The Summer Olympics in Tokyo is finally underway, but the performances of the athletes aren’t the only thing that deserves recognition. On top of competing on the biggest stage, several of the athletes are taking time out of their busy days to use their Olympic platform for good.
World Champion Olympic swimmer Ryan Murphy and Goldfish Swim School, a national organization dedicated to teaching children as young as four months old to swim, have teamed up on the ‘Dream Big, Little Fish’ campaign. This social media initiative, celebrating the spirit of the Olympics, is “encouraging kids everywhere to dream BIG and go after their goals.” Children are invited to draw a picture of their BIG dream and share on social using the official hashtag #DreamBigLittleFish with weekly winners and one grand prize winner getting a range of prizes. To help promote the program, Murphy participated in a Q&A with the organization, which was shared on his social channels. Murphy has worked with the organization in the past on other initiatives like the Goldfish water safety pledge, which adds to his credibility as a spokesperson on this program. His social media followers and fans are likely supporters of the sport of swimming and will be interested in the program.
The “Eat Like an Olympian” health campaign is another social media campaign with the goal “to empower, educate and equip the general public with Olympic-level, plant-strong nutrition information to help them optimize their health, live better and do more”. The initiative is led by Olympic cycling silver medalist and Switch4Good Executive Director Dotsie Bausch who has joined forces with 15 fellow dairy-free Olympians (both retired and competing). The program involves a Bingo board of challenges, which upon completion, enters the participant to win a range of prizes from plant-based partners. Those involved will also receive nutrition tips, recipes, discounts, and the opportunity to tune in to live chats with Olympic champions. As someone who is part of the dairy-free community, having a top-tier athlete at the helm of the program really makes you want to join the fun given her success and passion about the topic.
Athleta and track and field Olympian Allyson Felix together with the Women’s Sports Foundation launched The Power of She Fund: Child Care Grants, which commits to help fund childcare costs for professional mom-athletes traveling to competitions. The first round of grant recipients includes six women who are competing in Tokyo. With the events of the past year, childcare and the inequalities between men’s and women’s sports are at the forefront of several conversations, and these grants help mitigate some of the issues. Felix knows first-hand what it is like to be a mom and an athlete, and she was even able to add provisions to her contract that her daughter can join her wherever she is competing but recognizes that not everyone is able to do that. Each grant recipient received $10,000 to use toward childcare and the women will also participate in a roundtable discussion to promote long-term, systemic change.
Athletes can be great spokespeople, with a built-in audience who cares about what they do and the causes they are interested in. Each of the above examples also shows how important it is for them to be authentic and partner with a cause that means something to them. It makes sense for Murphy, a professional swimmer, to care about swim safety and equal opportunities for all to learn how to swim. For cyclist Bausch, it is healthy eating for peak performance, being able to feel better and do more in your everyday life. And for Felix, it’s being a mom and an athlete who knows the struggles of childcare and traveling to competitions. For organizations, it is also important to make sure the partnership makes sense from your perspective as well. Be sure to do some research into the athlete and confirm that the values align.
Good luck to all these amazing Olympians. We are grateful for the work they and many other athletes do to promote their favorite causes.
