SheBelieves started as a hashtag in 2015 leading up to the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Your U.S. Women’s National Team shared a call to action for young women to set high goals and work to be the best on the field, or in their chosen field, whether it was academics, the arts, finance, technology or wherever their interests led them.
The U.S. WNT team lead by example, winning the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in resounding fashion.
In 2016, U.S. Soccer started an elite four-team women’s international tournament and named it the SheBelieves Cup. Since then, the tournament and the message have grown tremendously. With the support of U.S. Soccer, it’s partners, the fans and of course, the players, SheBelieves has strived to make an impact beyond the soccer field. Here are three ways in which it has done just that:
1. Leadership
Over the years, powerful leadership has always been a key trait of the U.S. Women’s National Team and the players wants to see fans being leaders in their communities. SheBelieves call on young women to be leaders themselves and to look to female role models for inspiration. To further this mindset, the SheBelieves Hero contest was established in its current form in 2017 to seek out young women who are positively influencing the world around them. In 2018, the Hero was Hollis Belger, who founded Juggling for Jude when she was nine-years-old and has since raised more than $300,000 to fight childhood cancer. The 2019 SheBelieves Hero contest is currently taking nominees and there is still time to nominate a Hero. Click here for more complete rules and regulations.
2. Growth and Learning
SheBelieves is based on the ethos of being the best at whatever you set your mind to. There is loads of anecdotal evidence that confidence while pursing your goals, on the field or off, can translates into confidence in other areas of life. In order to facilitate the transition from the field to the classroom to the workplace, the SheBelieves Summit was born. The SheBelieves Summit, presented by Deloitte, gathers female leaders in business and entertainment, as well as sports, in one place to share their experience and knowledge with college-aged women. Registration for the 2019 SheBelieves Summit is now open, and requires an .edu email address.
3. Community
As elite athletes, the U.S. Women’s National Team players are constantly displaying the value of teamwork while with the WNT and with their clubs. Within their teams, the players push each other to be better, to overcome adversity and to work towards achieving goals together. During the SheBelieves Cup, the matches provide fans with a chance to gather and cheer on their favorite team with their friends, family, co-workers and teammates, furthering friendships and community, while rallying around female role models. Every game is a chance for communities to come together, celebrate their love of the sport, meet new friends, be inspired and make lasting memories!