Editor’s Note: Welcome to Women In Outdoor Sports
We have entered a renaissance for women’s sports. The WNBA is taking off, LOVB (the new pro women’s volleyball league) is launching across the U.S., and VC firms solely dedicated to women’s sports are forming to ensure female athletes have the funding and resources needed to succeed and be seen.
In the outdoor sports world, however, there is a missing link in storytelling and representation. While larger brands and studios occasionally showcase women in outdoor action sports like skiing, climbing, or surfing, there is no single space dedicated exclusively to the female experience: What is it like to be a pro skier navigating motherhood? What is it like to be in your 20s balancing rock climbing goals with a 9-to-5 corporate job? How does a period actually impact a woman’s performance as an athlete and a young girls confidence on the field?
According to the Women’s Sports Foundation, by age 14, girls drop out of sports at twice the rate of boys. WSF points to key barriers including access, opportunity, cost, confidence, mental health, and belonging. Yet, research shows that participating in competitive sports equips women to become stronger leaders, successful entrepreneurs, and higher earners. In fact, 94% of women holding C-suite positions played competitive sports, and women who played competitive sports earn 7% higher wages.
At Women In Outdoor Sports, we are here to fill that storytelling gap and shine a light on the honest, vulnerable, and authentic experiences of women in the outdoors. We are a female-centric storytelling collective and platform dedicated exclusively to women across snow, surf, and trail. We’re building a home for women and girls who live for the outdoors. Here you’ll find recent news and original content showcasing elite athletes breaking records and pushing limits, to everyday women balancing 9-to-5s and motherhood, to young girls discovering sports for the first time. We’ll also be sharing gear reviews for women by women, so you can find the perfect piece of equipment to support you in accomplishing your goals.
Seeing women do badass things—and hearing the real, unfiltered stories behind those moments—is what inspires athletes to push their boundaries and next generation to step up and stick with their sports.
Just raw, authentic storytelling celebrating women and girls making moves in the outdoors.
LFG.