State of the Female Athletes in America 

2021 NWSL

When it comes to female athletes in America, there are many stories to be told. In this case, this story is of a clear contrast concerning race. A 2022 study conducted by Statista looked at the disparities in race among female student-athletes in America.  

Here, the study uncovered that 69% of the athletes are White and only 9% are African American from the previous academic school year. Overall, the least represented races are Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders (0.3%), American Indian/Alaskan Natives (0.4%) and Asians (2.5%). 

The ethnicity of female student-athletes in the United States in 2022 

EthnicityPercentage of female student athletes in the US
White68.90%
African American8.90%
Hispanic or Latino6.40%
2 or more races5.10%
International4.80%
Other2.60%
Asian2.50%
American Indian/ Alaskan Native0.40%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander0.30%
Percentage of student-athletes by race (2022). Credit: Statista

Now, the disparity when it comes to female athletes reaching the professional level was discovered by Adidas when it came to the top 10 female athletes in America. The list showed that 70% of the athletes were white and 30% African American.   

Ethnicity of America’s Most Popular Female Sport Stars 

US Sports StarSportEthnicity
Serena WilliamsTennisAfrican American
Simone BilesGymnasticsAfrican American
Alex MorganSoccerWhite
Megan RapinoeSoccerWhite
Ronda RouseyMMAWhite
Lindsey VonnSkiingWhite
Danica PatrickAuto RacingWhite
Ibtihaj MuhammadFencingAfrican American
Katie LedeckySwimmingWhite
Sue BirdBasketballWhite
Top 10 most popular female sports stars by race. Credit: Sports Brief

In this case, there is a lesser number of African American female athletes than white athletes, even at higher levels. It backed up the data shown earlier via Statista. 

How Adidas is Addressing the Issue with Race and Female Athletes 

To elevate the representation of ethnic minorities within sports, Adidas partnered with Black Women’s Player Collective (BWPC) to aid under-represented Black women and girls. The objective is to have better access to soccer, specifically building opportunities in under-funded communities. 

Director of Culture and Communities for Adidas football, Gonzalo Calvo, addressed the union of Adidas with the BWPC: 

“Since Adidas partnered with the Black Women’s Player Collective, we have worked towards giving underrepresented black women and girls the space they need to feel a sense of belonging in the world of soccer.  

The BWPC is led by Black professional soccer players whose passion and purpose are to be champions for change. Their group is made up of seven board members, 38 members, and 15 crusaders. Additionally, it spans across ten professional teams and over five international premier teams  

Adidas and its partnership is focused on making a long-term effect in under-funded communities. This is about creating a safe space for young African-American girls to have exposure to a playing field they can call their own. 

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About LaDarius Brown

I'm LaDarius Brown and I'll forever love the Seattle Storm and Sue Bird is my forever GOAT. Big time lover of wrestling and my love for women's sports is lifelong. P.S. I'm a UConn WBB fan (that's a secret between just you and I)

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