The Forgotten Athlete

A powerhouse hidden in plain sight: the adult female athlete who's still here, still showing up — and still investing.

By Dr. Pernilla Nathan

They don’t get the scholarships anymore. Not unless they’ve built their influencer status. No teammates. No brand deals. And many don't have coaches or trainers — or if they do, they pay out of pocket.

But they still show up.

At 6am before the kids wake up or long workdays. After closing deals and running meetings. On weekends with no crowds, no awards, no recognition.

They are the forgotten athletes — The adult women who once rode with dreams so big they had to be tucked into journal pages. Who now ride between conference calls and caretaking, between deadlines and aging knees.

I write this not from the sidelines but from my own experience as an adult equestrian athlete. I’ve seen what it takes — not just to ride a horse, but to return to riding after life’s seasons shift. The comeback isn’t cute. It’s gritty. It’s lonely. It’s overlooked. But it’s happening.

These women — my clients, my peers — are executive-level professionals, business owners, mothers, caretakers. And yet, they are also still athletes. They train. They invest. They fall and get back up. But no one is building arenas for them.

The Psychological Gap No One Talks About

Athletic identity doesn’t just vanish after college. The body still remembers what it means to strive. The brain still craves the dopamine, the discipline, the fire. But when you're no longer a college-level recruit, when you’re not on anyone’s development pipeline — where do you go?

This is the demographic no one is building for. No NCAA. No pro league. Just raw passion — and personal sacrifice.

The Untapped Market

Let’s be honest. This isn’t just an emotional issue. It’s economic. These women are not only committed — they are consumers.

They fund their own coaching, equipment, clinics, travel. They have spending power and influence — and they invest in what they love.

So where is the infrastructure for them? Where are the league expansions? The sponsorships? Why do we keep building sports empires only for the 1% of athletes who “made it”?

Meanwhile, women’s sports are on the rise:

• Women’s golf has seen a surge in participation, especially among Gen X and millennial women with disposable income.
• Women’s soccer is drawing record-breaking crowds and investment.
• Serena Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian, is backing women’s sports with a fierce commitment to equity and ROI. He's not the only making strides and taking notice.
• WNBA's Financial Growth: In 2024, the WNBA experienced a 48% increase in total attendance compared to the previous season, with an average of 9,807 fans per game. Additionally, merchandise sales soared by 601%, and the league's social media content garnered nearly two billion views.

And yet, the adult female athlete — who consumes, advocates, and uplifts these sports — is not being spoken to.

The Power of the Female Consumer

Women drive the economy. And major brands know it. Target, for example, has clearly implemented significant infrastructures aimed at enhancing the shopping experience, with a particular focus on appealing to its core demographic—women. Why? Because the data shows women are the decision-makers. The financial engine. The buyers.

• Women account for 80% of all sports apparel dollars.
• Women make 60% of all purchases in the U.S., and control over $20 trillion in global spending.
• In the NFL alone, 46% of merchandise sales are from women.
• In sports sponsorship, women are 2.8x more likely to purchase from female athlete endorsements.

And in equestrian sport? The numbers speak even louder. At horse shows — especially in the hunter/jumper world, a multi-billion dollar industry — women make up the vast majority of participants, attendees, and decision-makers. Still, sponsorships and funding often ignore them, the adult-amateur rider.

Maybe this makes sense to me because I am one of them.

I think of all the times I’ve had to pay out of pocket. How the financial strain has held me back — not from love, but from participation. And it’s not just my story. It’s echoed by my clients, from beginner adult riders to Grand Prix competitors.

This isn’t just a missed emotional opportunity. It’s a massive business opportunity that no one is talking about.

The Truth: They Still Need Support

They may not be chasing Olympic medals. But they are chasing wholeness. They are chasing what lights them up. And they deserve recognition, access, and infrastructure. Yes, not at the same level as the 1% of athletes, but perhaps a table needs to be built, so seats can be added, and conversations can be had.

Because the forgotten athlete isn’t actually gone — She’s just waiting for someone to notice she’s still here.