PLAY TODAY, LEAD TOMORROW: WEEK 3 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 honoured 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 18-22 REAL Role Models.

Ashley Lawrence (She/Her) – London, England
Professional Soccer Player

Ashley is a successful professional soccer player for the Canadian National Team and Chelsea Football Club. She firmly believes that female role models serve as vital reference points, enabling younger generations of girls to envision and emulate success. Ashley’s advice to 12-year-olds is to embrace the journey, chase their passions without limits and to believe in themselves. They should ask “why not me?” and have confidence in every small accomplishment. By taking one step at a time and maintaining a positive attitude, they can achieve their dreams.

Tammy Cunnington – Red Deer, AB
Retired Swimmer for Team Canada 

Tammy is a retired swimmer for Team Canada who continues to explore new sports. She has transitioned into coaching, fuelled by her passion for sharing the joy of swimming with the next generation. Tammy acknowledges the significance of female role models in demonstrating to younger girls that their goals are limitless. Additionally, she believes that these inspirational figures can serve as trailblazers for future generations. Tammy’s advice to 12 year old girls is to disregard the negative opinions of others and use their voice to stand up for themselves. 

Skylar Park (She/her) – Winnipeg, MB
Professional Taekwondo Athlete on Team Canada

Skylar is a current Professional Taekwondo athlete on Team Canada. She believes that having strong female role models in sports play an important role in encouraging girls to participate in sports. Reflecting on her own journey, she credits the female role models who helped pave her path in the sport, acknowledging that their guidance was instrumental in shaping her success. Skylar firmly believes that having individuals to look up to enables younger girls to grasp the realm of possibilities. Her advice to 12-year-old girls is: Dream big, set big goals, vocalize your aspirations without fear and work hard to attain them. Despite inevitable setbacks along the way, the key is to persistently believe in yourself!

Nakissa (Keesa) Koomalsingh (She/her) – Toronto, ON
Founder of HOOPQUEENS and Former Varsity Athlete

Keesa is a former varsity athlete and founder of Hoopqueens, a network for basketball players with the mission to create a safe space for female athletes. Keesa believes that female representation in sports matter because it’s difficult to be what you can’t see. When girls see women excelling in sports, it widens their belief in what they can achieve. Their stories inspire young girls to dream big, chase their passions and break down barriers, empowering them to reach their full potential. Keesa imparts invaluable advice to her 12-year-old self: Believe in herself unapologetically, for conformity is overrated. The real magic unfolds when one embraces their uniqueness and carve their own path. She emphasizes the importance of embracing the sisterhood forged through sports, as these bonds often endure a lifetime. With confidence, she encourages her younger self to never underestimate what she brings to the table, trust her journey and never be afraid to create her own lane.

Natalie Spooner (She/her) – Scarborough, ON
Current member of PWHL Toronto and Team Canada

Natalie is currently a member of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) Toronto and Team Canada. She strongly believes that having women role models in sports is crucial for young girls because meeting someone who is excelling in the sport they love can inspire them to dream big and work hard to achieve their goals. If Natalie could give advice to her 12-year-old self, she would say to always believe in herself and know that anything is possible with hard work and determination. Additionally, she would encourage her younger self to have fun while playing sports.

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!