Adidas partners with Black Women’s Player Collective
October 22, 2021
Leading lifstyle and sportswear brand adidas and the Black Women’s Player Collective (BWPC) nonprofit have partnered to "change the game for under-represented Black women and girls" across the US. As part of the adidas Football Collective (aFC) umbrella, they will work together to break down the barriers of access to soccer for youth in under-resourced communities and create opportunities for future generations. aFC is the brand’s soccer communities program which serves as a worldwide movement to open up the game to everyone.
BWPC was created by the Black players in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) to advance opportunities for Black girls in sport and beyond. It aims to to elevate the image, value and representation of Black women as athletes and leaders across industries. Through education, mentorship and community development, the organization provides participants with direct access to soccer at every level. The Collective consists of seven board members, 38 members and 15 advocates across 10 professional clubs and more than five international premiere clubs.
“This partnership will provide spaces where young girls can go out and experience the sport without constraints, as well as providing role models through our collective. What we plan to do with adidas is give young girls the space to know they belong inside and outside of the sport,” said Ifeoma Onumonu, NWSL player and BWPC board member.
adidas X Black Women's Player Collective's goal is to foster inclusivity and diversity for Black female soccer players and, in turn, encourage more Black girls to play the game. adidas will serve BWPC as a long-term partner in the effort to change the narrative for Black women and girls in soccer by demanding equity, representation and equal access at all levels of the game.
In 2022, the parnters will host annual soccer clinics and programming for girls aged 8-15 with stops in the cities of Atlanta, Durham, Orlando and Houston to reverse the high drop-out rate for girls of color in urban centers. The brand stated its intention to continue BWPC's efforts to tackle inequality and create impactful solutions for Black communities, and looks to provide opportunities through grass-roots programming centered around equality, representation and access.
“adidas is providing Black women a platform to share their experiences with the world. By sharing our experiences, we are bringing awareness to systemic barriers that have kept soccer in this country, a predominantly white sport. Our commitment to programming in underserved communities with the help of adidas will hopefully expose more kids from these communities to play soccer," Onumonu told AfroTech.
Along with the soccer clinics, the BWPC board members will be connecting with youth on a larger scale a wellness events on new mini-pitches, as guest speakers and educational seminars. The Black female professional soccer players of the BWPC want to lead by example as NWSL player and BWPC board member, Imani Dorsey stated: “Black women’s voices are essential in soccer and sports because we need to highlight the women who are playing in this arena for the next generation.”