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This has been my rugby mantra for a little while now, and I wish I adopted it sooner. The women from around the world competing in the Olympics are making this very loud and clear.
Women athletes deserve to take up space because WE WANT TO SEE THEM.
Women athletes deserve to take up space because they're not a financial risk, they're a major financial opportunity.
Women athletes deserve to take up space because they're talented human beings that work incredibly hard.
Women athletes deserve to take up space because THEY EXIST.
Goals, a women's sports business company and social media page, shared this video created by Alice Brine which really brought it all together for me:
The impacts of exposure and empowerment are real.
For me, this year it's been awe-inspiring to see women athletes crushing it at a variety of ages. Simone Biles and Rebecca Andrade are still dominant in their mid to late 20's, way above a "typical" age of a gymnast on the older side. Gabby Thomas and Katie Ledecky, both 27, also don't seem to be slowing down any time soon.
But check out the ages of this year's USA Women's Rugby Team:
28
33
26
24
26
24
31
28
29
31
26
26
28
30
29
When I was in the "rat race" of elite rugby almost 10 years ago, I will never ever forget when the national camp I was at made us line up in order by age. This wasn't necessarily for judgement purposes (I think it was even just a random way to split up groups), but I was at the very end of the line on the older side.
....and I was 24.
In the list of ages on the USA roster above, I would've been the youngest.
I remember when I finally realized that I was near the very end of the line, I laughed it off and made a self deprecating joke about being a grandma. But although that didn't seem to have any actual meaning during the camp, that had a major impact on me. I felt like I might as well have had one foot in the rugby grave. Get me a cane and a pair of dentures.
You could say the same thing about U19 and U23 rugby camps. I understand the want and need for women to start playing rugby earlier...but imagine how that feels for those of us over that age - "we already don't want you just because of your age."
Imagine how I feel now, 33 (almost 34), seeing that women's Olympic athletes are killin' it (and in RUGBY nonetheless!). Back when I was 24 (GOD that sounds young now) I pretty much counted myself out of the elite rugby realm soon after that. I figured time and biology were not on my side, and that I might as well focus on just playing the best I can play for the longest amount of time.
But if I had seen back then that there are players up to 33 years old on the USA women's rugby team that are just as fierce as ever...I don't know if I would've abruptly stopped aiming high so quickly. Across the board, women Olympic athletes are absolutely destroying the old beliefs of when people thought the "peak" age for a woman athlete was. There have been some of the oldest medalist in certain sports like gymnastics in over 60 years.
Part of this also relates to Ilona Maher's crucial messages of body positivity.
LOOK AT HOW MUCH WE CAN ACCOMPLISH, LOOK AT HOW MUCH WE CAN DEFY PEOPLE'S STUPID ASSUMPTIONS OR EXPECTATIONS ABOUT WHAT WOMEN CAN OR CAN'T DO, WHEN WE TREAT AND FUEL OUR BODIES CORRECTLY.
TAKE - UP - SPACE.
P.S. No tea and no shade against the USA Rugby coaches that made us line up by age at that camp. I 100% acknowledge (and am kicking myself for it) that it's no one's fault but mine that I gave up on myself for something as stupid as an age number.
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