Nike and Dove Join Forces with Laurie Hernandez to Boost Body Confidence

Story written by Marivette

Pictured, from left to right: Nike Chief Social & Community Impact Officer Vanessa Garcia-Brito, Olympic gold medalist Laurie Hernandez, journalist Breaana Walker. Photo courtesy of Nike

“Confidence is everything, which is why it’s so important to create an environment where girls feel safe to experience different trials and errors in sport, knowing that they have coaches and teammates to have their back.”

In a world that often scrutinizes appearances, especially in the world of sports, self-esteem and body confidence are vital for young Latina athletes. To tackle this issue head-on, Nike, a renowned champion of athletes and sports, has teamed up with Dove, the global leader in self-esteem and body confidence education. And guess who's joining the cause? None other than decorated and Olympic gold medalist gymnast Laurie Hernandez. Together, they're introducing an innovative initiative that promises to revolutionize the journey of young female athletes.

Nike and Dove have jointly launched the "Body Confident Sport" online coaching program. This groundbreaking program is the first of its kind and is scientifically proven to build body confidence in girls aged 11 to 17. It's all about empowering young female athletes to feel comfortable, confident, and strong in their own skin.

Olympic gold medalist Laurie Hernandez

For Laurie Hernandez, a role model and inspiration for many young Latina athletes, this program is a game-changer that can positively impact the next generation of female athletes. Globally, 45% of teenage girls are dropping out of sports, and this partnership aims to change that. Coaches play a crucial role in shaping girls' perceptions of their bodies. In fact, research shows that 74% of girls credit their coaches for increased confidence. “Can you imagine a world where instead of commenting on the looks of an athlete’s body, we are focused on their performance and their confidence? I can,” she said. “This is the type of game-changing tool that helps reframe how we are talking to girls, how we are coaching them to build self-confidence, believe in themselves and truly understand the strength that can come from within.”

Laurie shared with us her own sports journey and underscored the significance of body confidence. She revealed that her understanding of body confidence evolved over time, especially within the demanding world of gymnastics. Laurie's own experience, marked by a coach critical of her body type, deeply resonates with countless young athletes facing similar challenges. “It really wasn’t until I started talking about it in therapy (and even speaking events) that I realized how prominent our physical bodies are in sports, especially in gymnastics. I had a coach who [was] extremely critical of my body type and made it hard for me to appreciate and respect my own body, until I got older; this is why it’s so important for coaches to understand what it means to cultivate an environment that allows for body confidence!”

She emphasized the critical role of coaches in creating an atmosphere where body confidence can flourish, particularly among young Latina athletes. “Confidence is everything, which is why it’s so important to create an environment where girls feel safe to experience different trials and errors in sport, knowing that they have coaches and teammates to have their back. Latina athletes may face additional cultural stereotypes when it comes to perspectives on their bodies and how they look versus more importantly what they can do (how they can perform, how strong they are, etc.). Having a tool like this for coaches, which draws from data and experiences of athletes and coaches from countries around the world is an incredible step forward to help focus on what is important and coach girls to be more confident.”

From left to right: Tennis champion and entrepreneur Venus Williams, Dove CMO Alessandra Manfredi, Nike Chief Social & Community Impact Officer Vanessa Garcia-Brito, Olympic gold medalist Laurie Hernandez, journalist Breaana Walker, Dr. Phillippa Diedrichs of Centre for Appearance Research, Dr. Nicole LaVoi of the Tucker Centre for Research on Girls and Women in Sport and spoken wordartist Holly McComish. Courtesy of Nike

The "Body Confident Sport" program is a two-year collaborative effort between Nike and Dove, involving world-renowned experts and input from thousands of girls from various countries. It offers scientifically proven coaching steps to boost self-esteem and body confidence, particularly during the challenging puberty years.

This initiative aims to reach one million young people worldwide, with the potential to inspire even more. It's not just about sports; it's about creating a more equitable future for women and girls, on and off the field.

In the world of sports, self-esteem and body confidence are crucial for young Latina athletes. Thanks to the partnership between Nike, Dove, and the insights from Laurie Hernandez, a brighter future awaits. The "Body Confident Sport" program will remind young athletes that it's not about how they look, but what they can do.

Nike and Dove’s open-source Body Confident Sport tool is available, free of charge, at bodyconfidentsport.com.

Nike has partnered with Dove to launch Body Confident Sport, a first-of-its-kind, scientifically proven set of coaching tools for coaching 11- to 17-year-old girls that will help build their body confidence. Courtesy of Nike