The Power of Showing Up: Reflecting On International Girls and Women in Sports Day as a Coach & Girl Dad

This time of year on the indoor track and field calendar sticks out to me for two reasons: our roster is getting smaller as our focus turns to those who have qualified for championship season, and the yearly celebration of International Girls and Women in Sports Day.

As a male coach of high school female student-athletes and a girl dad, I make it a point to acknowledge this day every year. I talk to the team about how valuable their experiences are for themselves and for those around them. I want them to be aware of their impact on future generations of girls who will be in their shoes someday.

This year, my message was simple: showing up is a necessity. You don’t have to be good at track, you don’t have to be fast, and you don’t have to be a champion. You have to keep showing up. Showing up says, “We are here. We matter. And you, the generation after us, you matter, too. So I’m going to keep showing up for you.” No matter their skill level, their ability, or even how seriously they take their participation in track & field, the act of showing up every day guarantees that generations of future girls and women will have the same opportunities they have. In that way, everyone continues to pay it forward, like generations before. And everyone continues to build a better future for girls and women in sports.

Our society isn’t set up for teenage girls to feel good about themselves. They’re…