GameChangers: Changing the Game for Women in Sport

November 18, 2008 - If you think all social networking happens on Facebook, think again.

Sports giant Nike – long an advocate for empowerment and change in the world of women in sport - has just joined forces with the non-profit Ashoka organization – a global association of social entrepreneurs –  to launch “GameChangers: Change the Game for Women in Sport.”

Gamechangers is an online competition that challenges young social entrepreneurs to come up with ways to “leverage sport for positive social change in the lives of girls and women.”

From now until February 11, 2009 the site will be accepting submissions and nominations for innovative solutions in the field of sport for social change.  Early entrants are also eligible to win a camcorder and digital camera so they can make a video for the site!

Judges include soccer player Abby Wambach and Mystics owner Sheila Johnson who will  select 10-15 finalists; the Changemakers online community will then vote for the 3 winners. Even non-contestants are encouraged to join the dialogue by making suggestions and recommendations in Changemakers’ online forum.

This is a great idea on so many levels so get your creative juices flowing. Not only does the competition inspire empowerment by offering winners the chance to see their proposals realized, but it also provides the opportunity for young women to get plugged into a global community of activists. 

Now that’s teamwork.