BUILDING A PIPELINE OF OPPORTUNITY FOR WOMEN IN SPORTS

SHARE THIS POST

We need a pipeline of opportunity.

The Globe and Mail is talking about how SHE’S GOT NEXT is stepping up to create it.

Julie Smulders—a varsity athlete turned finance executive and founder of SHE’S GOT NEXT—knows women need more champions. And she’s doing something about it.

In July, she started a member-driven platform to elevate women’s sports in Canada and connect athletes with opportunities and a like-minded community after their careers after sport.

Grounded in three core pillars, SHE’S GOT NEXT is focused on:

Creating Visibility – From boosting the visibility of women’s games to highlighting gaps in funding and elevating athletes for future opportunities, we’re making sure women’s sports get seen and supported.
Funding elite amateur athletics – One-third of all membership fees go directly to supporting women’s sports in Canada.
Making Introductions – We’re a community of women who open doors for each other—sharing opportunities, making connections, offering advice, and showing up, whether it’s for career growth or courtside seats. Through networking and shared experiences, we help athletes navigate life beyond sport—including the challenges of reinvention, transitions, and identity beyond being an athlete.

“I think everyone instinctively understands that sports hone discipline, personal accountability, and leadership skills,” says Ashley Hargreaves, a SHE’S GOT NEXT founding member, a figure skater and softball player in her youth.

“Athletes also have a general understanding that everyone on the team is integral, and you need to bring out the best in everyone on the team to be successful.”

We couldn’t agree more.

The more visibility we bring to women’s sports, the more opportunities we create for the next generation.

Check out the full story in The Globe and Mail here
Become a member here