[caption id=“attachment_2835” align=“aligncenter” width=“1693”]
Jenkins tees off during the final round of the 2016 “Steady” Ed Masters Cup in Santa Cruz, California. Photo: PDGA[/caption]
2016 World Champion Valarie Jenkins has not re-signed a sponsorship contract with Innova for the 2017 season after 12 years with the company, she announced on her website today.
According to her post, she will not be signing a new sponsorship with another disc manufacturer.
“I’m not leaving to join another team or to chase down a higher paying contract,” she wrote. “I am leaving because of the countless honors I have been denied, because I am a woman. If we want things to change the future landscape of women’s disc golf, we need these leading companies to support and promote their best female athletes with the same respect as they give the men on their team.”
Jenkins made clear that she was dissatisfied with the state of affairs with her Innova contract.
“It is important for women in this male-dominated sport to stand up for what they believe in and make a difference for the women who follow in our footsteps,” she wrote. “In the end, as a women’s disc golf ambassador, I need to live like I preach, and I can no longer represent a company that won’t go out on a limb for one of their team’s best players.”
Ultiworld Disc Golf will have more on this story early next week.
Originally published at: https://discgolf.ultiworld.com/livewire/valarie-jenkins-doesnt-re-sign-innova-cites-lack-support/