How team-building can empower life beyond the field
Athlete Changemakers: Lisa Westcott Wilkins
by Leah Carey
“It has to all come back to that one purpose, one goal. Total respect between players. No personal agendas. We see ourselves very much as coaches, we’re not a blame-oriented, we reject fear culture within our organization.”
The spirit of being a changemaker is rippling through the world of sports, including a resurgence of athlete activism. Athletes are making strides to shift their mindset towards their long-term legacy outside of athletics and acknowledge their ability to inspire others to be involved in social and environmental movements that benefit their communities.
Dive into the first article of the Athlete Changemaker series, featuring athletes who have developed their changemaking skills through sport and further highlighting the undeniable benefits of sport through the experience of finding their purpose as changemakers.
We sat down with Ashoka Fellow and former footballer, Lisa Wescott Wilkins, Founder of DigVentures, to explore the positive impact she’s making across local communities in the UK. Our discussion focused on navigating career transitions and how to leverage the critical skillsets developed through sport to support this journey and build teams around a central positive purpose.
What is your experience as a social entrepreneur?
I am the founder and Co-CEO of DigVentures, a social enterprise dedicated to creating opportunities for citizen participation in archaeological and ecological research. My journey to archaeological research was not linear. I thought getting a job meant wearing high heels and a suit, and I thought that’s what I wanted for myself. Yet, I was so unhappy, feeling out of place in my life and suffering from disconnection. One night, I realized that all my books and magazines in my apartment were about archaeology. Every good thing that ever happened in my life really started there and continued afterward.
Archaeology is not traditionally viewed as a form of social good, but we believe it’s a tremendous, missed opportunity to improve people’s lives and empower them to mobilize as agents of solutions to pressing issues. Our work aims to shift the standard from closed professional models and reliance on institutions to communities finding their connections to land and everything in it.
“You dig something up and it hasn’t been touched for thousands of years, but that was made by a person and it matters who gets to interact with that.”
By ensuring democracy, trust, and regenerative principles are built into how archaeology and ecological research are conducted, we believe it can benefit individuals and groups, mobilizing them to actively solve challenges as communities. Through training, education, and experience, people become profoundly aware of their own options in life, like other cultural interactions such as dance or art. You become in touch with your creativity, and it inspires you to focus on how you can expand it more.
Let’s talk about your journey in sport. What role has sport played in your life?
I started playing soccer (football) at seven or eight, and I still remember the little T-shirts they gave me. Growing up in Upstate New York was great. It was the place for youth sports, especially for girls’ soccer, so I was lucky that the timing worked out for me, particularly growing up in the era following Title IX. I was recruited to play Division III soccer at Ithaca College, an opportunity to have a great sporting career there, while also balancing my other activities.
I moved to New York City after graduation, and I played soccer in Central Park with a group of men. I was the only woman amongst this group, and they played hard and fast, which I loved. I was approached by a coach putting together a women’s city team, which led me to the state team, and eventually the regional team. One thing led to another, and before I knew it, I was in the US program, and from there on the NYC team in the first few seasons of the W-League.
It was surreal because I had never seen myself at that level. I played for years until I was injured at around age 30. When I made the decision to step away from being an athlete, it wasn’t without its challenges. My husband and I often talk about those “sliding door” moments — like the choice I made to pursue an advanced degree in archaeology instead of staying in coaching. I sometimes wonder how my life might have been different if I had remained in the athletic world. While I do miss being part of that environment, the skills and experiences from my time in sports continue to influence my work today.
How has sport equipped you and supported your work in social impact?
First and foremost, fundamental to what I do is understanding the positive side of what a team can be. From day one, I’ve built my team with the priority of having one mission and one purpose, like being in a sports team where everyone is aligned on a single goal. Initially, I naively thought that work would be the same. However, in New York in the 90s, the culture was very much “greed is good,” and I never found that team spirit. Striving to do things differently and integrate the team aspects, my co-founder and husband consistently make teamwork intentional into our decision-making.
“Having played sports has been a huge factor in my life and why I was able to build a career and run a team and have all the things that I have as a result of that experience.”
Self-knowledge and coachability are crucial skills. One of my favorite things to do is to subtly encourage my younger team members to coach me without them realizing it. They often know things that I don’t, and they might not share that knowledge directly when you’re in a leadership position. Being coachable, by those from any position, is important.
If I hadn’t competed in sports at a high level and gained a deep understanding of my own physical capabilities, I wouldn’t be able to do the work I do today. Our work is physically demanding, often involving long hours, and we frequently ask our team to go above and beyond. It’s essential to keep a clear focus on what success looks like, ensuring that our people remain connected to the purpose behind our efforts.
How can we support young athletes to use their experiences in sport to drive positive change in their communities?
I believe that sport plays a crucial role in addressing global inequalities, whether they exist between the Global North and South, or among genders and religions. A powerful illustration of this is the gesture by athletes Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles, who bowed to Brazilian gymnast Rebeca Andrade. This act demonstrated how sport can level the playing field and convey that our worth is not defined by winning or losing. Athletes, as highly visible members of their communities, have a unique opportunity to give back and support their communities. Emphasizing this responsibility could be a positive shift that sport can promote.
However, I hope we move away from glorifying materialism in sports. The current state of professional sports, especially in the UK with football, is troubling. Enormous player salaries are often funded by communities who can no longer afford tickets. What used to be a community event — a father and his children attending a game — has lost its sense of connection.
In many places, sports like tennis or swimming are outside the school system, requiring parents to pay and provide access, creating significant barriers. This exclusion means many young people miss out, affecting their physical development and social skills. My experience in sports has been instrumental in building my career, leading teams, and achieving success. I’m grateful for these opportunities and excited about the potential to make sports more accessible and impactful.
Youth sports should focus on developing athletes who are committed to serving their communities, not just chasing personal gain. Additionally, we must prepare young athletes for life beyond their sports careers, which are often short-lived. Athletes like Marcus Rashford, who contributed to funding school meals during the pandemic, show how their influence can be used for good. Reflecting on my own transition out of professional sports, I see the need for better support systems. We can do more to prepare young athletes for this transition and equip them with the life skills necessary for success
This article is part of our “Sport for Changemaking” series — a collection of articles that examine how Ashoka Fellows and social entrepreneurs around the world are utilizing sports to create impact and mobilize change. The series showcases the potential of sports as a tool for social transformation and provides insights into strategies, impact, challenges, and lessons learned. Sign up for our newsletter and stay up to date with Ashoka’s Sport for Changemaking initiative.
