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Venus Williams Says Being an Athlete Has Boosted Her Confidence

The tennis pro is a Dove brand partner who uses her platform to encourage young girls to build self-worth both on and off the field.

Cara O’Bleness

Venus Williams

Venus Williams.

Former world No. 1 tennis player Venus Williams recently chatted with People about how influential sports have been in her life, particularly where her self-worth is concerned. The 43-year-old athlete turned pro when she was just 14 and has four Olympic gold medals and one silver to her name. Williams also has seven Grand Slam singles titles under her belt.  

“I know what sports [have] done for me, not only for a career, let’s not even talk about that, but for feeling confident,” she told the outlet. “When you score a goal, when you achieve something, when you put the work in and you get there, there’s no feeling like it.”

In order to help others reap the benefits she herself has experienced, Williams is a Dove brand partner who works alongside the company to encourage young girls and women to build confidence both on and off the field. Earlier this month, she participated in the Dove “45 Yard Line” flag football game as a coach and mentor.

“Coaches play such an important role in building the self-belief of young athletes, and I’m grateful for the impact mine have had on me,” Williams said in a press conference ahead of the Feb. 9 event. “I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to pay it forward along with Dove at the ‘45 Yard Line’ flag football game to help boost self-confidence in young girls and help reduce the 45% of girls who drop out because every body is worthy of greatness.”

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Cara O’Bleness

CARA O’BLENESS

Cara is a trending news writer/editor for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. A passionate writer and editor with more than 10 years of experience in print and online media, she loves storytelling and believes that words have the power to change the world. Prior to joining the team, Cara worked as a writer and editor across a number of content verticals, including food, lifestyle, health and wellness, and small business and entrepreneurship. In her free time, Cara loves reading, spending time with her family and making her way through Michigan’s many microbreweries. She is a graduate of Michigan State University's School of Journalism.