PLAY TODAY, LEAD TOMORROW: WEEK 1 OF CELEBRATING WOMEN IN SPORTS !

Fast and Female proudly presents our 2024 International Women’s Day online campaign: Play Today, Lead Tomorrow! As part of the campaign, we are honored to highlight 20 inspiring women in sports for the month of March. Each week, we will be highlighting 5 inspirational women. Follow us all month long as we showcase the incredible achievements of these women athletes.

Scroll down to read more about our March 4-8 REAL Role Models.

Jill Moffatt (She/Her) – British Columbia
Olympic Rower

Jill is an Olympic Rower who is looking to compete in her second Olympics this summer. She firmly believes that role models like herself can be a source of motivation and encouragement for younger girls who aspire to participate in sports. Jill recognizes the tremendous impact of sports on building self-confidence but acknowledges that starting and finding the right environment can be challenging. Her advice to young girls is to be kind to themselves as they explore various sports, to remain patient, and to know that they belong in whatever sport they choose to pursue!

Jaclyn Spelmaszyk (She/Her)
Retired National Team Rower

Jaclyn, a retired National Team Rower for Canada and Poland, knows firsthand the power of having strong female role models in sports. She believes that providing younger girls with successful women to look up to sends a powerful message that girls can thrive in any arena they choose. By seeing women excel in sports, girls can feel empowered and confident to pursue their own passions and aim for future leadership roles. If Jaclyn could give advice to her 12-year-old self, she would say that all she needs to believe she can be great is found right there within herself.

Brittney Gibbs (She/Her)
Former Division 1 Track and Field Athlete; Currently working as a Mental Performance Coach and Track and Field Horizontal Jumps Coach

Brittney Gibbs is a mental performance coach, track and field horizontal jumps coach and a former Division 1 Track and Field athlete. She strongly believes that female role models in sports can inspire young girls to participate in athletics. For Brittney, the quote “You can’t be what you can’t see” holds great relevance in encouraging young females to take up sports. Brittney drew inspiration from Gabby Douglas, Serena Williams and Perdita Felicien who motivated her to aim for greater heights and showed her that reaching their level was possible. If Jaclyn could advise her younger self, she would encourage her to embrace her uniqueness, resist the urge to conform, stay true to her passion, and believe in herself and her abilities wholeheartedly.

Baneen Al-Shachit (She/Her) – Alberta
Casual Rock Climber

Baneen is a casual rock climber who strongly believes that female representation in sports is crucial because it inspires young girls and lets them know that they too can achieve their dreams. Looking back on her own experiences, Baneen remembers feeling discouraged at times because there were no athletes who looked like her in sports. She believes that representation in sports not only motivates young girls to stay in sports but also challenges stereotypes and enables them to enjoy the benefits of physical activity. Baneen advises any girl who feels invisible or inferior because she doesn’t resemble her teammates to stay strong and know that she is seen, heard, and supported. You are capable of achieving your goals and you deserve to be there!

Brianna Hennessey (She/Her) – Ontario
Tokyo Paralympian in Parakayak & Paracanoe

Brianna is a Tokyo Paralympian in Parakayak and Paracanoe and has qualified for the Paris Paralympics! She strongly believes in the power of sports to empower women in all aspects of their lives. Brianna thinks that participating in contact sports can help turn young girls’ dreams into reality by making them confident women with a clear vision. If she could offer advice to younger girls, she would encourage them to participate in contact sports. She thinks these sports can teach girls how to handle life’s biggest blows and to get back up even when they fall into the mud. She believes that getting up after a fall and being proud of the grass stains on their knees can equip them with incredible qualities such as teamwork, perseverance, tenacity, resilience and determination. These qualities can help them overcome any challenges and adverse experiences that they may encounter.

Thank you to all the Role Models for participating in our campaign to serve as motivation for aspiring young female athletes! Learn more about our Play Today, Lead Tomorrow campaign by clicking here. 

Check out Fast and Female on Instagram to keep up with the latest Role Models!