Back in the Blocks
The Outspoken: Women in Triathlon Summit is back for 2021 as a virtual event. Our theme this year, Back in the Blocks, is a recognition that triathlon has the opportunity to shift towards inclusivity rather than going “back to normal.” Replays are available for purchase.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 protests for racial justice across the world, triathlon struggled to understand its role in creating a more inclusive environment for all athletes. While there have been several false starts, good intentions with damaging effects, and uncertainty about where to go next, triathlon is eager to move from words to action. We have experienced first hand what it’s like to be without triathlon. And now things are getting back to normal, a question lingers from 2020: what is “normal” and is it somewhere triathlon should return?
We have an opportunity to hit the reset button and evaluate what triathlon stands for. How can we rebuild with inclusivity at the center? Triathletes across the world are in the starting blocks again as races open up and group training opportunities become widely available. We are ready to re-start, rebuild, reconnect.
Below is an outline of the 2021 schedule. More info on our 2021 Speakers here.
Topics for the 2021 Summit include:
+ Avoiding Ableism in Sport
+ Using Sport for Activism
+ Women’s Nutrition & Physiology as a Matter of Equity
+ Centering Equity in your Triathlon Organization
+ Reshaping Media & Marketing
+ Working Towards Gender Equity
See full session descriptions below!
Additional Information
The event will take place on Hopin. Here’s what you’ll get:
+ Connection with a community of like-minded women
+ 2 virtual group workouts
+ Opportunity to watch all presentations during the weekend
+ Access to all recordings of presentations 48 hours after the Summit
Replays can be purchased here.
*Schedule is subject to change
Session Descriptions
Katie Zafares
“I may not feel strong, but I am strong”
Katie’s presentation will be guided by her mantra “I may not feel strong, but I am strong” which she finds to be useful in the physical, mental and emotional realm. These are words Katie uses to reframe her state of mind. In life, every moment and thought makes a difference and our perspective is what controls those thoughts. These words remind her there’s more in her, even when she can’t feel it, or worse when the feelings completely deceive her.
Dr. Gabriela Nunez & Dr. Shaunna Payne Gold of Shift Sports
The ShiftSports Diversity List
As endurance sport comes through and beyond a global pandemic, endurance sport is out of shape and still getting to a new normal. We suggest that the pandemic has only exacerbated long standing (yet somewhat ignored) challenges to diversity. The ShiftSports Diversity List is our inaugural (annual) call to action and allyship for all stakeholders in endurance sport. This session will cover in detail the top steps you can take to make endurance sport more inclusive. Note: this session is in two parts (90 minutes in total. We encourage you to attend both sessions to get the complete experience).
Ashley Eisenmenger
Triathlon is for Everyone: dismantling ableism and creating opportunities for people to come as they are
We would all like to think that triathlon is for everyone. It’s the sport that meets you where you are, and challenges you regardless of what your preparation or skill level is. Unfortunately, for triathletes with disabilities the barriers to entry when it comes to triathlon are not only problematic, but preventable. In this presentation, we will discuss disability, ableism, and how we as athletes, coaches, race directors, and general fans of triathlon, can create better accessibility equity and inclusion within the sport we love.
Dr. Nicole LaVoi
The Paradoxical State of Sport Coaching for Women
A puzzling paradox exists when it comes to women occupying sport leadership positions—particularly coaches. Two generations removed from Title IX, female sports participation is at an all-time high, yet the number of women coaches is near an all-time low. Research indicates that far from being less qualified, women are discouraged, impeded or locked out of coaching due to discriminatory beliefs, policies and practices. Dr. Nicole M. LaVoi examines this “coaching paradox” by highlighting systemic gender discrimination, unfair double standards, and both explicit and unconscious gender bias in the hiring process. She will also address the significant implications that result from the dramatic decline of women in the coaching profession and offer strategies for recruiting and retaining women coaches.
Katie Schofield
Are women being held back? The inequitable standard in women’s sports physiology and sports nutrition.
Research about male performance is plentiful because research is primarily done on men. Are women being held back from a lack of women-specific sports physiology and sports nutrition research? Dr Schofield’s session addresses this question and delves into what we know by looking through the scientific lens. She will address specific ways attendees can use this information to not only understand their own performance but as a larger movement to elevate women’s voices and their needs in sport.
Alisha Zellner
Using Sport for Activism
Ever found yourself wanting to advocate for something important to you but not sure where to begin? Love being an athlete and want to know more about effectively engaging your audience? Join us for a discussion with Alisha Zellner on being fuelled by fear and engaging your community. Learn how she combined activism with the activities she’s most passionate about in sports.
