NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) and NYUAD Athletics will host an online edition of the second annual NYU Abu Dhabi Week of Women (WOW) in Sports to celebrate and empower active women in the UAE and across the region from March 7-11. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in a diverse range of sports activities, talks and workshops, connect to each other and to the sporting community at large, and explore the challenges women face in sports.
For many, adopting and following an active lifestyle and participating in sports has become challenging during the pandemic. WOW demonstrates NYUAD Athletics’ commitment to creating a hub for women’s sports advocacy in the UAE and beyond.
The week-long virtual program, which is open to the public includes virtual Sports Majlis talks, supported by The United States Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the United States Government through the Federal Assistant Award; virtual workshops, and dialogues on mental health and wellbeing, and other online activities such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT), circuit, yoga, and mindfulness sessions.
WOW acts as a platform for active females to grow in confidence and discover their inner power by discussing the current challenges they face and questions that arise regarding female identity in sports; sharing stories of successful women navigating different career paths in sports within the region; highlighting the importance of mental health and building a community
All registrants will receive a virtual pack for the week, featuring a WOW Active Challenge card, and a chance to win prizes. Admission to the event is free for the entire community and certain online sessions will also be open for men to participate.
For more information on WOW you can follow @nyuadathletics on Instagram using the hashtag #WOWinSports to stay connected.
Activities
ConnectHER Mindfulness with Coach Natasha
(Women only)
Sunday, March 7 from 9-9:30am
This interactive session will focus on breathing for improved performance and goal setting. Coach Natasha is an NYUAD Wellness coach and certified Exercise Science and Rehab specialist.
Mental Health Discussion: How Sport Helps and The Return to Activity
(Women only)
Sunday, March 7 from 4:30-5:30pm
With participation in sports and activities being highly affected due to COVID-19, taking care of your mental health and remaining active, healthy, and positive about the future is vital. This session will explore loss, change, and hope during the pandemic, accepting a “new normal” and how to look forward to the anticipated return to play. The Lighthouse Arabia Center for Wellbeing will host this session with an expert counselor and sport psychologist to guide the discussion.
International Women’s Day and Get Active Day
HIIT Circuit Fitness with Coach Dee
(Women only)
Monday, March 8 at 5pm
This fun, mixed high-intensity and strength workout is suitable for all levels of fitness. Coach Dee is an NYUAD Wellness coach and certified Olympic Weightlifting Coach who will lead the session with some fun music.
ConnectHER Yoga Session with Coach Miriam
(Women only)
Tuesday, March 9 from 8-8:45am
Coach Miriam is an NYUAD athletics physical education instructor and 500-hour registered yoga teacher who will lead this gentle Hatha flow, allowing participants to connect to their body’s natural rhythm. The session is suitable for beginners.
Sports Majlis Career Panel: Exploring Pathways in Sport for Women
(Open to all)
Tuesday, March 9 from 7:30-8:30pm
The panel will explore questions around experiences of being a woman working in the sports field, including career opportunities, and the benefits of working in a sports environment. The panelists come from established sporting entities in the UAE, and the talk will be moderated by the Career Development Center, NYUAD. Speakers include, Nesrine Ahlam Bengra, head of marketing and public relations in Ghantoot Racing and Polo Club, and an active supporter of Breast Cancer Awareness campaigns; Mariam Al Mansoori, a conference specialist at the Abu Dhabi Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy (FBMA) and advocate of sports psychology, health and nutrition and active lifestyle; and Dominique Abou Debes, community and events manager at Al Jazira Sports and Cultural Club and a sports enthusiast and athlete.
Wellness Wednesday
ConnectHER Mindfulness with Coach Natasha
(Women only)
Wednesday, March 10 from 11:30am-12pm
A healthy mind in a healthy body, and vice versa. Coach Natasha will guide participants through this concept, with a midday break to learn the benefits of mindfulness – the practice of controlling the mind – on active recovery for the whole body.
Sports Identity Discussion – Challenges of Being a Woman in Sport
(Women only)
Wednesday, March 10 from 7:30-8:30pm
Saman Hussain, Assistant Director of SLICE NYUAD, will lead a session that explores the paradox of how sports can empower women, while at the very same time make women feel small. Expect a discussion that digs into women’s identity as active, fitness-orientated females.
Sports Majlis: Breaking Barriers in Football with Kim Wyant and Amal Jamal Nasser
(Open to all)
Thursday, March 11 from 7:30-8:30pm
Kim Wyant and Amal Jamal Nasser are breaking barriers and traversing new landscapes in the world’s game, and this Sports Majlis will dive into the challenges and successes they have faced while trailblazing their path. Kim Wyant is the first woman to lead a men’s National Collegiate Athletic Association soccer program in the USA; a member of the Region I U.S. National Team’s goalkeeping staff, Wyant has served as a FIFA staff coach and as head coach for the Long Island Girls’ Select Program. She has played for the US National Team and received the Special Recognition Award from the National Soccer Hall of Fame for her contributions to the National Team. Amal Jamal Nasser is defying cultural norms by becoming an Emirati female FIFA referee. With aspirations to represent the UAE at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, she has refereed several women’s leagues, youth leagues and the second division men’s league here in the UAE and was selected to referee the West Asian Football Federation Championship for women and U18 girls in Jordan and Bahrain.
The discussion will be moderated by Lyne Ismail, NYUAD Athletics.
Raffle Draw
Thursday, March 11 from 8:30-9pm
Online (via Zoom and Instagram Live @nyuadathletics)
