A new athletic initiative to increase female paticipation in physical activity was launched in Galway this week.
With the support of Galway Sports Partnership, ‘Fierce As Female’ is a social enterprise aimed at encouraging women and young girls to become involved in sport and physical activity by showcasing the multitudes of athletic pursuits available to them.
The main event will take place during European Sports Week in Leisureland Salthill on September 27/28 where females will be able to see, experience, and try out all types of different athletic activities.
Co-founder Aoife Ni Laoi says the initiative aims to “challenge a culture” in which half of young girls will have given up sport by age 14 and are less likely to engage as they get older, and champion those organisations which provide opportunities for women and young girls, while also changing social norms around ‘ideal’ athletic body types.
“Fierce As Female has identified three obstacles - namely culture, cost and circumstance - and plans to address these factors through its approach to sport, encouraging women to ‘see it, experience it, be it’,” she says.
This includes introducing clubs and activities on social media, creating an online directory of the athletic pursuits available to women, and an upcoming taster weekend of sport and physical activities, including demonstrations, panel talks, try-outs and workshops over two days.
For further information visit www.fierceasfemale.ie; www.facebook.com/Fierce; or email [email protected].
