These Athlete Mamas Are Making Things Happen
Not all superheroes wear capes.
Need proof moms are superheroes? Look no further than these athletes.
Women - making things happen since forever,
The Last Night’s Game Team
1. We’re seeing the progress in women’s sports in adopting maternity policies for their players. Before these policies were put into place you had stars like Skylar Diggins-Smith, who played an entire WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association) season while pregnant and didn’t tell anyone. In fact, was such a great season for her that she was named to the all-star team. After the birth of her son, she was criticized for taking two months off from the season due to postpartum depression. CUT THE GAL SOME SLACK
2. Olympic track star Allyson Felix made an impact on the track, winning six Olympic gold medals but it’s what she did off the track that has shaped her legacy. The NIKE sponsored athlete took on the company saying per her contract, she would be financially penalized for having a child. (Her daughter was born via emergency c-section in 2018). She was so fed up with their lack of support for female athletes that she left NIKE for Athleta. NIKE has since changed their polices and they will not apply any performance-related reductions for 18 months if an athlete becomes pregnant. CHANGE MAKER
3. When Candace Parker was drafted, everyone thought she’d be the Michael Jordan of the WNBA, and she was, winning attention from big sponsors like Gatorade and Adidas. After her rookie season where she was named rookie of the year and MVP, she returned to the court just 53 days after having her daughter. She did whatever it took to make the best of fitting her new role as a mom in with her career, including nursing at halftime. Parker played 12 seasons in the WNBA. Like many of her peers, during that time she played basketball overseas in the off-season where she earned a bigger paycheck. BRINGING HOME THE BACON
Side note – Parker was the first female to dunk in an NCAA Tournament game. What can’t she do?
4. Serena Williams hasn’t let a life shift like motherhood slow her down. You might remember when she won her 23rd Grand Slam tournament at the Australian Open while pregnant. (The record is 24 wins). After serious medical complications resulting from a c-section birth of her daughter, she’s continued to be a force to be reckoned with on the court. She has launched a clothing line and stays active as a Unicef Goodwill Ambassador, with Serena Ventures where she invests in businesses with diverse founders and doing charity work that benefits causes around the world. GIRL ON FIRE
5. U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team co-captain Alex Morgan is ready to give birth any minute but don’t think that has stopped her from sneaking in impressive workouts to keep her skills game day ready. She was prepared to represent her country in the Tokyo Olympics just three months after having her baby. But with the Olympics being rescheduled it’s a silver lining for Morgan who will have a chance to recover from childbirth and spend some time adjusting to her new role as mom. Although there’s no rest for the weary as she and her teammates continue to fight U.S. Soccer in a legal battle over fair pay. THE GOOD WORK IS NEVER DONE
5 Women Leading The Way In Sports
In celebration of International Women’s Day tomorrow, we bring you five women shattering the glass ceiling.
In celebration of International Women’s Day tomorrow, we bring you five women shattering the glass ceiling.
Like a boss,
The Last Night’s Game Team
Five Women Leading The Way In Sports
1. Team U.S.A. women’s hockey almost didn’t make it to the 2018 Winter Olympics because they were holding out for equal treatment. Part of the negotiations included equal pay, same equipment and per diems as their male counterparts. They were victorious in their negotiations and then backed it up by winning the gold. Not that it's a contest, but in the 2018 Winter Olympics the women on Team U.S.A. won more gold medals than the men. We all win!
2. In 1977, Janet Guthrie paved the way in racing, becoming the first woman to earn a starting spot in both the Indianapolis 500 (Indy Car Racing) and the Daytona 500 (NASCAR – National Association For Stock Car Auto Racing). Danica Patrick took Guthrie’s record a step further, as the first woman to win an IndyCar race and pole position (i.e. the best spot to start the race) in the Daytona 500. While Patrick has retired from NACSAR, she will drive the last race of her career at the Indianapolis 500 in May.
3. Ronda Rousey was told by the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) execs that there women would "never" be in the UFC. A year later, she proved them wrong as she stepped into the octagon. Since then the women’s category has exploded with women even battling it out as the main event. Never say never.
4. Following in the footsteps of the greats, Billie Jean King and Althea Gibson, Serena Williams has amassed a list of titles and records throughout her tennis career. She recently added a new one to her resume, mom. The G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Time) has long stood up for equity through education and stars in a new, powerful Nike ad with the message that there’s “no wrong way to be a woman.”
5. Combating the voices of hate, fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad won a bronze medal in the Rio Olympics and became the first Muslim-American woman to wear a hijab while competing for the U.S. This year, Barbie recognized her for her messages of self-love, equality and inclusion with her own Barbie Shero doll. (Shero = she hero). Her doll is the first-ever Barbie to wear a hijab.
Keep the conversation going
Need a little something for small talk before today’s big meeting? Here’s what everyone is buzzing about including a remarkable women’s basketball team, the most controversial ending in Bachelor history and why an NBA player is encouraging everyone to go see a therapist. READ