Team WOMMA

“Be true to yourself and don’t let what anyone says affect you.”

Patricia Lyn Co
Libero Volleyball player

“All the training does pay off - there are going to be some bumps: expect them, let them in and keep pushing through because it always works out the way it’s supposed to.”

Felicia Izaguirre
2014 Henley Regatta Champion, Texas Rower

“Without sport, I wouldn’t have either of my degrees. Sports give your life structure before you’re even old enough to realize it. I encourage young people to try out as many sports as they can, to find one that makes them feel powerful and capable, but also challenged.”

Meg George
Pan American Games 2011, US Rower

“I think it’s really good for women to actually learn how to protect themselves, it’s an incentive to get fit, you can learn to protect yourself, all while building knowledge. The classes increase your awareness.”

Kimbely Baptiste
2016 British Indoor Silver Medallist, 100-200m Sprinter

“Not everyone is going to be a full time athlete, ripped, lean and muscular but what I would say is if you’re out there - don’t give up on everything, maintain a level of activity and stay involved in some form of training. Find something fun that you love and stick with it”

Kerry Hughes
BCMMA British champion, Pro MMA & Muay Thai fighter

“Own it, embrace being different and be confident in who you are!”

Melissa Leng
Great British American football Player and Female fitness coach @Herroyalthighness

“Women need confidence in general, it doesn’t matter what it is. I think self-defence gives women the confidence not just to protect yourself but the confidence within yourself, and I think that’s very crucial”

Szandra Szogedi
Olympic judo player

“I wasn’t very confident before I started training jiu-jitsu, and it’s unbelievable how much its changed me for the better. It’s given me a lot of confidence even with social skills, not just the self-defence side, where I feel safe within myself for doing that”

Laura Barker
Brazilian jiu-jitsu European Champion brown belt

“The advice I wish I had given to my younger self would be…be more confident. If you want to do something - go ahead and do it! Don’t hold back, don’t worry about what other people may think, don’t try and please other people. Think about yourself: this is your life, you have one life so live it...and live it to the full!”

Melissa Hill
Brazilian jiu-jitsu British Champion blue belt

“The advice I’d give to my younger self is to just focus on me and ignore any pressures or negative comments that come from other people. Especially nowadays, for younger people on social media you can see that there is a lot of pressure. Just focus on yourself, please yourself and be happy playing sport, that’s the main thing”

Kerys Harrop
Birmingham City Ladies FC & England International

“It’s really important for girls and women to be involved in sport because we are equal to men and in a lot of ways, we can out do them! It’s our job to show everyone we can do a really good job of it.”

Jess Martin
3rd Dan Japanese Jujitsu

“I think it’s so important at a young age to enjoy sport and enjoy what you’re doing. If you end up being quite good at it, then that comes afterwards, but I think to have fun and work hard on something you enjoy - that’s probably the best tip I would have given myself.”

Aimee Willmott
Olympic finalist and Commonwealth champion in the Women's 400IM, Swimmer