Keeping girls in sports

The power of sports and the inspiration of Ilona Maher

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Aug 02, 2024

If you’re like me (Alexis), you’ve been glued to the Olympics all week and are jumping for joy that Track & Field is finally starting! I’m a longtime fan of the Olympics and can never get enough of watching athletes achieve their dreams.

Personally, my lack of ability to dribble a soccer ball as a young kid didn’t scream "athlete," but I dabbled in dance, gymnastics, soccer, and baton twirling. I was also a chronically outdoor kid. I spent summer days in the pool for hours (I still remember teaching myself to swim!). My friends and I rode our bikes around the neighborhood until approximately one second before we were supposed to get home and roller-skated laps around the school parking lot. I spent hours hula-hooping and pogo-sticking, and I was even a founding member of my school’s jump rope team (we performed at the mall—so nineties of us). Growing up when I did, we were always outdoors, always playing, never stationary. Although coordination wasn’t exactly my strong suit, I could go and go like the Energizer Bunny. I was the kid who LOVED PE, the mile run and the Pacer Test were my favorite days because they were finally my chance to shine.

Around the time I was nine, my mom fell in love with karate, and not long after, my sister and I started training. I was a very shy, self-conscious kid with bangs, really thick glasses, and a low supply of self-esteem. Karate was something I took to, and once I started, I quickly progressed through the ranks to earn my black belt in a few years. I began competing in tournaments and winning, and with that, I was able to develop confidence I never had before. Although in school I still struggled to come out of my shell, on the karate floor, I felt like I belonged. Not long after starting karate, in 7th grade, I began cross-country and track. Running was something else that came naturally to me, and in my small town, I was competitive right away.

As I got older and into high school, karate and track were the places I thrived. I loved training and would go straight from track practice to karate most nights of the week. Almost all of my high school friends were my teammates. Sports were a catalyst for me. They provided me with opportunities to take risks, build confidence, learn leadership, make friends, manage pressure, struggle, and develop grit and determination. Although my college experience wasn’t entirely positive, running continued to be the thing that grounded me and led me to “my people.” Running is still the thing that makes me feel the most me and fuels me with confidence to overcome hurdles, gives me space to think through tough situations, and is my outlet for challenging myself to see what I’m capable of.

Sports were a catalyst for me. They provided opportunities to take risks, build confidence, learn leadership, make friends, manage pressure, struggle, and develop grit and determination.

Although I didn’t identify with the title of "athlete" at an early age, sports have been my most positively life-altering experience. I don’t want to imagine a life where I never started sports or one where I dropped out because I started my period on the first day of cross-country practice (true story), because the uniforms were tight or revealing (not a problem for me until college), because I didn’t have a sports bra, or one of the many other reasons girls drop out of sports. Unfortunately though, for too many girls, these obstacles and barriers rob them of the opportunities, privileges, and learning experiences sports offer.

According to the Women’s Sports Foundation, girls drop out of sports at twice the rate of boys by age 141. Some reasons include; lack of access, safety (including safe spaces to play and transportation), social stigma pertaining to sexual orientation and gender identity, lack of positive role models, and negative body image2. We know that girls’ participation in sport leads to all sorts of positive impacts like better self-esteem, more positive body image, teamwork and leadership skills, better communication skills, and overall health benefits. Given this knowledge, it’s imperative we do everything to keep girls in sports and to provide them with safe and welcoming environments to participate.

According to the Women’s Sports Foundation, girls drop out of sports at twice the rate of boys by age 14.

This has been on my mind during the Olympics for a few reasons, but mostly thanks to Team USA rugby player Ilona Maher. Since the start of the games, Maher’s social media followings have skyrocketed to over 2 million thanks to her viral videos about body diversity in sport, BMI, toxic body standards for female athletes, fueling, and of course, finding love in the Olympic “Villa”. She’s also spoken out about the misguided idea that women can’t compete, be strong, and be aggressive, without losing their femininity.

I think there has always been a divide. People believing that, oh, when you play sports, if you’re an athlete you can’t be feminine…I feel that I can be a beast and can play this very physical, aggressive sport, while also keeping my femininity while I do it.

Ilona is showing everyone, but girls especially, that you can be who you are and excel in sports. She’s highlighting that there is no one body type that defines an athlete and everyone can participate. She’s showing girls that they can be strong and competitive, while being as feminine as they’d like. She’s stiff-arming competitors as she runs down the field, but doing so with impeccable braids in her hair and her signature lipstick on her lips. The example she’s setting for young girls is powerful but her impact extends beyond her personally serving as a role-model. As a direct result of her virality, women’s rugby is enjoying viewership like never before. That isn’t only good for this team, but it’s meaningful for the sport as a whole. More eyes means more money and opportunities for others and growing any women’s sport is a win for women’s and girl’s sports across the board.

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A post shared by @ilonamaher

Ilona isn’t the only athlete at the games doing amazing things for girl’s and women’s sports, but her impact has been loud and powerful. I’m so energized by following her and seeing so much excitement around women’s sports. I’m also hopeful. I’m hopeful that the impacts of athletes like Ilona, Simone Biles, Niki Hiltz, Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark, Megan Rapinoe, and so many more continue to elevate and grow women’s sports so that we can eliminate those stats that girls lack opportunities and drop out of sports.

August Writing Prompt

If I could say thank you…

If you could personally thank the athlete who you look(ed) up to the most, what would you say? What do they mean to you and why did they make such an impact? Maybe they’re a professional athlete, but maybe it’s a coach, a teammate, or a hometown hero. Someone’s made an impact and we’ve love to hear about it! Leave or comment or share your thoughts here.