There is a difference between interest and commitment. When you are interested in doing something, you do it only when it is convenient. When you are committed to something, you accept no excuses; only results.
- Kenneth Blanchard

I recently read a blog where a woman said that she looks at her naked body in the mirror every morning and loves what she sees. She said that she does not have a particularly thin or athletic body, and that her body looks nothing like the girls’ bodies in magazines, but that she loves what her body does for her and embraces every curve, bump and blemish. When I asked a few of my girlfriends what they thought about their bodies, many of them were not incredibly happy with the way they looked and would like to change something if they could. Things are not very different in the United States: according to the American Psychological Association, 30-40% of Americans are somewhat unhappy with their appearance while another 45% may experience anxiety or depression due to dissatisfaction with their appearance.

But what or who do we compare ourselves with? Why do we have these perfect images in our minds; are we distorting reality?

We want to look like the images of models and movie stars in magazines, but these women are either part of a very small percentage of the female population who were blessed with “thin” genes; OR they are paid lots of money to look good on catwalks/in movies and therefore are able to afford dedicated personal trainers, dieticians, chefs and babysitters to ensure that they get into, or stay in shape.

This does not apply to most real women – many of us have full time jobs, families to care for, a demanding schedule and countless other priorities. Why do we then compare ourselves to images that are celebrated and endorsed by the media?

Moreover, we see that teenage girls are most at risk for comparing themselves with others. Puberty is a time when young people are particularly vulnerable to the media and often compare themselves with images of celebrities. It is also a time that they want to feel accepted by their friends and want to fit in; girls often think that looking more like the popular or pretty girls will make them feel better about themselves. This can lead to a dangerous spiral of excessive exercise and/or eating disorders.

We need to encourage women and girls to set their own realities and to stop comparing. If we want to look good we need to invest the time and energy needed – there is no quick fix or magic pill that will produce the results that we want; only our own dedication through training and eating a healthy diet. But when embarking on this journey, we need to ensure that we are setting healthy and achievable goals so as not to get discouraged if after two months we don’t have Elle Macpherson’s legs or Halle Berry’s body.

Are we distorting reality?

Sport and exercise is a wonderful way to be healthy, let alone the countless social and psychological benefits that comes with playing sport. Coaches should use this platform to encourage women and girls to practice self-acceptance and to embrace their bodies. Due to genetics, different body types and the demands of everyday life, all of us cannot be thin, BUT we can all be healthy. Instead of comparing ourselves to images in the media, we need to find our own standard of beauty and make that the norm. We owe it to our bodies to eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly, but above all:

Take pleasure in being alive and love yourself…including your body. Life is too short to obsess over immaterial external things that are fleeting and will fade away with time.

I would like to share just this thought with you today. As women coaches (and women in general) face a multitude of challenges daily: juggling a career, family and personal life – whilst staying healthy emotionally, physically and spiritually – it is vitally important that our approach to life, no matter what the circumstances, stays positive. Each of us fights our personal battles daily, whether it is with ourselves, our families, finances, fellow coaches or team members. We need to make a conscious choice daily that nothing is IMPOSSIBLE, the word itself says I’M POSSIBLE. In the inspirational words of Henry Ford: Whether you think you can, or think you can’t, you’re right. Let’s remember these words and adjust our attitudes daily, no matter how tough the circumstances.

Working in the Sport for Development sector in a developing country in Africa, our coaches face many challenges that coaches in the developed world will not necessarily face on a daily basis. On any given day our coaches may act as councillors for troubled children, teachers for children who need to support with schoolwork, mentors for children who lack role models and need guidance. Coaches deal with difficult questions relating to HIV/AIDS, traditional African culture, religion, gender, politics, race… you name it.

The other day we were camping with a group of children and whilst we were sitting around the campfire having a debate about culture, the most interesting questions came from the group of 13 year old soccer players. One of the questions asked was: Is a black man allowed to marry a white woman? Now to most people in the Western World this question might seem outrageous and the answer blatantly obvious. But given the complexity and richness of African culture, the deep-set traditional beliefs, and the diversity of people in our communities, this question is completely legitimate and provides insight into the complex environment that our coaches are working in.

