Encourage Young Girls to Stay in Sports with the Champions Fund! #ChampionHer
Encourage Young Girls to Stay in Sports!
It is said that sports do not build character, they reveal it. There are so many benefits when young girls play sports like better physical and mental health, increased confidence, higher body esteem, better grades and leadership skills. Unfortunately, the vast majority of Canadian females abandon sports as young adults.
As a child and into my teens, I was heavily into sports. I played soccer, basketball, volleyball, floor hockey and even lacrosse. I didn’t go a day without playing some type of sport. The more I think about it, I would have loved to have continued playing into adulthood.
But once I graduated high school, there wasn’t much of a push or support system for me to count on to keep playing. Even though I may have never been a professional, I look back and think about the potential or what would have been if I had continued.
Now that I am a mom to two girls who are incredibly active, I try to be as supportive as I can because I know the abundance of benefits they reap.
Gabby absolutely loves track and field and she is quite adept at it. Her second choice is basketball and she loves it. Mimi is still discovering what she likes but, enjoys all sports right now.
While I don’t have a crystal ball to see in the future, I hope that they continue in sports and that they have the support I didn’t to help them succeed.
Now’s Your Chance
Luckily, Canada’s Dairy Farmers also understand the importance of helping to break down barriers for amateur female athletes and are accepting applications for a $150,000 fund.
An amount that is up from $100,000 in 2016, The grants will be distributed as 30 grants of $5,000.
The hope is that they are able to help young female athletes pursue their sports dreams.
How amazing is that?
If you have a daughter who loves sports or know of a young lady who does, here is your chance to help! All you need to do is apply for the Champions Fund.
What is the Champions Fund?
It is a grant that is in its second year and a part of the national Fuelling Women Champions (FWC) multi-year initiative spearheaded by Canada’s Dairy Farmers.
They are committed to the advancement of women in sport. It is heartwarming to know that there are organizations that truly care about our next generation. Especially girls who love sports no matter how old they are or what their ability is.
What is the End Goal?
Since the FWC and Canada’s Dairy Farmers are champions for healthy living and nutrition, their collective goal is to ensure that no hurdle exists that might hinder the passion for the game.
So, ultimately, they want girls in sports to be more watched, more appreciated and more financially stable.
How to Apply:
The first thing you need to do is visit womenchampions.ca between June 20 to September 20, 2017. Visit their application page and submit your entry! From there, the Champions Fund will choose the top 30 from the top 50 to 60 applicants in October.
How exciting is that?
I know that these grants can definitely go a long way!
Don’t forget to connect with them on Twitter and Instagram for the latest updates and follow along on the hashtags #ChampionHer and #ChampionsFund!
Plus, another great way to get involved is to spread the word to everyone you know!
When women support women, incredible things happen, right?
Do you have a daughter or know of someone who would benefit from this grant?
Let me know, til then–cheers m’deres!
Nancy Polanco is a freelance journalist, lifestyle content creator, and editor of Whispered Inspirations. She is a proud Mom to Gabby and Michaela and partner and best friend to Darasak. Having worked as part of a health care team for almost a decade, Nancy is happy to be back to her passion. She is a contributor to the Huffington Post, TODAY’s Parents, and an Oprah Magazine Brand Ambassador.
This is so wonderful! Girls’ sports teams DO NOT get the funding that boys’ do, and I think that is total bunk.
They certainly do not!
This Champion Fund is such a great idea! I think it’s key that we encourage our girls’ to stay in sports that they love. Too often, they get sidetracked or the team just doesn’t have the funds to continue. I love this!
You hit the nail right on the head!
Encouraging our girls to play sports is so important. I love that the dairy farmers are backing this initiative.
Yes, it is such a great initiative.
I think that this is perfect! I think that more girls should be in sports and this programs is a perfect way to do that!
Yes, it definitely encourages them to be more active.
It would be amazing if more girls played sports! Those grants from Canada’s Dairy Farmers are going to help those athletes so much!
Yes, they are going to help so many!
