How Sports Illustrated and Saint Elmo’s Are Encouraging Young Girls to Stay in Sports

According to the Women’s Sports Foundation, girls are twice as likely to quit sports by the age of 14 compared to boys. A major reason for this is the lack of visible role models.

To change this, Saint Elmo’s and Sports Illustrated Germany have developed the 'Wall of Will', a design-driven initiative that showcases seven elite female athletes, including German national football team captain Giulia Gwinn, NBA basketball stars Satou and Nyara Sabally, and Olympic sprinter Gina Lückenkemper.

Their inspiring stories are featured in vibrant colours and a dynamic design, creating a striking wallpaper installation placed in school gyms and locker rooms, where young girls often struggle with motivation. The goal of the initiative is to encourage girls to stay engaged in sports and continue their athletic journey.

“With the ‘Wall of Will,’ we want to bring female athletes and their inspiring stories directly into the everyday lives of teenage girls. Seeing someone who looks like you or has faced the same challenges can make a huge difference in deciding to keep going,” says Myriam Karsch, managing partner, Sports Illustrated Germany & Kouneli.

“It was crucial to find a space where we could create a meaningful connection with young girls. Gyms, sports halls, and locker rooms are often places where motivation is at its lowest when they’re not enjoying sports. The wallpaper installations allow us to become part of these spaces while telling the athletes’ stories in a powerful way,” explains Matthias Harbeck, CCO of Saint Elmo’s Group. “It’s easy to overlook a regular poster, but with massive wall coverings reaching up to six meters high or more, the message of the ‘Wall of Will’ is impossible to miss.”

Design and Execution

Saint Elmo’s conceptualised the campaign idea and led its implementation. For the design, they partnered with the Dutch design studio HyperCulture, aiming to create a bold visual language with a strong stance - playful but never childish. The design was inspired by raw, expressive collages often found in high school notebooks.

In addition to the large-scale ‘Wall of Will’ wallpapers installed in school gyms and locker rooms, the initiative is also being shared by the seven featured athletes on their social media channels. Several schools have already joined the movement, including Munich International School, which was the first to install a ‘Wall of Will’ on its campus.

The March issue of Sports Illustrated Germany also features the ‘Wall of Will’, further amplifying its reach.