(NEW YORK CITY) November 18, 2021- VOICEINSPORT (VIS), a global sports company, announces a new partnership with Black Women’s Player Collective (BWPC), the advocacy group dedicated to changing the game for girls of color in sport. The two companies join forces to face the problem of lack of diversity amongst women soccer in the United States. 

The Why:

If young Black girls do not have older Black women to look up to in soccer, they are unable to picture themselves playing on that stage someday. Where are the Black women athletes and head coaches in soccer in the US? Why is soccer so white in the US and what does that result in?

• Starting at age 14, girls drop out of sport at a rate two times that of boys. Further, it is estimated that the dropout rate doubles for urban Black girls in sport compared to white suburban girls.

• In 2020, only 9% of female college athletes were Black; less than 10% of players in the NWSL are Black and there are 0 Black coaches in the NWSL in 2021. 

This is why VOICEINSPORT and BWPC are teaming up to change the game.

"VOICEINSPORT is inspiring young Black girls to dream big by providing access to more stories of incredible athletes, mentoring sessions with professional athletes, and more visibility to diverse voices in sport through our podcast and this is just the beginning. Our partnership with the BWPC to help young Black girls see themselves in sport and dream big will be a game changer for the sport of soccer.” - Stef Strack, Founder and CEO VOICEINSPORT

Partnership:

VOICEINSPORT provides girls and women in sport access to mentorship by 150+ pro & collegiate athletes, over 80 top experts in sport psychology, sport nutrition and women-specific health, and educational content written by women athletes. VOICEINSPORT serves as a safe community where girls use their voice to advocate for change. The Black Women’s Player Collective (BWPC) is made up of over 50 women in soccer who have come together to transform the game we see today for generations to come.  

By partnering with VOICEINSPORT, the members of the BWPC can join the VOICEINSPORT Community as a VIS League Mentor to connect directly with the next generation of young Black athletes. As a collective the BWPC is committing to host three free mentoring VOICEINSPORT sessions a month to young Black female athletes in the VOICEINSPORT community. Many of the BWPC members have been mentoring girls with VOICEINSPORT since the platform launched in August of 2020.

“We must elevate the messages, stories, and experiences of female athletes to further lessen the disparity between men’s and women’s sports. We can change the conversation around female athletes and women’s sports, and reach so many young girls to remind them that their story is important and their voice matters,” said Imani Dorsey, professional soccer player, VIS League Mentor and BWPC member. 

On top of elevating women’s voices we want to elevate the women athletes earnings. Male athletes earn 15-100% more than female ones, which is why the partnership will also take steps to close the professional sport gender pay gap by powering up BWPC members with additional sources of revenue through mentoring girls as VIS League mentors. VOICESINSPORT will also donate 100% of the revenue of select VOICEINSPORT merchandise - including T-shirts, hoodies, and more - to the BWPC to support the work they do for Black girls in sport. 

Aligned mission:

For VOICEINSPORT, the partnership with BWPC that will unfold over the next several years will serve as a dedicated effort to be the advocate for women and girls of color to grow the diversity in sport. Establishing this commitment deepens the shared mission of VOICEINSPORT, and the members of the BWPC to  increase access to Black women role models in sport, provide mentorship to young Black girls in sport, and ultimately bring more visibility to Black role models across the board. By aligning our shared missions, VOICEINSPORT x BWPC aims to reach more Black girls who have never had the opportunity to speak, be heard or see, and have a direct relationship to pro athletes that look like them and inspire them. 

With more VIS League Black role models, more young Black girls will SEE themselves in sport. By unlocking access to role models and mentorship through the VOICEINSPORT digital platform, the partnership addresses real challenges facing girls in sport. “I don’t think we’ve ever had an opportunity like now where your Black girls get direct access to their role models. I’m so proud that I get to be a part of that and grateful that Voice in Sport has given us access to their platform to make it happen,” said Ifeoma Onumonu, professional soccer player, VIS League Member, and BWPC Board Member. 

As VIS League mentors, BWPC members will directly mentor young girls in sport who need the guidance and lessons that the VOICEINSPORT community of professional athletes, advocates, sports psychologists, and nutritionists can provide. “Being a part of VOICEINSPORT is incredibly empowering because we have a community dedicated to educating, inspiring, and uplifting one another, from one generation to the next. The partnership between the BWPC and VIS is so exciting because we will be able to extend mentorship opportunities to more diverse groups and be able to cultivate the next group of Black women leaders in soccer”, said Brianna Pinto, professional soccer player at BWPC and VIS League Mentor. 

“Women supporting women is exactly the energy we need to continue to make change in sports and the world. VOICEINSPORT collaborating with the BWPC will continue to create opportunities for Black female athletes to explore and expand their love for sports,” said Tziarra King, Professional Soccer player, BWPC member and VIS League Mentor.

To learn more about VOICEINSPORT, visit https://www.voiceinsport.com/ and join the community by signing up for free at https://www.voiceinsport.com/signup?plan=free.

To learn more about BWPC, visit https://www.bwplayercollective.org. Members of the BWPC can apply to become a VIS League mentor here.

To learn more about the VOICEINSPORT and BWPC partnership visit: here

About VOICEINSPORT

VOICEINSPORT, the global sports company, provides a membership for digital services in mental health, nutrition, sport science and mentoring from pro athletes to keep girls and women in sport. The VOICEINSPORT membership comes with free access to original articles written by women athletes, weekly podcasts, advocacy tools to drive change and a community forum. Paid services include a mentoring platform designed to increase the visibility to pro & collegiate athlete role models and access to both clinical & non-clinical sessions with the top 80 experts in sport psychology, sport nutrition and women’s health. Founded in 2019, VOICEINSPORT is based in NYC and is self funded by sports industry Executive and Advocate Stef Strack. Visit voiceinsport.com for the latest company news and follow @voiceinsport on Instagram, TikTok, Snap, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. 

About Black Women’s Player Collective

BWPC is a non-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization created by the Black players in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) to advance opportunities for Black girls in sport and beyond. We aim to elevate the image, value and representation of Black women as athletes and leaders across industries. Ultimately, establishIng a network of support that expands access to diverse career paths before and after playing. Through education, mentorship and community development we aim to provide Black girls with direct access to soccer at every level. The BWPC is proud to partner with Adidas, a global lifestyle and sportswear brand that is committed to creating a more equitable space in sports for Black women and girls in soccer. As a presenting partner Adidas is committed to providing the BWPC with the support it needs to create a community that uplifts and supports the next generation of young Black girls in sport.

BWPC Board Members include (Instagram handles): Ifeoma Onumonu, Margaret Purce, Lynn Williams, Crystal Dunn, Jasmyne Spencer, and Jamia Fields. 

Media Contacts:

VOICEINSPORT 

Contact: Sydney Supple

media@voiceinsport.com

sydney.supple@voiceinsport.com 

BWPC

Contact: Ifeoma Onumonu

blackwplayerscollective@gmail.com