Numerous nonprofits attempt to change the light shed on female athletes within the sports industry. By celebrating women’s equality, amplifying voices, and providing numerous resources for female athletes, these organizations are helping diminish the long-standing barriers and challenges this industry upholds. They fund programs whose main priority is to support young girls in sports and advocate for media coverage and equal pay—nonprofits continue to play a crucial role in driving meaningful change.
Women Sports Foundation (WSF)
WSF is an organization that plays a prime role in driving change for female athletes. It is dedicated to developing the lives of women and girls through physical activity and sports. Tennis legend Billie Jean King founded WSF in 1974 and has been one of the pioneering forces in promoting gender equality in athletics. WSF has three mission goals: advocacy, education, and support.
Their organization has numerous programs that allow them to attain their goals. Sports 4 Life was launched in 2014 in collaboration with ESPNW. This program aims to increase the participation and retention of African-American and Hispanic girls in youth sports programs. Other companies that are adding their support to this program are Gatorade and Michelob ULTRA. Another program they have launched is the WSF Athlete Ambassador Program. This collaboration with Delta Airlines connects professional, Olympic, Paralympic, and collegiate women athletes and business leaders nationwide. The ambassadors in this program receive training and educational tools to help engage young girls meaningfully and actively. WSF will host events, including a girls’ sports clinic that teaches sports skills and a panel featuring their ambassadors to help inspire these young girls.
Girls On The Run
Girls on the Run focuses on girls’ needs and pressures as the world changes. They help address the data showing that girls’ mental health and physical levels have declined over the past decade. Their prime mission is to assist girls in building their confidence and discovering the joy of movement. Each year, Girls on the Run works with over 200,000 girls nationwide who learn to love the experience of physical-based positive youth development. The organization is partnered with Adidas, Healthy Futures, BAND, and the sorority Gamma Phi Beta to spread awareness about their goal and mission to help the youth build their athletic confidence. To create campaigns, they partner with Fleet Feet, Sparkling ICE, Genesis, TRUE Citrus, and many others to reach as many girls as possible from coast to coast.
By amplifying women athletes’ stories, challenging barriers, and creating positive pathways for girls’ participation in sports, these nonprofits are helping to rewrite the narrative of what it means to attain athletic achievement. Their efforts not only boost the confidence of individual athletes but also inspire future generations to dream big and push for their personal athletic goals.
https://www.girlsontherun.org/
Ava Mize 
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