This year’s Bloomfest saw the Bloom Network bring together over 400 women and allies with a focus on raising each other up. The theme of the day, ‘The Lift’ underlined the importance of building community and making the space to recharge, share experiences and learn from one another.

The importance of learning from others was particularly poignant in a session which saw Michelle Moore, Leadership Coach, Author and Speaker in discussion with two elite British female athletes, Rachel Yankey OBE, Former Footballer and Pundit at Sky and Natasha Jonas, Professional Boxer and Pundit at Sky. The pair shared their stories of resilience and discussed the importance of bravery to break down barriers. The session highlighted the many leadership lessons to be learnt from sport. 

The power to push boundaries 

Last summer the Lionesses made history with a final match watched by an average of 13.3 million people on TV alone. Yet despite the fact that there are more people than ever tuning in to women’s sports, Dove’s recent campaign outlining that 57% of teenage girls are quitting sports due to low body confidence proves that there is a way to go in making women feel accepted in sport. A statistic which highlights a representation challenge that advertising has the power to help combat.

Rachel Yankey and Natasha Jonas are two of the women showing up on the field and in the ring providing young girls with proof that sport is a place for women.

Yet, as Yankey reflects on her entry into the game it is clear that barriers still remain. She explains that a love of the game is often born from playing in a park with friends, making it feel as though sport is the most accessible thing in the world. Yet a system which separates young girls from boys so early on and genders sports can make young women feel unwelcome. Creating a system that helps to nurture the initial love for the game and foster passion rather than place barriers is desperately needed to help all to reach their full potential. 

The importance of allyship 

Yankey shares that in her own journey a coach named Tony was pivotal to her success. When she was a young girl Yankey shaved her head to play on a team with the boys and despite knowing that she was a girl Tony allowed her to play with the others on his team. It wasn’t until one day a member of a rival team reported Yankey to the referee and she was asked to leave the pitch. Instead of telling Yankey the reason she had to leave the game, Tony told her that he had accidentally registered in the wrong age category and it wasn’t until later in her career she found out the real reason she was asked to leave the pitch.

Her coach wanted to make sure that she never felt she didn’t belong on the pitch because of her gender. He successfully protected her from the harm and confidence knock it might have caused. He later went on to help her register for a girl's team and Yankey credits him as an inspiration to her, encouraging her not to give up, advocating on her behalf and helping her find opportunities. The story is a true example of allyship in action. 

Turning anger into fuel 

Beyond barriers to entry into their respective sports both Yankey and Jonas also reflect on the challenges they continue to face, particularly with regards to racism within sport.

“I initially saw the barrier as gender,” says Yankey, but a Champions League match saw her subjected to horrific racism from rival fans. Jonas also shared a story of the microaggression she faced when entering a competition and while at check-in being questioned about her  nationality. As women’s sport continues to grow, so do the issues the athletes are forced to face. Yankey and Jonas find rage in their experiences but try to channel this into their performances.

For Jonas, boxing matches always come with a fear of losing but instead of letting it consume her, she thrives on the challenge. “Somebody will lose but use nerves and care as fuel,” she says.

As a mother, Jonas remarks that the system isn’t kind, yet often it is other people who put up the barriers and limitations, making women feel as though they have to fight to prove themselves. She urges women to outline and reach their own potential rather than letting a system dictate their path.

Being unafraid to fail, willing to take chances and seize opportunities with both hands, Yankey and Jonas encourage risk-taking and leaving no ‘what ifs’ behind. Proving the importance of showing up, smashing down barriers and exceeding expectations every single day, the pair embody the spirit of the lift. Winning not just for themselves, but successfully creating space so that others can follow.