Empowering Women in Team Sport

Over the last 20 years, the number of female teams has doubled across Singapore's National Sports Associations. Sixteen (16) female sport represent Singapore today at the Major Games such as SEA Games, Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games.

The spotlight on women's sport at the elite level has highlighted aspects of high-performance systems have not catered for female specific considerations. Post-partum qualification, increased risks of ACL injuries and how menstrual cycles impact performance are just a few of the areas which have seen calls for greater investment and focus. Reviews commissioned by leagues and governing bodies globally have also revealed that a closer examination of sports' practices and processes is required to foster positive environments for female athletes.

Together with the SNOC Women in Sport Committee, the Safe Sport Commission assisted in the facilitation of the workshop - Empowering Women in Team Sport : Athlete Voices on Conducive Climates on 2 December 2023 to better understand the needs of national female team sport athletes in the Singapore high performance sporting space.

Christina Tham, national underwater hockey athlete, and Puah Jingwen, co-founder of Soccer Girl Goals, from SNOC Women in Sport Committee moderated the session.

The group was also privileged to have Dr Emma Kavanagh, Associate Professor in Sports Psychology and Coaching Sciences from Bournemouth University and Dr Abbe Brady, Associate Professor from St Mary's University, to co-facilitate the session. Having both been team sport athletes themselves, Dr Kavanagh and Dr Brady currently work with athletes in high performance sport spaces in the UK.

Apart from being a practicing sport psychologist, Dr Kavanagh's widely published research area shines a light on online harms targeted at athletes, in particular female athletes. One of Dr Brady's research interests is in the athlete/coach well-being and she has been working with Women's and Girls Football in particular examining the sport fraternity's attitudes toward well-being and performance.

Over 40 athletes across, more than 10 female team sports shared and discussed their experiences on topics such as

• support for athlete mothers

• the need for more female role models in coaching and in leadership positions

• female hormonal considerations for periodization at elite level sport

• creation of safe spaces for their voices to be head

• need for more awareness and education for everyone in the sporting ecosystem around these issues.

The Safe Sport Commission and the SNOC Women in Sport Committee are current partners through the Safe Sport Support Network, which the facilitates access to psycho-social support for persons affected by incidents reported through the Safe Sport Programme.