Dee Poku Spalding’s Post

Serena Williams isn't just a tennis superstar. She's a force of nature, a symbol of resilience, and an embodiment of excellence. Honoring Serena for her unparalleled achievements, her unwavering determination, and the barriers she continues to break down for women in sports and beyond seems more than fitting.   Serena's dominance on the tennis court was amazing. From her powerful serves to her graceful footwork, she exuded confidence and skill with every move.   Widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, she was ranked world No.1 in singles by the Women's Tennis Association for 319 weeks, including a joint-record 186 consecutive weeks, and finished as the year-end No.1 five times. Serena won 23 Grand Slam titles.   What truly sets Serena apart isn't just her athletic prowess. It's her unyielding spirit in the face of adversity.   Despite facing criticism, doubters, and even blatant discrimination throughout her career, Serena never allowed herself to be defined by others' expectations. Instead, she's used every setback as fuel to propel herself forward, proving time and time again that she's not just a tennis player - she's a champion in every sense of the word.   Off the court, Serena's impact extends far beyond tennis. As a black woman, she's been a trailblazer, smashing stereotypes and paving the way for future generations of athletes. She's been a vocal advocate for gender and racial equality, using her platform to speak out against injustice and advocate for change.   But perhaps most inspiring of all is Serena's journey as a mother. Balancing the demands of motherhood with the rigors of professional tennis isn’t easy, yet Serena does so with grace and determination. Her resilience in the face of adversity serves as a powerful reminder that women can have it all - career success, family, and fulfillment.   Here's a quote from Serena we can all learn from… "I don't like to lose -- at anything -- yet I've grown most not from victories, but setbacks." #womenshistorymonth #serenawilliams #completemarketingsystems

Margie Zesinger said it best: Coaching tennis is NOT a backup plan 🚫 ! It can be a wonderful career and her and I both attest to it ;) She also shared great ideas on how we can inspire more women to join the industry. Don't miss out on this conversation! Visit vidatennispodcast.com for more information. #womenintennis #vidatennispodcast #tenniscoach #womencoaches #femalecoaches

ONS JABEUR'S WIMBLEDON LOSS DIDN’T JUST AFFECT HER CAREER AS A TENNIS PLAYER, IT ALSO IMPACTED HER PERSONAL LIFE. A few days ago, I saw the trailer for Ons Jabeur’s documentary ‘This is Me’. In it she mentions a very personal subject that hit me quite hard. Last year’s Wimbledon loss wasn’t just a broken tennis dream for her, but also a setback in a family dream, having a baby.    "It was, I think, the toughest loss of my career because it emotionally destroyed me. It was the tournament that I said, okay, I feel like I’m gonna win it. I’m gonna win it and then maybe I could take a break and have a baby. So not only not winning Wimbledon, but like the idea of having a baby just vanished with the trophy of Wimbledon".     Elite athletes face incredible pressures on a day-to-day basis, but female athletes have the challenge of childbirth added to their struggles. When women start to consider having a baby, on many occasions, it also coincides with those female athletes being at an age where they are at the peak and prime of their sporting career.   This is not exclusive to athletes of course. Women all over the world, in all types of jobs, and life situations must consider the significances of having a child in a moment in time where they may feel their careers and other factors in life are taking off.   I admire Ons for opening up about such a personal moment in her life. This is an incredibly sensitive subject for many, and while it’s impossible to generalise, by telling her story we can see that even the most talented and successful women face challenges too and we are not alone in this process. Supporting women in this time of their lives goes beyond the physical, it is also about their emotional and mental wellbeing.

