The World Rowing Federation (FISA) has joined forces with the Women’s Sports Network (WSNet) to highlight the issues around teenage girls and sport. This has seen the development of the ROWMoJo initiative.
Why do teenage girls drop out of sport? World Rowing responds.
Teenage girls worldwide continue to drop out of sport or fail to engage competitively for a wide range of reasons. Anxiety, body image, menstruation, breast health and fear of failure can all impact how teenage girls develop in competitive sport.
The ROWMoJo initiative is a 50-page kitbag manual for parents, coaches and athletes to build stronger, confident movement skills coupled with other emotive issues such as: body image, diet, breast health, fit or thin, social media, training with menstruation, coach attitude etc. ROWMoJo aims to help reduce anxiety and fear of judgement and help girls go on to be stronger, more empowered women in the rest of their lives.
Free distribution
A FREE digital version of ROWMoJo will be launched by Dr Fiona Wilson at this year’s World Rowing Coaches Conference in Berlin from 21-23 November 2018. ROWMoJo will be free to download by individuals from the World Rowing website (www.worldrowing.com).
A team of experts
ROWMoJo has been produced by a range of leading experts in collaboration with The Women’s Sports Network (@WSNet), The Women in Sport & Academic Network (@WiSEAN) and World Rowing
Empowerment thought sport
Sports such as rowing, have many great attributes for building personal and community health. Through resources such as ROWMoJo girl rowers can take confidence, physical strength and emotional robustness. They can become empowered to overcome gender harassment and expect gender equality as a norm – both in sport and in everyday life.
Vice President of FISA Tricia Smith explains; “National Rowing Federations work hard supporting the development of rowing infrastructure and putting coaching programmes in place. We’re trying to address some of the unique issues that impact girls in particular to provide them with opportunities to be their best selves. If you are able to practice sport in a positive and supportive environment you are more likely to continue, to improve, and to develop confidence becoming stronger, empowered young women and athletes”.
Sally Kettle, Associate Director of WSNet Sally Kettle says; “As an extreme athlete – I rowed the Atlantic, twice and felt emotionally stronger, empowered and fulfilled by the achievement. I spent more than 6 months at sea in a rowing boat learning about myself, much of what I learnt is captured in ROWMoJo making it an ideal manual for girls who want to be stronger, more empowered women – as well as more effective rowers.”
For more info on The 2018 World Rowing Coaches Conference – http://www.worldrowing.com/events/2018-world-rowing-coaches-conference/event-information
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