Athlete Women Empowered celebrates diversity and women’s empowerment

BY SYDNEE WALCOTT

Girls and women who partake in sports help break down the misconception of them being weak, or incapable. A Toronto basketball tournament proves women are capable of tearing down those misconceptions.

Established in 2021 by the Athlete Tech Group, the Athlete Women Empowered gives a platform to inspire women in sports. The 2024 tournament will take place at Trinity Western University in British Columbia.

As the first of its kind, the Athlete Tech Group held its inaugural Athlete Women Empowered Classic basketball tournament from October 20^th to 22^nd, 2023 at York University. What’s exceptional about the event is that it exclusively showcases the only four women’s university basketball teams currently led by Black female head coaches. These universities are York University, Concordia University, Trinity Western University and the University of Toronto.

“We wanted to create something that was beyond a tournament,” said Christa Eniojukan, York University’s head coach for the female basketball team.

There’s nothing new under the sun about tournaments that showcase the skills of high school and post-secondary students. However, Eniojukan said the inspiration behind the creation of the Athlete Women Empowered Classic was the goal of reaching out to the community in a different way.

Besides showcasing five pre-season U-Sport games and highlighting some of the most gifted female basketball prospects, the event provided a variety of community outreach opportunities available for everyone in attendance.

During the morning of the event, a clinic and workshops (free of cost) will be offered for girls between the ages of 13 and 18. One of the workshops will teach the participants the skills of what it takes to be an elite basketball player.

An invite-only empowerment dinner will be held in the evening, featuring a panel of mentors who will help provide support around transitioning from student athlete to professional athlete.

Having these young athletes showcased can lead to many doors opening up for them. Learning from other mentors on how to be involved in sports in various industries through collaborations will also be another marvelous opportunity for them. The leading outcome everyone aims to achieve is to empower women and to have the opportunity to receive exposure.