Empowering and Celebrating Women in Sport

Wednesday the 8th of March was International Women’s Day, and eola was delighted to host our first ever IWD event: Empowering and Celebrating Women in Sport.

During the event, industry leading speakers focused on three key pillars: enabling increased female participation in sport; educating people on how to increase that participation; and celebrating women within the industry and their incredible work.

From exploring the science behind the way in which women learn in extreme sports, to showcasing some of the most inspirational stories in the women’s sports industry, the event was a chance to hear some cutting edge research and gain insights into how we can all contribute to empowering women in sports. 

Jordan Guard, founder of Women's Sport Alliance 

Jordan Guard’s speech focused on the power of providing a safe platform for female athletes to share their stories and inspire the next generation of female athletes. 

Showcasing incredible stories of several women they have worked with over the last two years, the Women’s Sport Alliance is all about weaving positive narratives to showcase amazing achievements and stories in women's sport. 

Josie West, founder of She Flies 

Josie West is a tech entrepreneur and kitesurfing coach who believes that what makes women different, makes them powerful! Her presentation focused on the different learning styles of men and women when it comes to extreme sports.

She also explored how safe spaces in which women feel empowered can boost women's confidence and ability to show off - which she described as a "a super power".

Hetty Key, founder of Women in Adventure 

Hetty Key is pioneering research into women’s sports and outdoor activities. Her findings are contributing to the fascinating field of study surrounding mental health and the impact of the outdoors.

Exploring the different impacts across various sports, Hetty’s talk provided key insights into just how the outdoors affects our wellbeing, as well as the importance of role models for women. 

Kate Dale, Campaign Director for This Girl Can, Sport England

This Girl Can is an incredible initiative featured on our televisions and elsewhere over recent years. The campaign showcases a diverse range of women in sport and fitness, embracing their differences and showing off what they can do.

Kate gave us some invaluable insights into the origin story of the campaign, the women who featured in it, and its impact in the public consciousness. As This Girl Can demonstrates, when it comes to sport, every woman can not only take part but thrive. 

Jess Dixon from eola said, “We are lucky enough to be working alongside a number of incredible female-owned businesses and female sporting communities such as the Women's Sport Alliance. We also partner with sports bodies such as Surfing England and Snowsport England, Wales, and Scotland.

All of these amazing institutions are dedicated to making a difference and helping empower women and girls in sport and adventure. This is why we are excited to have launched our first event celebrating just that - all women within sport! While there is still a long way to go, the evolution of coaching, education, community and diversity of activities offered to women has helped bridge the gap within our industry.”

To access a recording of all four speeches, click here. 

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