The challenges and issues within a unique social context can be overwhelming, and even disheartening at times, having to deal with circumstances of abuse, poverty, racism, substance abuse, crime and poor education. Coaches work really hard to impact change and a better society through sport, but given the milieu and harsh realities that the children are faced with in their communities this is not an easy feat and coaches can become discouraged when bombarded with a host of convoluted social issues every day.

My compassion and encouragement goes out to every community coach and volunteer out there – you will experience times that you think it is all in vain; you will feel lonely, vulnerable, helpless and even hopeless at times. But take heart – you are making a difference. Even though you might not see that change immediately, it is a process and will most certainly show results in the long run.

The only way that community coaches can continue with this meaningful, worthwhile and much needed work, is through a network of supporters – a team of coaches that can share experiences and best practice to let them know that they are not alone on this journey. A thought, note, email, blog or word of encouragement can make the world of difference. We need to reach out to fellow coaches in all contexts, learn from one another, offer advice or a kind word. We are all working towards the same goal at the end of the day – that of changing lives.

We need to take hands, share knowledge and best practice, and build relationships with other coaches

Let’s take hands for the journey and share our stories…. And hats off to Prof Amy Giddings and her team for starting this process.

Barriers to entry for Women & Girls in sport: Part III

In my previous blog I focused on strategies and ideas that can be implemented in sports organizations, clubs and schools across different continents that may help to increase the participation of girls in sports in your community. Here I will focus specifically on how to increase participation of women in sports, in different contexts around the world.

Coaching programmes:

• Ensure that women are encouraged and have the opportunity to undertake leadership positions within the organisation, including in coaching, officiating, and committee membership
• Provide good technical instruction
• Establish a positive group atmosphere
• Use positive, encouraging, and instructive feedback
• Ensure that the training and competition needs of elite female athletes are identified and addressed
• Promote beginner and intermediate activities for girls and women as fun, open and non-competitive.
• Organise mother and daughter sessions to help create a familial culture of support for sport.
• Women and girls are more open to ideas about ‘health’ and ‘well-being’ than sport. Combine physical activity with health promotion; offer guest speakers on active lifestyles, nutrition, body image, smoking etc.
• Give women a strong voice in programmes and maintain a flexible approach to participation to ensure their needs are heard and met

Safety:

• Close and secure parking, appropriate internal and external lighting, security guard if needed, panic button within reach
• Exercising in groups can make physical activity safer for women and girls.
• Ensure that community sport facilities are related to safe pedestrian networks, cycling and public transport routes and taxi ranks

Facilities:

• Change facilities that take into account women’s and girls’ hygiene needs, and the needs of women and girls with disabilities (such as mobility, physical access, parking and access to information)
• Ensure that all areas are accessible to parents with prams and to people in wheelchairs; and that there are baby-changing facilities
• The provision of childcare and a child-friendly approach so that women can bring their children with them to the venue
• Provide crèche facilities and/or provide classes for toddlers and children, either with or separate from their parents, so that the adults can bring their children along when they go to exercise. For example, parents and baby aerobic classes could incorporate exercise like lunges with pushchairs, encouraging participants to see how they can incorporate physical activity into their daily lives.
• Specify exercise machines that are a suitable size for women, including appropriate increments on weight stacks

Cultural-sensitivity:

Western fashions promote increasingly revealing clothes for women and girls, whereas social norms in some cultures prohibit exposure of the female body. For example, some Muslim girls and women practise Islamic law which prevents them appearing in front of men dressed in inappropriate attire.

