In a sporting world that is dominated by men, it is important for mums and dads to find female sports stars to inspire their daughters to get involved in exercise. Encouraging your children to get involved in sport at an early age is a wonderful thing for a parent to do, but by finding them appropriate role models that continue to encourage sporting involvement, you will help them strive within sports, and stay dedicated to an active lifestyle throughout their childhood and well into adult life.

Whilst male sport stars are very easily identified, with heroes such as David Beckham and Roger Federer being international household names, many find it difficult to find females with sporting excellence, despite there being many. Here are five impressive female sporting idols that will encourage young girls to love sports and exercise.

Marta Vieira da Silva- Footballer

Marta is arguably the greatest female footballer in the world. Still in her twenties, the Brazilian football sensation has won plenty of sporting accolades- being named FIFA’s World Player of the Year five consecutive times and a silver Olympic medal winner to name but a few of her awards. For girls who are eager to get involved in football, or even a bit reluctant to attend their coaching sessions, watching Marta’s obvious skill can be incredibly inspiring and will instantly get girls wanting to score goals.

Jessica Ennis-Hill- Heptathlete

The all-round athletic star had already won over the British nation’s hearts well before her 2012 Olympic gold, but it was during those games that she was propelled into superstardom. Her natural charm along with her sporting prowess has seen her become one of the forefront spokespeople in encouraging young females to get involved in sporting activities.

Ennis-Hill’s website offers help and advice to sportspeople of all abilities in the form of a blog written by members of her ‘Team Jennis’ called Coaches Corner, which regularly discusses the importance of hard work and dedication when looking to achieve sporting success.

Ellie Simmonds- Swimmer

Ellie Simmonds first became interest in swimming when she was five, and her daily practice led to her winning two gold medals at the 2008 Paralympic games despite being just 13 years old. Having achondroplasia has not stopped her from becoming a world record breaker either, with Simmonds holding many world record titles.

Her most recent accolades have been won at the IPC World Championships in France, with her winning three golds and one bronze. Simmonds has quickly become the poster girl for Paralympic sports and at such a young age, is going to continue to inspire.

The Williams Sisters- Tennis

Venus and Serena Williams have long been powerhouses of female tennis, with them having won over 100 titles combined including 5 Olympic gold medals. With only a year age gap, the sisters are not only awesome examples of sporting talent, but can also be looked upon as role models for sibling relationships, as they are both seen regularly supporting each other and even when competing against one another show incredible pride over their individual success.

Helen Glover- Rower

If you’re looking for a miraculous story that shows how quickly you can excel at a sport (with dedication, of course) then look no further than Cornwall’s Helen Glover. Already an eager sports person, Glover joined a rowing club whilst teaching in Bath. After showing initial talent, she was accepted by the Sporting Giants scheme. Four years after taking up rowing, Glover qualified to compete at the London 2012 Olympics and went on with her partner, Polly Swann, to win Britain’s first gold medal that year.

Beth Stubbings knows that it is incredibly important for young women to have sporting role models to encourage a healthy and active lifestyle and develop their love of sports. Along with helping your daughter discover sporting idols, she believes that enrolling them in sports classes from a young age will help them develop a love of exercise. She recommends Sport 4 Kids for parents and children that are interested in football classes.