Naomi Osaka continues to emphasize the importance of sports players off the field with her new book, The Way Champs Play.
The celebrated tennis star is making it a priority to ensure young girls can take part in any sport they desire and show them it’s possible to be confident while doing so.
“I wanted to reach young girls in a way that they would enjoy and understand, and it was really fun to simplify and celebrate girls in sport,” the four-time Grand Slam champion told People.
Osaka says she made it a mission of her media company, Hana Kuma, to help tell stories that are empowering to women and young girls. “So it was the perfect fit to have this book be the first one we published,” she said.
The picture book, which features a cover that shows girls from different backgrounds and abilities, champions women in all types of sports and reminds them they have the ability to find confidence while playing. Though a champion herself, Osaka says finding confidence is “really a process,” something that she works toward daily.
“I am still sorting through, finding confidence in myself and what I do — that is why this book means so much.”
With The Way Champs Play, the 24-year-old entrepreneur hopes “young girls see the beauty and benefit in sports” and “remember that no dream is too big to dream.”
She’s also excited about the book’s simple message of having fun: “It’s something that I think we lose and it’s an important part of the game,” she said.
The Way Champs Play will be available December 6.
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