In Her Corner: The Importance of Mentorship In Sports
April 9, 2021
Yesterday, Beyond Sport teamed up with WWE, Girl Up and the Women’s Sports Foundation to host a virtual panel discussion promoting girls' and young women's participation in sports as a pathway to leadership. The event focused on the importance of mentorship and allyship, and brought attention to the “Equity Project.” WWE Superstar Sonya Deville and Girl Up Executive Director, Melissa Kilby hosted the event.
The first discussion centered on 'Title IX' and featured former Girl Up Club Leader Eva Jones, Sarah Axelson of the Women’s Sports Foundation and Olympic Medalist Elana Meyers Taylor. Title IX is a US federal civil rights law that protects people from discrimination based on sex. It prohibits any gender-based discrimination in any education program or activities that receive Federal financial assistance. As a current college student, Eva shared her perspective on Title IX and asked Sarah and Elana to weigh in on the importance of its standing in the fight for gender equity in sports.
The next session addressed the 'Representation of Women in Sports and Media Coverage,' featuring Girl Up Teen Advisor Ayodele Theard-Lewis and Marion Reimers of Fox Sports Mexico. Ayodele discussed her female sports role models and Marion spoke about her career as a sports journalist in Mexico.
Speaking on representation and mentorship, Reimers stated, "I want to say to all the girls and women out there, you're not alone, there are a lot of us. We have a lot of role models and even though you might not see it, we are working backstage constantly to have better spaces for all of us and I think we're getting there. Little by little, but we are."
The event wrapped up with a discussion about 'Mental and Physical Health and Safety' between Girl Up Teen Advisor Amina Salahou and Olympic Gold Medalist, high performance consultant and Stay in the Game Network Ambassador Samantha Arsenault Livingstone. Each shared their experiences of why it’s so important to put your mental and physical well-being first.
"I'm doing the work I'm doing in the world due to my mentor. I was navigating illness in my brain and in my body. My coach noticed that I needed support that he couldn't provide. To this day, it was his mentorship that made me feel seen," explained Samantha. "He saw the human in me under all the performance. He was the first to teach me that I am not a swimmer, swimming is what I do."
Click here to watch 'In Her Corner: The Importance of Mentorship in Sports.'