International Women’s Day is the 8th of March and we thought that there is no better time than today to reflect on why #throwlikeagirl is important.
Gender inequality still exists around the world. At Whistle Punks we are working on combating this.
Our throw like a girl campaign is our attempt to change the stereotype of women being bad at throwing sports. We often get women coming into Whistle Punks that have never thrown anything and then they pick up an axe to discover they are a natural.
Here at Whistle Punks, we are loving the steady increase in females applying for jobs. Our London venue currently has 6 female instructors and in Birmingham, we have a female assistant venue manager.
Get to know a few of our female instructors and why they love sinking bulls-eyes?
Sarah – London
Other than axe throwing what other hobbies do you have?
Outside of axe throwing I’m a professional ballet dancer and choreographer, I’m also pursuing an MA in Dance Politics and Sociology, and I go trampolining every weekend.
What do you enjoy about axe throwing?
I love axe throwing because as an instructor, there is nothing more satisfying than when a customer sinks their first axe and you see their excitement. And when I throw, it’s nice to be good at something that is a little unexpected.
Do you have any advice for other people who want to become great at axe throwing?
Practice a lot and seek help from your fellow instructors. Don’t be embarrassed to ask for advice. We all started as beginners and we all have room to improve!
What sort of positive impact does axe throwing have?
Axe throwing is empowering. As I said, there’s nothing like the excitement of sinking your first axe and it’s really rewarding to see customers come in, sceptical of their own abilities, and watch them discover they can do something they never knew they could.
Andrea – Manchester
Why did you apply to join Whistle Punks?
I began at Whistle Punks after leaving my job as a behaviour mentor in a high school to go to university to study Psychology and Counselling, and I needed a part-time job. I didn’t want a typical retail or bar job as I didn’t want my ex-pupils to see me and wonder what I was doing. I was looking for a job that was interesting and came across the advertisement for Whistle Punks. I applied, went to an interview, and here I am.
What do you enjoy about axe throwing?
I like the challenge of landing different throws. I love that me and the other girls the work for Whistle Punks are kind of beating the stereotype about axe throwing being a “man’s thing”. It’s great when someone comes in and is genuinely shocked and impressed that I can throw.
Other than axe throwing what other hobbies do you have?
I love Ice Hockey. I’m a huge Manchester Storm fan but I like Sheffield Steelers too which is frowned upon as they are rival teams. I would love to play but I’m not very good at ice skating and I don’t really have much time to practice at the minute. I play rugby and am the Chair of the Women’s Rugby Union at my university this year. I know it sounds a bit boring and generic but I really enjoy reading and listening to music. I mainly read Stephen King books but I’ll read most books really. I listen to all genres of music, I was brought up on The Beatles so I would probably say they are my favourite band.
