Friday 5 June 2015 16:34, UK
Natasha Jonas believes initiatives like Women’s Sport Week can play a fundamental role in helping to improve the lives of young females by encouraging them to take up sport.
The 30-year-old, who became the first British female to box in an Olympic Games at London 2012, called time on her boxing career in April after 10 years in the sport.
But the 2012 World Championships bronze medallist continues to remain involved in sport and she believes it can have wide-ranging benefits across the board for youngsters.
“I have been involved in delivering a few initiatives around Women’s Sport Week in an athlete-mentor type role and I think it’s really important because there are a lot of young people out there who just need a little positive encouragement,” Jonas told Sky Sports.
“Seeing other successful women and hearing their stories can help them understand that there is not too much difference between being a normal person and a successful athlete. We are all the same people.
“But it’s so important as part of the drive to get girls and women more involved in sport. I think in the past sport may have been seen as a bit of an uncool thing to do for women and perhaps a little unfeminine, but I think getting more women back into it is massive.
“Socially and physically, there are so many knock-on effects it can have for the individuals themselves.”
Prior to turning her hand to boxing, Jonas was a promising footballer, who even earned a scholarship to play in America before injury hampered her progress.
And the Sky Sports Living for Sport mentor is keen to see young women try their hand at as many different activities as they can, insisting there is a sport out there for everybody.
“When I give motivational talks I don’t necessarily push boxing even though I think boxing is great,” she said. “I’m just one of those people who believes there is a sport for everyone.
“It’s all the other underlying things that sport does for you, the social side, the fitness side and the attributes it gives you.
It gives you focus and determination and that’s the wider role that sport can play sometimes. It’s not just the skills that you’re learning, it’s all the other things that come with it that are so important.
“It gives you focus and determination and that’s the wider role that sport can play sometimes. It’s not just the skills that you’re learning, it’s all the other things that come with it that are so important.
“I don’t always push for boxing but if I can see someone that has obvious talent I'll always let them know they should take it up. But for me, promoting sport is important and demonstrating what it has done for me and what it can do for them.”
