WEEK #3: KYLA L.

 

Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

 

My first love was hockey. I started playing when I was four years old and I continue to play as an ice and ball hockey goalie in rec leagues in Edmonton, Alberta. Sports have always been a huge part of my life and they’re a large piece of my identity. From a young age, I struggled to understand where I belonged and fit into the world and sports helped me to understand myself, what I was capable of and who I truly was.

 

Despite feeling like sports were my home, there were many times where I didn’t feel like I was welcome or belonged in the game. I never stopped loving sports, though and as I got older I started to realize that not only did I not want other girls and women to feel the way I did but I wanted to pursue this mission in a greater capacity.

 

Fast forward to today and I’m the founder of her Soul Shot – a platform that encourages and provides resources for women to take their shot in sports. I truly believe that the power of sport is unlike any other and you don’t need to be a professional athlete or work in professional sports to experience the benefits.

 

I didn’t play at an elite level, but the impact that sports has had on so many areas of my life is incredible. I want to ensure more girls and women understand their potential and know that being involved in sports is so much bigger than what happens during the game.

 

I’m incredibly passionate about amplifying the voices of women in sport, especially those who aren’t normally highlighted. It’s important that girls and women see that there isn’t only one route in sports and that whichever way they want to be involved in sports is the right way and they belong there.

 

What is an issue or topic you are passionate about or would like to see changed? 

 

I would like to see more focus on women in sports in all capacities. There are organizations doing incredible work featuring women at the top of their game, but not everyone is going to identify with professional athletes. I want women in all areas of sport to be supported and put in the spotlight: the rec league athlete, the woman working her way to her dream job, the dedicated sports fan, the woman who learned a new sport at 50 years old, the girl who wants to play sports because they’re fun and not because the destination is elite level, the woman who started a business or a league for other women, the woman who is who she is because of the power of sports.

 

Sports are life-changing, and anyone can experience the power of sport. Through sport, I’ve been able to find my purpose, accept myself, and be proud of the woman I am. I want more girls and women to experience this and never doubt their place in the game. I also want them to see the power that sport has on their lives outside of the game.

 

Normally, when we think of the phrase “If she can see it, she can be it” we think of the little girls looking up to their idols on elite-level and professional stages. And don’t get me wrong, we absolutely need more of that, but we also need more exposure for the roles and women in all areas of sport.

 

her Soul Shot helps her see it, so she can be it, no matter who you are or where you’re at in life. My dream with hSS is for fewer girls to feel the way I did growing up and for more women to embrace who they are and unleash their power through sports. I want more girls and women to take their shot in sports, whatever that looks like for them.

 

We’re about to launch our new community that will allow women in sports to connect, support each other, find ways to play sports, see opportunities, promote their businesses, and more. It’s called Take Your Shot Community for women in sports and it’ll be launching soon! You can click here to be notified when it launches!

 

What specific strategies would you like to see parents, coaches, or sport administrators do to improve diversity in sport or progress your cause?

 

My list could be very long, but I’ll narrow it down to two things I’d love to see more of a focus on based on my mission:

 

1) Girls and women belong in sport and can be successful in sport.

 

This needs to be taught and shown to both boys and girls because it’s not just on girls and women to level the playing field. We need to normalize girls and women in sport and do more to support them so that they see sport as a viable avenue.

Sports don’t belong to anyone, but everyone belongs in sports. Those in influential positions need to do a better job of ensuring this is true. It doesn’t matter who you are, sports ARE for you – we need to stop just saying this and make it true. It has to change in all areas from who we build and continue to make these spaces for, to how we market sports, to the accessibility of sports, to the conversations that we have in our day to day lives.

 

2) Girls and women can be involved in sports in a range of areas.

 

It’s important that girls and women see the possibilities and be given the opportunities to reach those possibilities, and not just at the elite level. Sport organizations need to present more opportunities for girls and women to be involved in sports, while parents and coaches need to ensure that girls know there is no one right way to be involved in sports and support them in the areas that bring them the most joy. Even if girls don’t continue being involved in sports their entire lives (which I believe they should!), the impact that sports has had on their lives will continue on.

 

Let girls explore their passions and encourage them to find the sports and roles within those sports that they truly love. Their passions are theirs for a reason and the world needs them exactly as they are, not as who they think they should be based on expectations put on them.

 

If you had 25 words worth of advice to share, what would you say? 

 

“You are exactly who you’re meant to be. Find what lights your soul on fire and don’t let anyone put out the flame.”

RESOURCE RECOMMENDATION

 

I’m going to be very biased and say her Soul Shot haha! Our resources focus on various women in sport who are taking their shot and helping others do the same.

 

You can find our podcasts for women in sports here: https://hersoulshot.com/podcast/

 

You can find our blog featuring stories from women in sports here: https://hersoulshot.com/blog/


You can sign up to be notified when our community for women in sports launches here: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/619c1b386925016e08e5e73d