WATCH: Louise Quinn 20X20 “Just One” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DAr0bZQkaA&feature=youtu.be
20×20 AMBASSADOR, LOUISE QUINN HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF FEMALE SPORTING ROLE MODELS AND CALLS ON THE PUBLIC TO HERO THEIR HERO
‘IF SHE CAN’T SEE IT, SHE CAN’T BE IT’, the latest initiative from 20×20 calls on the public to “Hero Your Hero”
Dublin, 9th May 2019: Three’s 20×20 Campaign Ambassador, Irish International and recently crowned Women’s Super League Champion with Arsenal, Louise Quinn, has highlighted the significant impact role models have had on her sporting career.
Quinn credited her own role models, her primary school teacher and her Dad, as being instrumental in getting her involved in football. When Quinn was just 7, her teacher sent a note home in her schoolbag saying that while she wouldn’t allow her skip homework to play football, she was a great footballer, ‘better than any boy’. Quinn was then encouraged by her Dad, a former Irish track and field international, who played with her in the back garden and grew her love of the game.
Quinn was in Dublin to show her support for the second phase of 20×20, a national initiative for women in sport, which is highlighting the impact of ‘seeing’ and ‘being’ role models, and the essential part they play in getting women and girls into sport. By asking the public to Hero Your Hero using #CantSeeCantBe on social media, 20×20 will showcase the importance of “seeing” female athletes and inspire everyone to “be” a role model in encouraging women & girls to get involved in sport.
Three, one of the five official sponsors of 20×20 (and a supporter of the Women’s National Football Team), is following Louise’s lead by today announcing a once in a lifetime opportunity for girls in Ireland to play football in the Aviva Stadium, coached by Irish Internationals and Arsenal team mates Quinn and Katie McCabe.
20×20, presented by the Federation of Irish Sport and conceptualized by Along Came A Spider, have today released their second film in the 20×20 series that depicts the potential we all hold to be a role model for girls in sport and the impact this can have. The short film is the second of five to be released, each will cover a different theme impacting women in sport, and can be viewed at www. 20×20.ie or across the campaign social channels, @20x20_ie on Twitter and @20×20.ie on Instagram.
Speaking today, Louise Quinn said, “From a young age I had a teacher who inspired me and parents who helped me grow a dream. When the opportunity to be involved both with Ireland and professional football looked like a reality, seeing Sonia O’Sullivan and Katie Taylor achieve so much on the world stage made me think why couldn’t I too? Having people who believe in you, and seeing others who have already paved the way, really does make a huge difference. I was lucky to have people in my life to encourage me, and others to inspire me, and we need to make sure this becomes not a matter of luck but a reality for all girls.”
Elaine Carey, Chief Commercial Officer with Three said “We are very proud to be involved in the 20×20 campaign and we’re delighted with the momentum it has generated to date. At Three, we want to make life mean more through connecting and we know that fostering strong connections between young girls and their role models is crucial to keep them playing sport. With our 20×20 ambassador, Louise Quinn, we are encouraging the public to ‘hero their hero’ so that inspirational female athletes will continue to become more visible and encourage more women and girls to get involved in sport.”
Sarah Colgan, MD Along Came A Spider and Co-Founder 20×20 “20×20 has already mobilised a large part of the Irish public. We were blown away by the response to our first #ShowYourStripes call to action on International Women’s Day and we are not slowing down anytime soon. We want to continue to build on the momentum generated by the campaign to date to ensure we achieve our three goals; to increase participation in, attendance at and coverage of women’s sport in Ireland by 20% by 2020.”
Mary O’Connor, CEO Federation of Irish Sport “The importance of visibility cannot be overstated when it comes to the future of sport in Ireland. If women and girls don’t see themselves reflected in sport, they may not realise their potential and recognise their talent which is part of the reason there’s a high rate of girls dropping out of sport in their early teens.”
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For further information please contact: 20×20 Team @ Wilson Hartnell Sophie Eustace / Rebecca Evans / Briana Jakeway sophie.eustace@ogilvy.com / rebecca.e.evans@ogilvy.com / briana.jakeway@ogilvy.com