The Lionesses inspire girls to achieve sporting greatness - I wish I'd had that too
I never felt like there was a place for me in sport when I was younger, or that there were role models - people that looked and sounded like me - not in the same way that young girls are being inspired by the Lionesses right now.
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When I was in school, back in the noughties, I thought it might be the case that sport just wasn’t for me.
I got picked last for sports teams, tried to wriggle myself out of PE lessons and even made excuses to skip class.
And yet, in the last 12 months I’ve:
Reported on one of the Lionesses' friendly games against South Africa in Coventry.
I’ve interviewed Olympians and Paralympians competing in the Paris Games last summer.
Worked on the weekend of the British Grand Prix - interviewing drivers and fans.
And cheered on the Lionesses during this year’s Women’s Euros.
Until now, sports to me have meant jargon I can’t understand and being excluded from conversations - mostly with men - when football works its way in.
It was only earlier this year that I started exploring sports as an interest after being introduced to Formula 1 by a fellow female sports lover. Now it’s safe to say - I’m obsessed, and I feel like I’ve been missing a part of my personality for the past 20 years. I have always been competitive. I used to love cycling around the park and competed in swimming competitions. I even considered being a triathlete when I was 12 years old.
Over the last couple of years, there has been a complete leap in the popularity of female sports and the visibility of female athletes. Not only that, but fan bases of female supporters have grown around what have historically been male-dominated sports (like football and motorsport).
The continued success of the Lionesses means that, day by day, they are inspiring a new generation of female fans and future footballers, while also making football more welcoming, joyous, and inclusive.
Research conducted by the charity Women in Sport shows that almost 60% of girls have been inspired by the Lionesses to play more sport since they reached the final of the 2023 Women's FIFA World Cup.
When I was growing up, sports and women’s place in them were nowhere near the changes we’ve made when it comes to inclusivity these days.
As a woman, I’m glad that little girls today can look at the TV and see their potential future selves mapped out in 90 minutes of the beautiful game.
No matter what the outcome is of Sunday’s final, we must make sure the momentum of the Lionesses is harnessed for those future generations. We need to continue to make sure young women can take up space in sport – whether that be as a player, a reporter or simply a fan, because the Lionesses have proved women really can.
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