At the core of every great coach lies the capacity to empower, encourage and enlighten their players. The weight of that responsibility loads in different arenas. From stats to self-confidence, every great coach understands how to push those they lead and prepare them for life off and on the sidelines. 

For well over two decades, Dawn Staley has moved under this mantra, weathering the storms of wins and losses and serving as the sturdy bridge between collegiate stars and their professional pursuits. 

As part of her mission to be a lighthouse for the next generation of female athletes, Staley is running the backcourt for the Dove Body Confident Sport Program.  The comprehensive initiative offers girls ages 11-17 resources to build body confidence and continue competing. 

“The game is ours,” Staley says. “The Body Confident Sport Program are ways in which we’re teaching everyone who has a hand in girls playing a sport.  Coaches, teachers, mentors, trainers, everybody needs to know exactly how to combat it (low body confidence).”

Participating in the Dove Body Confident Sport Program comes at no cost. What remains evident are the results of what the program continues to provide for girls ages 11 to 17 to build body confidence and stay in sports.

The Dove Self-Esteem Project has reached more than 160 million young people across the world, and their research puts it plainly: 45% of girls leave the sports world behind due to low body confidence. To make matters more concerning, the research goes on to reveal 48% of the girls who drop out of sports quit because they are told they have the wrong body type.

As someone who admits to struggling with body confidence in her younger years, Staley is passionate about reducing these numbers through her energy and influence. “We need joy to be louder than the criticism, because there’s been a lot of criticism around women’s basketball and women’s sports.  Just as loud, I want my voice to be heard on the joy part of it,” she says.  

With an eagerness to inspire female athletes across the country to embrace what they see in the mirror through her partnership with Dove, Staley’s call to action is clear. 

“I hope that young girls who play a sport understand that it really doesn’t matter how your body looks,” says the 3-time Olympic gold medalist. “Be comfortable in your skin, continue playing and don’t allow anybody to shame you to a point where you want to stop doing something that you love…Body shaming is out the door, let’s build our confidence up in who we are and what we look like, because God gave us this physique.”

A self-professed dream merchant, Dawn Staley understands that winning in life and in sports starts from within, and her willingness to share her time and testimony will continue to challenge stereotypes and shift paradigms. 

Author: Sharí Nycole

Read the original article on Essence.