• Encourage staff and coaches to wear casual, loose-fitting sports clothes
• If sports gear or clothing is inappropriate within a certain cultural context, then clothes can be designed that still respects traditions but allows women to play. Encourage women to design and choose their own sports clothing
• Shower and changing facilities that cater for the privacy needs of women and girls
• Different training times for men and women. For example, at the swimming pool where some cultures prohibit the exposure of the female body
• Different areas in the gym for men and women. For example, a separate weight training section for women

Price / Affordability:

• Subsidies for women’s activities can make them more affordable. If subsidies cannot be sustained, consider offering them at the start of a new project or activity, and then gradually introduce fees
• Provide the first session of a course free, to offer a taster before participants commit themselves
• Workplace gyms and/or gym membership can be tax deductible benefits provided by employers to keep their workforce healthy and active. Making physical activity a part of the working day can help address the lack of time so many women experience. For example, lunchtime walking, running or exercise groups, supported by the employer, can help staff to fit physical activity into a busy working day.
• Promote physical activity, which doesn’t require transport, such as walking and running. Walking groups and running groups can support women to take part in low cost, low tech, easily accessible physical activity in a friendly, supportive group which can be tailored for different groups, such as young mothers (with or without their children), women in isolated areas etc.

Barriers to entry for Women & Girls in sport: Part II

In my previous blog I gave an overview of the different socio-economic and cultural barriers to entry for women & girls in sport. In this blog I will list various ideas and suggestions that can be (and have been) implemented in several sports organizations, clubs and schools across different continents that may help to increase the participation of girls in sports in your community.

• Participation starts with awareness of sports in communities. Are girls aware of the sports programmes? Organize “come and try” weekends or evenings where girls can come to try out the programmes and meet the coaches.
  

  Be creative, think of new ways in which to involve girls in sport

• Education of parents. By involving families, community leaders, and boys and men in gender education, changes to gender norms can benefit men and women alike. Organise mother and daughter and/or father and daughter sessions to help create a familial culture of support for sport, and to inform parents what benefits there are for girls in sport. Encourage the approval and support of parents.
• Make sure all girls, regardless of skills or experience, get the chance to be an active part of activities and teams, and that they get regular game time. This will serve as an incentive to participate and attend training sessions regularly.
• Ensure there are female role models in your facility, club or organization, both in terms of women staff, coaches, organisers and managers, and in terms of prominent publicity and images of sporting women and girls.
• Focus on girls-only sports codes in developing countries like Netball, aerobics and dance: Make the girls feel special about “their” sport and forming part of their unique and trusted circle of friends/team mates.
• Provide a range of activities and services, in addition to sport, to attract and retain more girls. Introduce non-traditional sports and physical activities (dance such as hip hop or modern) to encourage greater participation in programmes by girls.
• Encourage girls through coaching sessions and competitions, by using incentives like certificates, T-shirts, posters and group photos, for everyone, not just those who perform best in the activity. Have quirky awards for teams and individuals.

• Create a manual/pocket book for girls that contains pictures of active girls and female athletes, and tips and facts that dismiss the myths surrounding everything from diet and exercise to the ‘body perfect’ and smoking.
• Experiment with different sports and lengths of seasons.
• Encourage mutual respect, cooperation and support between male and female participants. It is difficult for adolescent girls to take on new roles through sport and to challenge existing norms unless they have support from their male peers and are free from harassment.
• Provide girls with a voice. Sport can help increase self-esteem by giving girls and women opportunities to learn new skills, engage in positive relationships, acquire achievements, engage in volunteer service and receive public recognition. By providing girls with a voice in programme design and decision-making, training, and opportunities for leadership and advocacy, sport programmes can also empower and help equip them to take greater control over their own lives.
• Implement sustained outreach and strategies to accommodate girls’ domestic responsibilities and mobility restrictions.
• Provide education, career development, employability training, life skills and health care advice.

Promote the benefits of sports for girls: improved fitness, health and weight management; improved communication, leadership and interpersonal skills; lasting friendships and having fun; increased self-esteem and self-discipline. Sport sets individuals up to achieve success in all aspects of their lives. If girls understand the far-reaching impact and potential that sport can have in their lives, they are more likely to participate.

