"In probably about Grade 5 I did a report on gender equality in sports. My mom dug it out of the archives. It was just pages upon pages of news articles and research. I have no memory of making it, but clearly it was on my mind."

From the sidelines of the soccer pitch to basketball courts, boardrooms and broadcasts, it's been on Amy Prokop's mind ever since.

The Huskie Women's Basketball alumna, Sask Sport Board Chair, CEBL Colour Analyst, tech professional and Huskies Women's Soccer Assistant Coach has spent her career advocating for equity and inclusivity in sport for women, the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community and beyond.

Prokop can't remember a time when sport was not at the forefront of her life.

"I think I was out of the womb and into sports. I was definitely the one at recess that was playing soccer out on the field with the boys. I was always playing sports any chance I got. I don't think I had to be convinced to go into organized sport."
 
By the time she reached high school, basketball and soccer were her sports of choice, but that didn't stop her from excelling in cross country, track and field and badminton as well.

"I don't mean to brag, but I think I got athlete of the year all four years in high school. I was just a full-on keener."

In ninth grade, Prokop made both the senior basketball and senior soccer teams.

This was not a common occurrence and despite being the rookie, she immediately became an impact player, earning the respect of her teammates and the opportunity to compete alongside senior players.

"It was pretty cool at that age to have such senior mentors. Going through the pipeline towards university I got a lot of mentorship, within high school, but also as part of the Junior Huskies program."

Prokop remembers the influence the program had on her and the impact of being coached by Huskie Women's Basketball athletes like Jacqueline Lavallee, Sharlene Cooper and Ali Fairbrother. 

"I would go and watch Jackie and Ali and Sharlene. Those are the women that I grew up watching play. Jackie Lavallee was a huge mentor and someone I idolized growing up because she also played basketball and soccer."
 
Both Lavallee and Fairbrother now sit on the coaching staff for the highly successful Huskie Women's Basketball program, who under the leadership of head coach Lisa Thomaidas, won the 2025 U SPORTS National Championship. 

As it turns out, for Prokop, the Junior Huskies program was just the beginning.

From 2004-2009, she went on to play out her full eligibility as a student-athlete and point guard with Huskie Women's Basketball, helping guide the team to their first ever Canada West title.

She also earned two USask degrees in the process – a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and a Bachelor of Commerce.

Both have proven useful in the careers she's taken on since, as Project Manager Lead for a tech company and decade-long member of the Huskies coaching staff.

She also took the stage this year as the keynote speaker for the Huskies Academic All-Canadian Breakfast, where she spoke specifically about the purpose both careers have given her.

Beyond the Huskies, Prokop says as a kid she idolized now retired NBA player Steve Nash.

"Women weren't playing basketball on TV and any magazines I subscribed to were men's sports."

Prokop remembers how excited she was when Sports Illustrated for Women launched around the year 2000.

She immediately subscribed, only to be disappointed 20 issues later when the magazine suddenly stopped coming.

"They canceled it."

Prokop's memories of canceled publications and a lack of representation on television serve as a benchmark, showcasing the well-earned gains of the decades long fight for equity of women in sport, but she says, they also serve as reminder that there is still much work to be done.

"Women's sports finally has the spotlight and attention it deserves, but there's still so much more to go. We're in a weird spot because it's exciting to celebrate and definitely worth celebrating, but it's also kind of fragile. It feels like you have to keep pushing hard and telling the stories and fighting to protect the progress that's been made, while continuing to strive for more."

For Prokop the fight is not just about sport - it's about women gaining and retaining positions of influence, where they can contribute creatively and help shape the culture of teams and organizations.
 
Referencing retired WNBA player Sue Bird and U.S. Olympian soccer player Megan Rapinoe, she says it's cool to see women and retired athletes turning their playing careers into business careers where they continue to fight for progress.
It's something she identifies with.

"I no longer have the playing career, but I feel now I have the network, skills and capacity to use my business lens and all of the experience I have to continue to influence the game and the space."

Prokop believes women and their fans bring a unique and innovative perspective, and that obtaining positions of influence in business and on boards is an important piece of building true gender equity in sport.

"Women don't really care about the traditional longstanding structures of sport because they've never applied to us, included us or helped us. We're kind of rogue. Just willing to do what needs to be done," she said. "Women in general, and the fans of women's sports, are savvy because they've needed to be. They're more creative and innovative because they've had no other choice in terms of getting the resources they need or being able to watch a game. The fans are more willing to think outside the box."

According to a 2025 study from Wasserman Collective surveying 7,100 women from 10 different countries, women's sports fans not only hold unprecedented economic power as financial decision makers, but also want teams, leagues and athletes to stand for causes that matter.

"That's what I love about the WNBA, the NWSL. A lot of these female professional leagues. It's more than just the sport. They're fighting for equity for women and underrepresented groups in all areas of life."

As a proud member of the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community, that spirit of inclusivity is at the core of the influence Prokop hopes to make through her many sport leadership roles.

"I've talked before about this pyramid of inclusion. The bottom level is just being tolerated. The next level is actually feeling accepted, where you have a sense of belonging. The level after that is feeling valued. That your diversity contributes to the environment. The top level is feeling celebrated. When spaces and environments are celebrating diversity, then you've kind of made it."

Prokop speaks with pride about the diversity of the Huskie Women's Soccer coaching staff and the unique perspectives and values everyone's experiences bring to the team and player development.
 
"What I get the most joy out of and what keeps me coming back every year, is helping to create a really inclusive and vibrant culture within the team. That's really my number one priority. And then also helping the players figure out life. Whether it's supporting them with their academics, figuring out what career paths are out there or helping them navigate and become leaders. Those are the things I get really excited about beyond the sport itself."

As for the future, she believes continued investment in access, infrastructure and resources will be what really continues to drive women in sport forward, pushing more viewership, funding and fandom. 

"For me it's just exciting where women in sport are right now, knowing how little access and representation there was when I was young."

On a personal level, Prokop says for her sport has always been about connecting with people and building relationships, whether it be with the Huskies, Sask Sport, the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community or in the workplace.

"I really value inclusivity and creating spaces that have that sense of belonging where people feel welcome. That's what drives me."