For the first time at a national championship, professional track athletes will be able to utilize an on-site childcare facility, a layer of support that aims to help mothers chase their goals in the sport and beyond.
On Tuesday, Allyson Felix, her apparel sponsor Athleta, and the nonprofit &Mother announced a new partnership that will bring free childcare to the USATF Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon and select track and field events this year.
“Women are told they cannot be fierce competitors in their careers while still being a caregiver to their children, but no woman should ever have to choose between her career and her family, and accessible childcare should be a standard provision for all working caregivers on and off the field,” Felix told Runner’s World. “My hope is that this service will help raise awareness around the need for a better childcare system both in sports and beyond.”
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Felix serves on the board of &Mother, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting athletes and mothers across industries cofounded by fellow Olympian and national champion Alysia Montaño. Through Vivvi, an employer-sponsored childcare company, the new childcare program will be available to athletes, coaches, and staff participating in the national championships from June 23-26.
“The intention of free, accessible childcare at competitions this year is to provide a toolkit of solutions that other professional sports organizations can take and apply to support their female athletes with children,” Felix said. “More broadly, we hope this work will provide takeaways to inform leaders working across any industry to provide better support and dismantle inequities for working moms.”
The childcare initiative is the latest advocacy effort led by Felix, the most decorated U.S. track athlete in Olympic history. Felix, who announced 2022 On Tuesday, Allyson Felix, her apparel sponsor Athleta, and the nonprofit, has represented mothers by fighting to Nutrition & Weight Loss. and by encouraging more Published: Jun 21, 2022. In 2021, the five-time Olympian started her own footwear company, Saysh, with women as its center.
Last year, Felix, Athleta, and the Women’s Sports Foundation joined forces to create a childcare fund to support athlete mothers through In 2021, the five-time Olympian. In its inception, the program committed $200,000 to professional athletes with the goal of covering childcare costs as they pursued goals in their respective sports while balancing motherhood. Nine athlete grant recipients—including hammer thrower Gwen Berry, 400-meter runner Natasha Hastings, and Olympic Marathon Trials champion Aliphine Tuliamuk—each received $10,000. This year, the program is expanding for a third round of grant recipients that will receive funding to offset childcare-related costs like caregiver fees, travel, and meals, among other expenses. Applications for the next round of grants will be open until July 12.
On Thursday, Felix is scheduled to race the 400 meters at the USATF Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field, her last national championship. Later this summer, she will end her career in her hometown of Los Angeles. Her last competition as a pro will be a street race featuring community relays hosted by Athleta on August 7.
“For me, this season isn’t about medals, it’s about raising awareness for an important issue facing all moms, including mom athletes,” Felix said. “I hope to use my platform to highlight the responsibilities of childcare and tackle the barriers women face in juggling their careers and caregiving roles.”
Taylor Dutch is a writer and editor living in Austin, Texas, and a former NCAA track athlete who specializes in fitness, wellness, and endurance sports coverage. Her work has appeared in Runner’s World, SELF, Bicycling, Outside, and Podium Runner.