Girls playing soccer in South Africa

Worldwide, girls and women are less likely than boys and men to participate in sport, and the sport arena is largely dominated by males. One should not assume, however, that this is because girls and women do not want to take part. Lack of resources, inadequate facilities, poverty, domestic demands, safety concerns, low self-esteem, disability, lack of transportation and few opportunities for physical education and skills development frequently prevent women’s participation in physical activity and sport. As well, socio-cultural norms and constraints preventing girls and women from being physically active, leaving home unaccompanied, or being seen by men outside their family, are additional barriers preventing girls and women from becoming involved in sport and physical activity (righttoplay.com)

These are only some of the issues contributing to the imbalance in female/male representation not only in sports

participation and professional sports careers, but also in jobs such as sports marketing, sports management and administration, sports physiotherapy, sports psychology, sport for development NGOs, community sports organizations and sports clubs. These issues should be addressed so that women and girls will be encouraged to take part in physical activity; the community as a whole must be fully informed and educated about the opportunities, advantages and risks associated with female participation in sport.

Schools also play a major role in ensuring that girls are introduced to sports and physical activity at a young age and that equal opportunity and attention is given to girls and boys – in most countries they are the only organisations that can ensure the provision of sport for the majority of young people.

Until these issues at the core of the imbalance are not addressed, we will not move forward in our fight for equal opportunities and access to appropriate resources and facilities.

In my next two blog posts I will outline various ideas, suggestions and solutions that have been implemented in several sports organizations, clubs and schools across different continents that may help increase the participation of women and girls in sports in your community. Stay tuned…

Girls in Sport, South Africa

Why is it so important for girls to play sport? In privileged communities or wealthy areas there is a vast selection of activities for girls to participate in such as music, singing, dance, drama, art and reading. There are so many options available today that one is spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing recreational activities (and one is very blessed indeed to be in a position to make those choices!).  In contrast, there are very limited resources in developing countries and poor areas, and sport remains the activity that girls can participate in without having many resources, equipment or training. But regardless of how many resources or recreational activities are accessible, sport has many benefits for girls and plays an important role in the socialization process of children.

We face various challenges with girls’ participation in developing countries: the struggle with cultural interpretation based on patriarchal beliefs; stigmatization and discrimination against female athletes; and too much emphasis being placed on maintaining an ideal body weight rather than girls’ physical, mental and emotional well-being. But despite these challenges, the benefits of sport for girls are undeniable.

Sport teaches so many valuable lessons in life; it is a powerful medium for working with girls, both at the individual level and the societal level. It promotes physical activity that has a strong relationship with health benefits for girls and women – both physical and mental. Physical activity also contributes to cognitive and social development, particularly during early years. It is also an important tool in providing access to health information which is imperative in communities where girls are at risk. Community sport programmes can reach the most marginalized children, encourage learning, self-confidence and communication skills necessary for mental health in youth who are not in school and provide social support and second chances. Community sport programmes also reach the most marginalized youth – including girls – and challenge gender norms, which can impact gender perceptions in the wider community. Sport brings hope; it provides a space for dreams to come true.

Undoubtedly the group that understands these benefits the best, are women coaches. Women coaches work with girls as a team and one on one every day, whe

ther it is in an inner-city neighborhood, a prestigious university or in township streets. They have personally experienced the benefits of sport in their own lives, and can see the change that sport makes in the lives of their athletes. It is up to the women coaches to promote girls’ participation at all levels and to advocate the benefits of sport for girls, because there is no better role model than the person who has been through the challenges and understands the spaces that women move in within the sports arena. Is it not inspirational to see what can be done with a ball made up of used plastic bags, kicked around on a dirt road? Let’s inspire others with our stories, our experience and our passion for sport -

and fly the flag high for our Girls in Sport!

Wilma Rudolph - Succeeding against all odds

In my previous blog entry about Women Coaches and Girls’ participation in developing countries, I focused on some factors that contribute to a very small percentage of woman coaches and girls’ participation in Africa. There is no doubt that women and girls in developing countries are marginalized not only in sport, but in all aspects of life, and from a policy making level there is incredible headway to be made.

