Passing it on: How mentorship is shaping the next generation of women in sport

From her youth through college and into adulthood, Dr. Kanae Haneishi was shaped by the opportunities that came with a successful soccer career, first in Japan and later in the United States. Those experiences inspired her to devote a lifetime to creating opportunities for others.

So in early July, Dr. Haneishi traveled with Natsuki Murakami, a mentee and first-year graduate student in Western’s Applied Exercise Science and Performance (AESP) program, to the 2026 International Working Group (IWG) Global Summit on Women & Sport in Birmingham, England, giving her the chance to serve on a task force to help develop the next generation of leaders in women’s sports.

As an international student from Japan, Natsuki served alongside another student from Switzerland, comparing her experience as a young athlete in Japan with the typical experiences of women and girls in the United States. And she was one of the very few students there to offer a perspective.

“I shared my experiences comparing women's sports in the two countries and talked about how my mentor, Dr. Kanae Haneishi, has influenced my growth,” Natsuki said. “I spoke from the mentee's perspective about the importance of mentorship and how having someone who believes in you can build confidence and create opportunities.”

Dr. Haneishi, a professor of Exercise and Sport Science and faculty member in the Applied Exercise Science & Performance Graduate Program, has been attending and presenting at the quadrennial IWG Global Summit since 2007. She’s also a respected researcher and secretary general of WomenSport International, an organization focused on creating more opportunities and positive change for women and girls at all levels of sports, which hosted the event.

With more than 900 people from around the world in attendance, the Summit is a chance for her to catch up with colleagues, hear the latest research, and connect with people who share her passion for equity in sport.

For both Dr. Haneishi and Natsuki, the experience was made possible by Western's commitment to student and faculty scholarship. Natsuki received a SOURCE grant for the Summit, which helps students pursue research and professional experiences beyond the classroom, while Haneishi attended with support from Western's Professional Activities Fund, which helps faculty share their work and build professional collaborations.

Dr. Haneishi’s involvement with WomenSport International has created opportunities that Natsuki never imagined possible. Along with the IWG Global Summit, she’s attended the United Nations Women CSW68 sessions, interned with the Colorado Springs Sports Corporation, and has developed the confidence and experience to support a long and exciting career, no matter where she wants to take it.

For Natsuki, who earned her undergraduate degree from Western in May, the Summit was an opportunity to connect with leaders in the field and expand her network in a way that would have been hard to beat anywhere else. And those conversations have already begun to pay dividends. Thanks to a connection she made with the women-led National Organization for Women in Sport, Physical Activity, and Recreation (NOWSPAR), she’s heading to Zambia next summer for an internship.

“This experience connected me with researchers, educators, and advocates from around the world,” she said, “broadening my perspective and strengthening my commitment to advancing girls' and women's sport.”

And while the conference was international, the impact can hit much closer to home. The ideas exchanged at conferences like the IWG Global Summit shape her teaching at Western and create youth sports opportunities in the Gunnison Valley through her work with Gunnison Girls Soccer.

The experience also reinforced the kind of leader Murakami hopes to become.

“This was my first time attending a global conference, and I wanted to experience the energy and passion of women leaders from around the world. I was excited to learn how they are breaking barriers, advocating for girls and women in sport, and creating meaningful change in their communities. I met people from so many different cultures and backgrounds. We shared meals, explored Birmingham together, and had meaningful conversations about sport, leadership, and life,” Natsuki said. “Those moments helped me build friendships, and they made the entire experience unforgettable.

“I also wanted to discover how I could grow into a leader,” she continued. “Now, as I begin the next two years as a graduate student under Dr. Haneishi, I look forward to working together to grow girls' soccer and empower the next generation of girls in sport.”

For more information about studying Exercise and Sport Science at Western, visit western.edu.