It's men's finals day here in Wimbledon. But we're not here for the tennis. We're celebrating a different kind of victory. Wimbledon Village is the haven to which we come every weekend to work on our memoir. It's called 'Self possession: healing the incurable'. And in it we're documenting our extraordinary journey - which has resulted in us healing ourselves in the face of not one, but two incurable medical conditions. And if there's one key takeaway from our decades of discovery, it's this: every cultural narrative is massively incomplete (no matter how much certain folk may claim otherwise). No matter how nurturing your upbringing; no matter how empowering your mindset: your potential is so far beyond anything which any of us have been brought up to believe. We're hoping our memoir will demonstrate a tiny fraction of a new paradigm in which the current limitations humankind puts on itself can be re-thought. There's more to winning than successfully bashing a ball back over a net (or, as it's also Euros final day, into a net) - or indeed any other kind of victories we've all be brought up to believe in. Have a glorious day.

The hate and misinformation being circulated about Imane Khelif is beyond belief. She is not a trans woman, she is a cisgender (not trans) woman fighting another cisgender (not trans) woman. In 2020 when Imane Khelif lost in the quarterfinals against Irish cisgender (not trans) participant Kellie Harrington literally no one accused her of being a man? She has NINE losses. She was in the last Olympics and didn’t win anything! Only 11% of her victories are knock outs! She's from a country where you’re not even allowed to transition if you wanted to. People need to check the facts before spreading misinformation and being hateful. She’s not this unbeatable testosterone ridden monster (women with PCOS can have testosterone levels within the male range). She just trained hard and hit her opponent harder. She represents the country of Algeria where it is ILLEGAL to be trans there, which is an issue of its own. They would not have sent a trans athlete to compete. There is one trans boxer at the Olympics, but it’s not a trans woman (there are none good enough to have qualified), it’s a trans man called Hergie Bacyadan That doesn’t fit the bigots narrative so they’ll ignore it and lie instead. Michael Phelps is literally referred to as a freak of nature because of his disproportionate wingspan, double jointed ankles, lung capacity twice that of an average human, body that produces half the lactic acid of a typical athlete, and he is rightly celebrated for being the greatest male swimmer in history. Usain Bolt known as 'the fastest man on earth' has 'superhuman' legs, which have a higher proportion of fast-twitch to slow-twitch fibres than the average man at 80% compared with 50%, respectively. This composition gives an edge enabling remarkable power and force and a speed 99.9% higher than the general population. Again he has been celebrated despite this generic difference. Meanwhile, female athletes with genetic differences are legally discriminated against and harassed to no end. This is not about “protecting women in sports” - this is about protecting a very specific idea of what a woman is. Attaching article about "30 Amazing Athletes With Natural Physical Advantages" https://lnkd.in/eZZ74qnc

Dear network , After being absent for a year there's something more personal I want to share. Although, I support and guide youngsters in their personal and social development in various ways.This past year it was time to work on my own! Without going into detail I want to share one thing which played a key-role in becoming a better me. Most people who know me, also know I can't live without. Well, can you imagine? When everything fell apart I did a full year without it? Can you guess what it is? To me it could only be one thing and one thing only! Soccer ⚽️. The 8 WOMEN'S matches I attended live and going back to play soccer myself this past year made me feel something again. Besides that it made me realize EVEN MORE that it's not just soccer. It's not just a sport to play and not just a game to watch. I've lost that feeling for a while but it's back, its back now and beyond a feeling I can't even describe in words anymore. It's a feeling I want to do more with and learn more about it. How? I'm still trying to figure it out. So for now... This awakening is not the end it's my new beginning.The beginning of my new ERA! PS: 🤩🎖Counting down the days until the next match (Olympics women's football: FINAL) #mentalhealth #important #womenssoccer #progress #selfcare #newera #workingonit

