Sports are great for any kid to be involved in, but some parents have a hard time motivating their children to participate. So why not inspire them by providing some real-life role models? If you're finding it a challenge to get your daughter enthusiastic about sports, try pointing them to some of the plethora of amazing female athletes out there who have worked hard to establish incredibly successful careers.
Read more ¿Qué más?: 8 Ways to inspire teens to stay fit and play sports
These women have broken records and made history in a wide range of sports … and they're all Latinas! Below, check out 10 Latina sports icons your daughter can look up to:
Marlen Esparza
Last year, the 24-year-old became the first woman boxer to represent the United States in the first year that women's boxing was officially recognized as a sport in the Olympics. Oh, and she walked away with a bronze medal.
Lisa Fernandez
The Cuban and Puerto Rican pitcher has won three Olympic gold medals with the U.S. National Softball team and set an Olympic record in softball by striking out 25 batters in a single game.
Lorena Ochoa
Ochoa, who is widely thought of as the best Mexican golfer including both males and females, has made a name for herself by taking wins in both the Kraft Nabisco Championship and the Women’s British Open.
Brenda Villa
The world-renowned Mexican water polo player is the captain for the U.S. National team, which took gold in the Olympics.
Mariana Pajon
Pajon won gold for BMX cycling at the 2012 London Olympics, making it the second gold medal in Colombia's Olympic history.
Rebecca Lobo
The part-Cuban basketball player was part of the inaugural season of the WNBA, but she started making history even before that at the University of Connecticut, where she quickly became known as one of the best female college basketball players ever.
Marta
Marta Vieira da Silva, more commonly just known as Marta, is one of the best-known soccer players in the World. As a forward for Brazil's team, she has scored the most goals in the Women's World Cup History and was named FIFA World Player of the Year five years in a row from 2006-2010.
Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
The former world number one pro tennis player won four Grand Slam singles titles, six Grand Slam doubles titles, and four Grand Slam mixed doubles titles. In 2007, she also became the first Hispanic female player to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
Diana Lopez
Lopez is an Olympic taekwondo competitior for the US. She competed in both the 2008 and 2012 games and won a bronze medal in the former.
Dara Torres
Torres has won–count 'em–TWELVE Olympic medals: four gold, four silver and four bronze. At the 2008 Olympics, the then 41-year-old became the oldest woman in history to compete in a swimming event.
