Founders of women’s Youngstown leagues want to change female representation in sports

BOARDMAN — The Northeast Ohio Women's Sports Alliance organization is founded on one principle: women living happier and healthier lives through community-based sports, its co-founder said.

That principle is shared by 18 community sport teams for women 17 years old and older in northeast Ohio ranging from rugby, swimming, roller derby, hockey and tackle football.

Barbara Anthony of Boardman co-founded the alliance in 2017 with her colleague Elise Bigley. The two brought awareness to a larger issue faced worldwide: social justice in women's sports.

Women make up nearly 40% of all sports participants worldwide, but receive only 4% of media coverage, and are oftentimes objectified, according to UNESCO.

"We've talked about how sports impact women in families, but we haven't talked about how there's a lack of access for women in inequitable socioeconomic places," she said. "They don't even have the opportunity to play."

Inequities are evident in sporting clubs, and they're a microcosm of society as a whole, Anthony said.

"Who's in charge of the sports [and] playing and who benefits from this the most? Then, who's doing the work and still not benefiting?" she said. "Oftentimes, that is where you find the women in the community."

Katie Markielowski is the president of the Youngstown Steel Valley Rugby Club, and also plays on the team. The rugby club is a part of the Allegheny Rugby Union, and plays teams from Akron, Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Columbus.

Since Youngstown is an economically depressed area, Markielowski said one challenge is getting players to and from practice.

Youngstown's median household income was just under $29,000 between 2015 and 2019, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and an estimated more than a third of all city residents lived in poverty in 2019. Nearly all students who attended Youngstown City Schools in 2013 and 2014 were considered economically disadvantaged, according to a 2016 Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation report.

"One of our biggest hindrances is to get people transportation to practice, and the cost of even playing," Markielowski said. "Rugby is pretty cheap, but you're still thinking, 'Do I go to rugby practice or pick up an extra shift?'"

The rugby club received donations from local businesses such as The Casual Pint in Boardman, but Markielowski said the club needs more local support from surrounding areas with more funds.

"Some support has come and gone [from surrounding areas], but I would love to find more of that," she said.

Anthony said women are more productive in their personal lives when physical and mental health are a priority. Most often, they're putting sports on the back burner to focus on family or other personal matters.

"There are people who used to be athletes [who] still want to play, and are doing everything for everyone else and not enough for themselves," Anthony said.

Holly Witherington of Poland said she was an avid rugby player in college. She now has an 8-year-old son and said she recognizes how family needs can edge out most everything else. She joined the Youngstown club for a physical and mental health outlet.

Since it can be a challenge to find childcare on the weekends, she brings her boy along to her matches, she said.

"If you have childcare, bring them [to games]. … We'll take turns and sit on the sidelines," Witherington said. "We know that's a huge barrier to a lot of women, especially in this area. There's a lot of single moms."

Women with families can find it hard to justify doing things for themselves, Witherington said.

"People fall out because they have families and lives and it is hard for women, especially in women's sports," she said. "[Kids] usually come first, and if their things don't come first, you're looked at as being a terrible mother."

But as women get older, building friendships with similar individuals can be hard, Witherington said — and that's another benefit of the club.

"I think a lot of times [women] lose their friends' support," she said. "You have a built-in family whenever you play rugby."

The sport does not discriminate against a woman's body figure since all shapes and sizes are needed to play in the sport, Witherington said.

"It's a sport that literally needs athletes of absolutely every shape and body size," she said. "I want to see people playing, getting out and just being somewhat active."

She said it feels good to see her son be proud of her accomplishments on the field.

"It's nice from the perspective of being a parent. … He says, 'My mom can do anything. … She's the tough one in the house.'"

Anthony said the alliance provides women with other resources besides a competitive outlet, such as mental health and job training services and educational resources.

"What I do [as a social worker] is provide our athletes and the community with a person that they can come to for [those] resources," Anthony said. "Usually there's not a lot of support [for women in the household] who are the primary foundation for families."

She said the alliance works to build sponsorships and funding on a volunteer basis, and needs community support to continue growing.

"A lot of people feel they have to do something very extravagant to be meaningful, and we know that's not true," she said. "You can do things that aren't massively front-page headline stuff, but it still makes a big difference."

There are small, yet impactful ways northeast Ohio residents can support the alliance.

"One way people can help out is by following these teams on social media, and attending some games of these community teams," Anthony said.

Markielowski said rugby is considered a friendly sport and it builds friendships within the rugby club and other teams in northeast Ohio.

"You beat each other up on the pitch and then have a beer afterward," she said. "There is always competitiveness on the field, but at the end of the day, we are women in sports trying to support each other."

For more information on how to join or support one of the 18 sports teams, visit the sports alliance website.

This story was originally published December 7, 2021 at 3:52 AM with the headline "Founders of women’s Youngstown leagues want to change female representation in sports."