But taking all these factors, challenges and hardships into account, one should never underestimate the power of a woman. History has taught us that women all over the world, across different age groups, cultures, religions and backgrounds, can be extremely resilient to difficult circumstances. Women have endured pain in wars and fought for human rights. During both the World Wars, women were called on to do work and to take on roles that were outside their traditional gender expectations – they played a vital role in fighting for their countries and protecting their men and children. The Women’s Suffrage Movement in Britain and the United States is another great example of how women achieved victory against all odds.

Worldwide, women have suffered and endured pain and loss, but the stories of triumph and victory are the ones that inspire us to greater heights. Women look at each others’ stories and say, “If she can do it, then I can also do it”. And this naturally applies to sport as well. There is the inspiring story of Wilma Rudolph.

Wilma Rudolph was considered the fastest woman in the world in the 1960s, winning three gold medals in track and field during the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome. But Wilma’s road to success was not an easy one. She was born prematurely in 1940 as one of 22 children. By the time she was 12, she had survived polio, scarlet fever, whooping cough, chickenpox and measles. For three years she wore a brace on her left leg and foot which had become twisted as a result of the polio virus. But Wilma was a fighter; she focused on sports as a means to obtain opportunities such as access to education, scholarships and a career. As a result of dedicated hard work and discipline, Wilma made her dream of success come true. She also founded her own organization, the Wilma Rudolph Foundation, dedicated to promoting amateur athletics, and is regarded as a civil rights and women’s rights pioneer. In an interview with Ebony, Wilma said “I think the thing that made life good for me is that I never looked back, I’ve always been positive no matter what happened.” She also said that she has always believed in herself and her abilities, and that the phrase “I can’t” never applied to her.

May Wilma’s story, along with all the other individual and collective stories about women throughout history and today, serve as inspiration to women and girls: in sport and in life. We can blame so many things for the social, economic and political position that women are in today; for the wrong that has been done, for the inequality and discrimination. But we can also choose to not to be a victim – we can choose to succeed and to overcome challenges by using our God-given inner-strength and talents.

A woman who knows her own power, has in her hands the key to her own happiness and success. To all the ladies out there, from Beirut to Nairobi to Mexico City and Bangkok – embrace life, you only get one chance. Look forward like Wilma did, and you are bound to succeed.

Girls playing soccer in a township in the Western Cape, South Africa

I would like to start my first blog with the words of Richard Cohen: The leaders of tomorrow are shaped by the teachers of today. In a developing country like South Africa where historically social, cultural and political factors reflected attitudes that restricted the empowerment of girls and women, the role of women coaches today is one of great importance. Coaches are mentors, teachers, friends and most of all role models, especially in communities where girls often do not receive parental love, encouragement and praise.  Support and approval are vital to boosting girls’ self-esteem and self-confidence. Girls need for someone to tell them what they deserve in life, encourage them to develop trust in themselves and toreach for their dreams.

It is a sad truth that in South Africa, and in most other developing countries, male coaches outnumber women coaches by a very large number. Due to major underinvestment in girls’ sport, gender inequality and social stigma, few girls participate in sports, even fewer continue with sports and a mere handful will become coaches. In marginalized communities, girls typically have limited free time since they are expected to do chores at home and look after their brothers and sisters. As a result parents are often not very encouraging or supportive when girls do get involved in sports. Another big challenge is getting resources for girls’ sports; budgets for male athletes are larger, and female athletes are far less privileged. Women athletes also receive less money and media attention than men. These factors contribute to a mere 11% of girls participating in sport in South Africa.

If our girls are to be shaped by their teachers and role models, then the need for powerful, confident and strong women coaches is imperative to ensure that these girls are empowered to become leaders in sport and in life. Sport is an extremely powerful tool to bring about social change, to educate and to inspire. Our aim should therefore be to focus on promoting girls’ and women’s participation in sports, and to train and empower women coaches to become leaders in their communities.

In my following blog entries I will elaborate a little on the different challenges that women coaches face in developing countries, the obstacles that girls and women experience, and the opportunities for women in sport and coaching into the future.