

On the basketball court Maya Moore, a WNBA player for the Minnesota Lynx turned her athletic career into one of an activist. The two-time Olympic gold medalist took a break from her athletic career to turn her focus to criminal justice reform. With her father incarcerated for most of her life, she began her social action campaign called “Win With Justice” which aims to address issues such as police brutality, wrongful convictions and dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline.?

Even though so much has changed, there is still work to be done. Cultural norms and stigma continue to deter girls from playing sports. This impedes their ability to access opportunities. Working with Put Me In!, I see so much overlap. CIPS around the USA face shame, trauma and stigma leading to an increased risk of mental health challenges. Breaking down barriers and providing equal resources and encouragement for all athletes.?

This Women’s History Month, let’s all come together to remember the magnificent contributions women have made to the world of athletics but not forget there’s still work to be done!