🎾📈 "The Confidence Gap: What Amateur Tennis Players Can Teach Us About Business Optimism" 🏆 Did you know that 71% of amateur American tennis players are confident they could win at least one game against a pro? 🤔 This surprising statistic holds valuable lessons for the business world. Young players aged 18 to 24 lead the pack with an impressive 82% believing in their abilities, while female players also show notable optimism at 72%. 💪🎾 But how does this confidence translate to success? While amateurs may exude optimism, the reality of competing against seasoned professionals paints a different picture. Just as in business, professionals have honed their skills through years of training and experience, creating a significant gap in ability. 🏅 Yet, the confidence of amateurs serves as a testament to the human spirit and the power of belief. In business, this optimism can drive innovation and resilience in the face of stiff competition. From overestimating abilities to embracing the underdog advantage, there are key takeaways for businesses: 1️⃣ Assess capabilities realistically. 2️⃣ Embrace the underdog status for motivation. 3️⃣ Invest in continuous training and preparation. 4️⃣ Cultivate mental toughness for resilience. In both tennis and business, confidence is essential. But it's the blend of confidence with realism that leads to true success. 🌟 This article highlights how confidence, tempered with realism, is a winning formula for both the court and the boardroom. 🚀 #BusinessSuccess #Optimism #LessonsFromTennis

COMMITMENT to your own growth, trade and values 💪🏻 I’m sure like me and mine, many of you have been glued to the Olympics taking place in Paris 🇫🇷 watching Adam Peaty, Simone Biles and Tom Daley have been highlights thus far of humans dedicated to their trade and personal growth, all whilst showing vulnerability and strength when the path has been a 🎢 at times. Another individual who caught my eye is Clarisse Agbegnenou, French Judo champion and new mother to a daughter. A woman committed and courageous in her growth, trade and values, following her successful advocacy work to enable athletes at the 2024 Olympics in Paris to be offered hotel rooms they can share with their breastfeeding children close to the 10,000 population athletes' village. Clarisse said "To put things in perspective, l've decided to breastfeed my daughter until she's weaned. She hasn't yet, so I'm following her. I've made sure that I feel good physically, because of course there's an element of tiredness. But as a mother who needs to be very present for my daughter, I asked for the opportunity to have her with me during the Olympics." This is both amazing and disappointing that nowadays we are still fighting for such rights, as working mothers. Sadly as women, we can still feel like we have to make choices which are unfair or unaligned with our values or circumstances. Hence why it’s important we do not stop in our commitment to strive forwards for what is important to us and doing so with courage to change the narrative for ourselves and all other women around us. How much do you feel you minimise yourself or go along with the flow for fear of upsetting the applecart? It’s time to change the narrative. #changingthenarrative #changehistory #womensrights #equalrights #femaletalent #femaleleaders #inspiration #commitment #courage #values #leadershipdevelopment #personalgrowth #takeresponsibility

🚨 The Madness Continues… Imagine training your whole life, only to have your dreams crushed by someone who doesn’t belong in your race. 🏃♀️ Valentina Petrillo, an Italian sprinter, is making headlines at the Paralympics. But here's the kicker: until recently, Valentina competed as a man. Yes, you read that right—and quite successfully, by all accounts. Indeed, if my eyes aren't deceiving me, Valentina remains perfectly well intact in the tackle department. He recently told an interviewer that competing in the Olympics has been a dream since he was a "little girl." 🤯 Let that sink in… This is the same person who married a woman and fathered two children. Now, two things need to be said: 1️⃣ This individual needs help. We should offer support, but not at the expense of fairness. Competing against women in this way is not just wrong on all levels. I detest this individual for even thinking his actions are acceptable. 🤢 2️⃣ The sporting governing bodies are failing women. They have been ideologically captured, abandoning the principles of fairness and competition. For the love of sport, women, stand up and raise your voices! 🗣️ Join Martina, Sharon, and J.K. Rowling—the brave women calling out this insanity. 🛑 Together, you can stop these disgraceful men from ruining your sport. Stand up. Speak out. Take action. 💪 Women’s sports deserve better. #FairPlay #SaveWomensSports #StandUp

How does culture affect performance. 2 Ukrainians, 2 Russians, 1 Belarusian, 2 Czechs, 1 Chinese, and 1 American. These are the women's quarter finalists at this year's Australian tennis open. In one of the few truly global games (tennis), there is a disproportionate pattern here, and it's driven mainly by culture. Can you see the pattern? How does culture effect performance? Do you have a system to design the culture in your business? #workculture #workplaceculture #organisationalculture