It sounds like your daughters are quite the athletes! I love this initiative by Canadian Dairy Farmers. I hope more companies will follow their lead and donate funds to the cause of empowering female athletes.
Yes, they sure love to play sports.
This is such a great initiative. It is so important to get our girls into sports. I am so happy that there are programs like this to help.
Yes and to keep them in sports so they can succeed. So awesome!
Sports is such an important part of being a kid. Being on a team helps you learn how to work as a team. I think it is so important for our girls to be involved.
Yes, so very important.
I think it’s great for anyone to be in sports. I have two daughters myself. Neither are in sports now, but I hope they’ll decide to want to try a sport some day.
That would be great!
I think it’s wonderful to support young girls in sports. I don’t think that there is near enough attention given to girls compared to boys. and it’s a shame. This gives me hope.
I completely agree and it is a shame.
My youngest daughter has shown so much interest in playing sports. I know she would love to do soccer this year.
Such a great sport.
As a mama of three girls, this makes me so happy! I know so many deserving young women! When you eliminate the barriers to the game, girls can thrive.
Yes, you are so right.
I just read about this, I love what Canada’s Dairy FArmers are doing! Great opportunity.
That is awesome! It really is a great initiative.
I and all of my family live in the States so this wouldn’t benefit us, but I LOVE that this is being done to help girls in Canada. I think it’s so important that we keep our girls in the things they love for as long as they love them.
Spread the word to your Canadian friends! 😉
This is fantastic! I don’t have any daughters, but I do have a handful of nieces, I’ll pass this along to their moms!
That is great, thanks for passing it along.
It’s great that Canada’s Dairy Farmers are supporting female athletes. There needs to be more companies that offer grants like this.
Yes, you are so right. It is great to see for sure!
Teaching kids to be part of a team is so important for many reasons!
Yes!
That is a great program! Sports programs are such a big part of our life, it is nice that there is a foundation that encourages girls to participate in sports.
It is truly so important.
What a WONDERFUL empowering program for young ladies to participate and thrive in sports! I, like you, was very into sports as a young girl into my teens. I am so glad that there are groups like this helping your ladies keep at it!
Yes, it is such an important cause to keep them going.
What a great program. I wish there was also a program like this to encourage young girls to get into sports.
Yes, that would be great.
I think sports are amazing for girls!! I played basketball and softball growing up and I don’t regret one minute of playing! It was the BEST!!
It really was!
I am all about encouraging kids to do what they love. no matter what that is, it’s worth fighting for.
It really is and important to continue into adulthood.
I wonder if US has this type of program, that is wonderful in building up young girls athletic abilities. My daughter only plays volleyball and she loves it.
I wonder, I hope they do.
How wonderful that Canada’s Dairy Farmers are spear-heading such a wonderful grant. Being involved in sports in so important for our youth. They learn so much and, as you mentioned, it builts self-esteen and teaches young girls important leadership skills. Awesome!
You are so right, it is very important!
What a great initiative by Canada’s Dairy Farmers! I agree that sports are so important for both girls and boys since they build character!
Yes, definitely for both, unfortunately, girls’ sports tend to be a bit underfunded.
This is such a great post. We should really encourage our children to participate in any sports. They are also increasing their self confidence and for learning they can cooperate with other people.
Yes and help them continue into adulthood.
Love seeing kids play sports and that’s why I’m such a happy mom because my son loves and enjoys soccer. My brother and his family are living in Canada, and my niece loves sports so I’ll tell them about this.
That is awesome, thank you for sharing.
What an amazing effort and for a good cause. I love that help like this exists to keep kids in sports that may otherwise not be able to participate.
Yes or stay in. 🙂
Being part of a team is very important kids learn so much,my granddaughter plays soccer and loves it !
It’s very important to be apart of a team. Teaches the kids leadership and teamwork.
This is such an amazing initiative to start! I wish that girls sports got the same funding at boys do. This is a step in the right direction!
I wish they did too!
this is so great to know about!