This campaign is about empowering women to be active in sport and physical activity during their time at university. When females have faced years of a culture of systematic discrimination, it's important to encourage them into physical activity. It is not about putting women above men, but raising them to an equal platform.
So this week, Team Christ Church members have been sharing on social media what Sport means to them, how it makes them feel and the importance of female engagement in Sport.
Here are some quotes below:
Elise Foster: Sport is important to me, because no matter which of my three sports I do, I get freedom, enjoyment and great work life balance that I don’t know where else I would achieve this.
Lewis Brown: Female participation in sport is incredibly important.
Sport isn't about gender, it is about enjoyment and involvement, and giving everyone the opportunity to partake.
It helps to build social and leadership skills which can be used in every aspect of life and most importantly keeps you fit and active.
Jordan Howard: I think that sport is important for females to get involved in sport because it builds qualities such as team work and leadership skills! Every female should have the same opportunities as males to take part in sport!
Jessica Pitts: Sports not about being male or female or which gender can perform their sport better. Sports about having a passion, enjoying it and sharing it with others.
Evie Heard: I ride because if I can make 500kg of horse fly, what can’t I do?
Giorgio Michael: Sport should never again become gender specific. No one should be deprived of the sense of identity that being involved in sport gives you, or the passion you get from getting to a level you've trained so hard for. Female participation is growing, let's encourage it! Some of the things achieved by sporting females recently on the world stage and more importantly here at Christ Church has been incredible, and long may it continue!
Conor Dobbs: “I think sports gave me the first place where this awkward girl could feel comfortable in my own skin. I think that’s true for a lot of women, sports gives you a part of your life where you can work at something and you look in the mirror and you like that person.” - Teri Mckeever (Former US Women's swim coach)
Sport is not defined by gender, it is defined by the hard work and effort put in by all who take part!
Grace Baird: I would spend all day every day around horses if I could. It is important to increase women’s participation in Sports and decrease stereotypes about Equestrian to show people that the horse doesn’t ‘do all the work’.
Noemi Vadaszy: Sport not only improves your personality but it also reveals it. We are not ashamed (well most of the time) to show who we are. So being a weirdo is accepted if you are playing sports. We should all be proud of our weirdness.
Whilst we are on court we all represent something bigger than us. We represent our uni team, coach and ourselves as a person...and this takes a lot of courage lads.
Laura Reilly: I'm incredibly fortunate to be coached by three incredible, inspirational women. I would not be where I am today without them
Santiago Morgan-luco: A quote from female tennis player Chris Evert "I was very, very shy as a younger girl, just petrified of people. Tennis helped give me an identity and made me feel like somebody"
Sport is very important, it makes people stronger no matter what gender!
Jess Whitcher: Sport is a big part of my life and without sport and the opportunities I've had through sport I would probably be a less tired person!
On a serious note sport has given me lifetime friends and memories, as well as opportunities that have moulded me as a person. It is something that means I can let go and forget the day’s events and focus on something else.
Sam Eastgate: Sport is not about gender, it's about doing something you love and taking part.
Christina Michael: Playing a sport makes me feel strong and empowered! It's a way of getting away from all the stresses of real life and helps give perspective to those areas of my life. It's important to have an outlet to keep you going and sport is that for me. Shout out to Biba Chuta for spreading the word and being a great example of a girl who can.
Flo Robertson: I swim for all the girls in the world that may not have the opportunity to participate in sport and be part of such a fab team of both male AND female swimmers.
Frances Davies: Regardless of gender discrimination in sports GIRLS CAN.
Emma Harvey: Sport is my life it is what I love to do. Without it I wouldn't be confident, happy, healthy and content. So see where sport can take you, and feel empowered by the true power of sport or physical activity. Take the step as you can.
Rebecca Jackson: It doesn’t matter who you are, just persevere and you can achieve.
Krum Tashev: Of course they can!! Just look at our amazing Women's rugby team, women's hockey and Netball teams!! Just look at the achievements that our cheerleaders squad has. And all of the amazing fundraisers that teams such as Pole fitness have organised to support the local community or all of the other inspiring women and mixed teams in Christ Church!!! And if that is not enough to convince anyone that Christ Church girls can, remember our last sport Sabb Emily Barron and our current one Biba Chuta.
Trampolining: Trampolining is life! And like life it has its ups and downs. So if us girls and guys can get through the trampolining ups and downs and still manage to throw a few somersaults in between, what we can’t we do with life!
Netball: Girls from Netball have said they love taking part in sport as it helps reduce stress from uni work, benefits health, a place to build leadership and teamwork skills as well as increasing self-esteem. Being a member of a sports team teaches skills that people take with them into their wider world of uni and work place.