Game Changer: A YaleWomen HK & Friends Conversation with Alicia Lui of Women In Sports Empowered (WISE)
We were delighted to join YaleWomen Hong Kong for a thought-provoking lunch, where we explored sport as a medium for empowerment, leadership, and social change.
During our discussion, I shared stories from my own journey, growing up immersed in sports and later founding WISE to advocate for greater visibility and opportunities for women and girls in sports across Hong Kong.
I reflected on the often underappreciated role of sport in shaping young lives, school environments, and wider communities.
Our conversation covered a wide range of topics, including:
🔹 Building trust in schools to introduce and develop sports-focused curricula—even embedding sport into English classes.
🔹 The concerning reality that most young people in Hong Kong fall far short of the WHO-recommended 60 minutes of daily exercise.
🔹 Structural challenges in local schools, including limited PE hours, inadequate facilities, and a lack of equipment.
🔹 Using sport as a tool to teach leadership and confidence, particularly for girls navigating gender norms in both single-sex and co-ed settings.
🔹 Recognizing and celebrating the performance-motivated side of sport while embracing a broader vision of “sport for all,” where movement is valued for joy, health, connection, and self-expression.
🔹 Opening discussions around “taboo” subjects like menstruation and the use of tampons, ensuring young women can participate in sport comfortably, confidently and without shame.
🔹 Diversifying the conversation about sport-related careers—highlighting paths in sports medicine, physiotherapy, nutrition, broadcasting, sports law, and more.
🔹 Understanding the different access points for women engaging with sport—from required university participation, to drop-off in the 30s, and renewed interest in their 40s and beyond.
The conversation left us energized, informed, and reflective about how physical movement can be a powerful tool for social movement—starting in schools and continuing through every stage of life.
I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone at YaleWomen HK for their warmth, support, and commitment to this important dialogue. Together, we can continue to fight for a more equitable playing field for women in sports.
With gratitude,
Alicia Lui
Founder, Women In Sports Empowered (WISE)