Lisa Steptoe
Transform Your Tri Club – Building Community, Inclusivity & Diversity Through Clubs
Hear some tips, ideas, suggestions on how to build, reinvigorate and transform your tri club to increase membership, participation as well as bring new & diverse members to your club and show them an inviting and inclusive experience with the multisport lifestyle.
Mindy Pfeffer
Fast Forward!
Actor & Playwright Mindy Pfeffer will combine her two passions – theatre and triathlon – with this piece.
Khadijah Diggs
Three to Ignite and Three to Sustain
Khadijah Diggs will discuss how Triathlon mimics life by comparing it to the history of social change, how some of us are already creating the change and how we can use our sphere of influence to make it sustainable.
Dr. Vera Lopez
Supporting Girls of Color in Youth Sports Through Inclusive Policies, Practices, and Pedagogies
Participation in youth sports and physical activity represents one potential avenue for enhancing commitment to school and educational aspirations of girls of color. Despite these potential benefits, relatively little research has focused on girls of color and their involvement in sports. While Title IX has resulted in more girls than ever before playing sports, not all girls have benefited equally from this landmark legislation. This workshop will cover what we know about girls of color and sport. An intersectional lens will be used to discuss barriers to youth sports participation based on gendered, ethnic, racial, class, and citizenship identities and locations.
Jenny Baker
Who Runs the World According to Beyonce
In a culture where you can be brown, blue, violet sky, hurtful, purple, anything you’d like…be inclusive. (If you don’t know that reference lookup “Grace Kelly” by artist Mika or even better search for it on Tik Tok.) In this workshop, Jenny Baker, Race Director of the Georgia Jewel 100mi, 50mi, 35mi, and 18mi races will share how she and her co-director are bringing gender parity to their races and why if you want your events to last, you’d better too. Hint: it has to do with Newton’s first law.
Nellie Viner, Kathryn Bertine, Tarsh Wendt, Nona Lee
Women in Sports Leadership Panel
How are you working with your organizations to make sport more inclusive? Especially when it comes to bringing women into leadership roles, how are we working to bring more women, people of color, folks with disabilities and others into in leadership roles (C-Suite, heads of companies, etc.)?
During the Women in Sports Leadership Panel facilitated by Dr. Shaunna Payne Gold, we’ll tackle these challenges by providing insights from experts in the field & discussing the strategies and ideas that participants can apply to their own organizations.
Josephine Kwan
Periods & Sport Participation
If half the world’s population menstruates, then why are periods still a taboo topic? This session highlights how period poverty and the lack of menstrual education contributes to gender inequalities, racial and economic disparities as well as the continued drop out rates of sports.
Dr. Ashley Zapata
Coaching Clients Experiencing Emotional Fatigue
Now more than ever, we are aware that athletes experience mental health concerns that impact not only their sport performance but also their day to day activities. In this workshop, we will explore the power of using oneself as a tool to connect with athletes who are experiencing emotional fatigue. This is for those who want to know what they can do to make a positive impact on an athlete when they aren’t versed in clinical interventions or theoretical orientations. Guess what, using yourself and your experiences is JUST as powerful!
Dr. Holly Thorpe
Building a Body Positive Environment in Triathlon: Everyday Actions for Change
In this workshop, Professor Thorpe will draw upon international research to discuss the continuum from toxic sporting cultures to body positive sporting environments. After detailing the key components of each (i.e., power relations between coaches and athletes; value systems; how we talk about food, bodies and performance; communication styles), she will provide strategies for coaches, athletes and support staff to help build towards more ‘body positive’ sporting environments. This will be followed by a series of activities with attendees invited to explore short, medium and long term strategies for change within triathlon. Attendees will leave this session with a different understanding of elite sporting cultures, and helpful tips to create change to ensure safe, supportive and sustainable environments for women in sport.
Sika Henry
Why Representation Is Important for the Future of Triathlon
A discussion on why representation matters, how it has positively impacted other sports, and how image and representation can change the landscape of triathlon. Sika will dive further into how seeing the reflection of someone that looks like you breaking barriers, setting records, or winning an Olympic medal, can shape your imagination to what is possible. This won’t be a black/white discussion. It will encompass age, gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, and so on. Finally, Sika will conclude with how we can show respect for diversity (i.e. Get to know someone different than you, invite, listen, amplify voices by sharing other’s stories, etc.)