Encouraging body confidence in young female athletes can help combat the high dropout rate in sports, ultimately building a stronger future workforce for industries, including credit unions, by empowering women to thrive both on and off the field.
As credit unions, we are in a war for talent. I often speak about the challenges we face in telling our brand story to consumers. We have a parallel deficit as it relates to our employer brand. It remains unusual that someone graduates from university dreaming about working for a credit union. We can change that as we create the future of work by shaping cultures and strategies that put human beings first as we design the workplace experience for the next generation.
Throughout my career as a hiring leader, I’ve observed that participation in athletics is often a strong indicator of success in the workplace. Inc.’s “7 Reasons Athletes Make the Best Employees” outlines several positive outcomes: perseverance, strong time management, learning from failure, accountability, putting the team first, commitment to improvement, and handling criticism. Research from Eagle Hill also demonstrates how sports leads to stronger team and individual outcomes in the workplace.
This leading indicator of success in recruiting exceptional talent is exciting. It also demands attention to the devastating statistic that 45% of girls quit sports by age 14 due to low body confidence.
“’Tansley, you’re lousy at tennis, but you look great in your tennis skirt, so we’d love to have you on the team.’
This brash remark from my tennis coach landed swiftly and left me fighting to maintain my composure. Being a congenial colleague of my mom’s made him, more or less, a friend of the family, and I’m certain this comment, which rolled off his tongue, was never meant to stoke feelings of shame or inadequacy. His words were two-fold, both an acceptance and a joke, though this was a joke told at my expense.
While I remember the conversational exchange as if it were yesterday, the mid-1990s was a different era altogether before the groundswell of sweeping social movements such as Cancel Culture and Me Too, which would turn contemporary life on its head in more recent years, for better or for worse.”
This is an excerpt from my upcoming memoir. (Keep your eye out for the book later this year.) I was reminded of this passage as I watched the “biggest game” recently. I awaited the new commercials with anticipation and was struck by Dove’s 30-second spot, “Hard Knocks.” It highlights a vibrant reality I experienced when becoming a teenager. Double faulting during a tight third set of a tennis match fueled me to practice hitting my serve for hours the next day. It stung, and yet, I could control consistent improvement. My confidence grew as my actions, commitment, grit, and tenacity resulted in consistent improvement. The Dove spot illuminates the striking opposition to my insecurities about my body, which drained hours from vastly more important endeavors with hours spent obsessing about how thin I could become.
As the dramatic statistic points out, low body confidence is the number one reason girls quit sports. Approximately two in three girls consider quitting the sport they love. This strikes me closely. With a 13-year-old daughter dedicated to lacrosse, basketball, cross country, and track, my goal is to support her in experiencing all the growth I did as I improved my tennis game and not waste one minute on the expectations for how she looks as she plays.
Because 61% of girls would be interested in hearing about body confidence education from their coach, Dove’s campaign includes resources for coaches to create an environment where young female athletes can thrive and belong by using tools such as “body talk” free zones. Across our schools and organizations, these kinds of resources can help us ensure that the next generation’s experience grows to be something completely different, allowing girls to keep their focus on their athletic passions and avoid the negative connotations of low body confidence.
One of the best coaches in my life, Mike Neill, demonstrates the strong impact a mentor and leader can make. He truly changed my life. Over the years, we developed a warm and meaningful connection grounded in our shared values, love for credit unions, and shared sense of humor. He always cheered me on. He modeled exceptional performance. He saw opportunities that I might not have. He also candidly told me when I could improve. He was not shy to remind me when I’d wallowed in my delicious misery for too long and needed to move on. Walking with Mike helped me find new roles and, most importantly, helped me sharpen my skills and improve in places where I had blind spots. Coaches make an impact on the field and in our organizations.
Focus and energy that support girls differently ensures a better future for half of our population, and it helps our organizations have even more talented athletes who should be a part of our future workforce. The coaches we nurture and share with our teams can enhance talent and provide cushions during challenging times. We must empower the girls in our lives and the employees in our organizations. It truly can change the world and your credit union as we welcome and grow strong, exceptional team members. #KeepHerConfident
orsa, the credit union you knew as Community Financial Credit Union (CFCU)
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