Reflections on Women, Leadership, and Sports

I recently attended Conversations for the Curious at Juno House, an event hosted by Almas Libres, a global community empowering women and girls through urban sports.

Here are my biggest take-aways:

Image courtesy of Almas Libres 2024

 

The discussion, led by sports psychologist and founder of Talent Passport, Esther Cid, featured Maria Teixidor, former General Secretary of FC Barcelona, and Michelle Barrios, founder of Skate Love Barcelona. Their stories of overcoming challenges, the importance of inclusive environments, and how sports have shaped their leadership, were both inspiring and validating.

 

How Sports Shape Our Experience

What struck me most from the talk was how sports can reshape what women believe is possible. Maria shared a powerful story about helping a player, who initially sought retirement, find a new opportunity within the organization—highlighting how women sometimes don’t ask for opportunities because they either don’t exist or haven’t been available to them in the past.

  

Image courtesy of Almas Libres 2024

 

When leadership uplifts and supports, we can shift mindsets and create new possibilities.

 

Sports in My Personal Journey

Reflecting on this, I thought about my own journey and how sports have shaped my personal and professional growth. Playing on teams and training in martial arts taught me confidence, resilience, and the value of competition. More importantly, sports instilled leadership skills, self-worth, and the drive to aim higher.

 

Diving Deeper

And the data supports this: in the US, 94% of women in C-suite positions played sports, showing a strong link between sports and professional success, according to an EY survey. The importance of conversations, such as this, and the need for women in sports is highlighted by another statistic: Young girls drop out of sports at 1.5x the rate of boys by age 14, with more than half quitting by the age of 17, founded by the Gatorade's Girls in Sports study. This means many young girls miss out on the personal and professional growth that sports offer.

 

When I reflect on what my life would be like if I had dropped out to focus only on academics or professional pursuits, I realize how much I would have missed in terms of my own development.

 

Image Courtesy of Almas Libres 2024

 

Creating Opportuntities

It’s essential that both girls and boys have these opportunities. Creating space for young girls and women to have these opportunities can take many different forms, such as women in leadership positions or leaders who recognize the potential, representation, and creating inclusive spaces to name a few.

 

Mission of Rubisnacks Barcelona

For me, this takes the shape of my brand: Rubisnacks Barcelona is my way to give others what sports and movement have given to me. Our mission is to empower women to express themselves through movement, while feeling confident and comfortable in what they wear. Whether it’s about building confidence, fostering inclusivity, or expressing their authentic selves, Rubisnacks is a representation of the positive impact sports have had on my life—and my way of creating space for others to join that journey.

 

It's already a part of you

During the Q&A portion of the event, I asked how to translate the confidence I feel in sports into my professional life. Maria’s response resonated deeply: “It’s already a part of you—it’s not about translating it from one place to the other, you just have to let it come out.”

 

And with that in mind, I encourage you to tap into what’s already inside you, aim high, and keep making bold moves.

 

Image Courtesy of Almas Libres 2024

 

Thank you to Juno House, Almas Libres, and of course, the guests for putting together this important event!

Images: Courtesy of Almas Libres 2024