Women in sports: Less of a moment, more of a movement

A recent panel on women in sports highlighted a connection between athletics and leadership: 94 percent of female executives played competitive sports before reaching leadership positions.

Sarah Padove, senior director of public affairs for the Athletes Unlimited Softball League, cited the figure during the Sports Tourism Symposium at America First Field in mid-June, though she did not identify the source.

The panel, one of several discussions hosted during the symposium, featured female athletes and sports leaders from across Utah. Alongside Padove, participants included Gillian Bower, senior vice president of high performance at U.S. Ski & Snowboard; Ashley Havili, vice president of marketing and merchandising at Miller Sports & Entertainment; and Courtney Thompson, Olympic athlete and head of pro integration and co-director of youth coach development at League One Volleyball.

Panelists agreed that female athletes benefit from strong support systems and opportunities that help them reach their full potential.

"Their ability to participate in youth sports gives them a huge leg up in the career space. If we get them into the university space, the likelihood they end up in a C-suite position is astronomically higher."

"Their ability to participate in youth sports gives them a huge leg up in the career space," said Bower. "If we get them into the university space, the likelihood they end up in a C-suite position is astronomically higher."

Padove also stressed that the surge in women's sports is "not a moment, it's a movement," pointing to long-standing talent now met with deeper investment, stronger commercial partnerships and expanded media coverage.

The conversation focused on how to continue this current momentum into even more support for female athletes and at the same level as their male counterparts, particularly during the "critical" ages of 13 and 14, when many girls drop out of sports.

Panelists tied that dropout point to a broader visibility problem, noting that girls are less likely to stick with sports if they can't see a professional or competitive future beyond high school. They pointed to Utah's growing ecosystem of professional women's teams and expanded media coverage as part of the larger solution, creating role models, clearer pathways into college and pro opportunities and a stronger case that sports can translate into future leadership and career success.

"Our girls are just starting to see that pathway," Bower said.

Panelists said female athletes often become leaders not only in the workplace but also in their communities, where they inspire the next generation of athletes.

"Sport is probably one of the last unifying things in our community," Havili said. "You can stand next to a stranger in a stadium and cheer for the same team, and it truly brings people together."