US-Mexico-Nicaragua International Sports Programming Initiative
The US-Mexico-Nicaragua International Sports Programming Initiative, organized by WorldChicago and the Women Win Foundation, is a US Department of State-sponsored exchange program that aims to promote sports as a tool for development, particularly in women's empowerment, gender equality, and youth leadership.
The program is currently looking to enroll aspiring and non-elite coaches and administrators of Girls Sports (aged 20 and over) from the United States in a virtual exchange, scheduled to run from November 6 to December 18, 2020, and a tentative in-person exchange in Chicago, scheduled to occur in May 2021.
American participants will benefit from the following perks:
- FREE access to a series of expert-led workshops on coaching and sport administration for social change from November 6 - December 18, 2020.
- Double-Goal Coaching Certification from the Positive Coaching Alliance at ZERO cost.
- Meaningful cultural and professional exchanges with athletic professionals from Mexico and Nicaragua.
- Recognition as program alumni of the US Department of State and exclusive access to alumni support resources.
If you are interested in promoting equal opportunity in sports and expanding your professional network in Latin America, apply today at: https://bit.ly/3hrhBwl.
Questions? Contact Brian Peckrill at [email protected] or Thi Nguyen at [email protected].
Creating Opportunities for Women Athletes
Play Like a Girl provides a supportive sisterhood of coaches, teammates and role models to improve girls’ health through sport while inspiring confidence and leadership in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (or STEM).
We strive to help girls develop the life skills necessary to succeed no matter where they go, especially in traditionally male-dominated arenas.
Likewise, many individuals and businesses in the women and sport community are uniting to offer girls and women a place to improve and grow the game—both on and off the field of play.
In fact, shortly before the pandemic hit, former New York F.C. President Jon Patricof and his colleague Jonathan Soros launched Athletes Unlimited.
This new model for professional sports caters to women and leverages the influence of professional athletes Jessica Mendoza and Abby Wambach.
Together, they helped to abolish team owners, home cities and rosters, allowing athletes to move fluidly between teams and cities throughout six week seasons.
This model is designed to empower athletes, putting them in charge of the league’s decision-making and content creation, and splitting revenue among them.
“You’re getting players in the mind-set of being their own bosses and having control over what their outcome is going to be,” Wambach told the New York Times. “In the women’s sports world, being able to monetize yourself in all possible ways matters. It could mean paying your mortgage.”
In the wake of rulings against the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team’s fight for equal pay and a long history of lack of opportunity for female professional athletes, this new league could be a gamechanger.
It “gives athletes comfort and security that never happens with female athletes,” Wambach also told the NYT. This opens new doors and opportunities for women in a traditionally male dominated arena.