Dove and Sports Illustrated have unveiled a collaboration aimed at enhancing body confidence among young female athletes ahead of this year’s Super Bowl.
The partnership introduces Sports reIllustrated, a special edition magazine that profiles ten inspiring young athletes who are challenging norms and excelling in their respective sports.
The cover features 10year-old Honor Smoke, marking the youngest athlete to appear on a Sports Illustrated promotional cover.
Smoke, who is a passionate wrestler, expressed her excitement about the opportunity.
“Wrestling is a huge part of who I am, and I have even inspired my two younger sisters to play.
“I hope that this magazine encourages even more girls to believe in themselves and stay in the game.”
The edition also includes profiles of:
- Ja’Nor Elzie, a 12-year-old basketball player from Slidell, Louisiana.
- Liana Chan, an 11-year-old ice hockey player from New York.
- Carmen Wilkey, a 12-year-old track and field athlete from Severance, Colorado.
- Pepper Persley, a 13-year-old basketball player from New York.
- Lala Scholl, a 12-year-old football player from New Orleans, Louisiana.
- Noelani Spicer, a 12-year-old track and field para-athlete from San Antonio, Texas.
- Julia Dinar, a 13-year-old fencer from Brooklyn, New York.
- Calyx Watkins, a 14-year-old basketball player from Detroit, Michigan.
- Krin Brown, a 13-year-old lacrosse player from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The special edition coincides with Dove’s Big Game advertisement and highlights the Dove Body Confident Sport programme, a scientifically backed coaching tool designed to build body confidence in girls aged 11-17 and encourage their continued participation in sports.
Marcela Melero, Chief Growth Officer of Dove Personal Care North America, emphasised the importance of shifting the focus from appearance to ability in sports.
She said: “With 48% of girls who drop out of sports being told they have the wrong body type, it is time to inspire change, not just in how we see young athletes, but in how we speak to them.”
“By re-illustrating what it looks like to be an athlete, we hope we can inspire readers to rethink how we see and support the young athletes in our lives,” said Stephen Cannella, Editor in Chief of Sports Illustrated.
The magazine is available online from the 3 February and will be distributed in New Orleans ahead of the Super Bowl with Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs.
It will also feature as a special section in the March issue of Sports Illustrated.
In addition to the magazine, Dove has assembled a Body Confident Collective comprising influential female voices in sports, including Billie Jean King and Venus Williams.
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