Her Sports Haven
I grew up as what was known as a tomboy. While my older brother was out skateboarding or BMXing, I was playing football in the streets with the neighborhood boys or shooting hoops at Caz Courts. I was always one of the boys.
Later in life, this helped me in my career. I climbed the corporate ladder, often being the only female at the table. I remember one time when I was asked to attend a meeting with the CEO of a company I worked for—a company known for being a “Good Ole Boys Club.” Before the meeting, one of the senior women in my department told me to only speak if spoken to. I replied, “f” that! I made my mark at that company in so many ways. It is one of my proudest career highlights. I left that company as the first-ever HR person to sit on the Senior Leadership Team, the youngest at the table, and the only woman in the room.
AuraAthletic Fit founder Rebekah Chriss at the beach with her husband and daughters
My mother raised me to be a strong, independent woman. My husband and I have raised our two daughters the same way. My oldest daughter was the creative, flower-child type—she danced most of her life but also ran cross country and hurdles. After meeting her now-husband, who is a recreational powerlifter, she took to weightlifting (not heavy, though!). My youngest daughter is very Type-A, like her dad, and a natural athlete. Soccer, softball, tennis, volleyball, football—you name it, and she's good at it. In middle school, she was voted “Athlete of the Year” by her classmates—both boys and girls. By eighth grade, she was starting on the high school varsity softball team, despite only having begun playing a few years earlier.
This was all new to me. I didn’t play organized sports growing up—I was just out in the streets with whoever was around. I did run track once in elementary school. My mom had to work, so I rode my bike to the track meet, ran, and then rode my bike back home. I even made a school record, which I hope still stands!
So when my daughter needed a green belt and green softball socks, I had no idea where to go or what to get. We went to a local sports apparel store, only to find they had nothing for softball—just baseball. And forget about finding anything specifically for girls. We tried a bigger chain sporting goods store and found the baseball section, but in the very corner, there was a small area for softball. We couldn’t believe how tiny it was compared to the massive space baseball had, with walls of displays, racks, and shelves. Frustrated, we turned to online shopping, which became our go-to from then on.
But I want more for my daughter. I want more for your daughter. I want more for all women in sports.
There are tons of sporting goods stores for men, but females make up 50% of the athletes in New York, so why don’t we see 50% of the stores, 50% of the floor space, or 50% of the school budgets? It’s time for girls and women to have their own dedicated store. That’s why I’m opening AuraAthletic Fit. First as an online shop while I create the physical location that I am aiming to open Fall 2025.
I’m doing this for the girls who are fiercely competitive and growing up in a world where sports apparel stores are still mostly for boys. I’m doing this for the women who are blazing their own trail, doing what they love, and being recognized as athletes. I’m doing this for them.
AuraAthletic Fit: A Haven for Female Athletes
AuraAthletic Fit will be a premier destination for female athletes seeking top-quality athletic apparel tailored to their needs. Nestled in the heart of Western New York, our store will be a haven where athletes can find everything they need to excel in their chosen sports, while looking and feeling their best. Because when you look good, you feel good, and when you feel good, you play GREAT!
But AuraAthletic Fit is more than just a store. It’s a platform for empowering girls and supporting women in sports, helping to create equal access and opportunity—not just in sports, but in life. We’re here to help them play, compete, and lead without barriers.
Our Commitment to Women and Girls in Sports
At AuraAthletic Fit, we will invest in girls and women in sports by:
Providing access to apparel designed specifically for women athletes.
Promoting apparel created with women in mind, ensuring the right fit and functionality.
Highlighting women-owned businesses, because supporting each other is how we grow.
Advocating for greater awareness and pushing for compliance in equal representation.
Fighting the inequities that persist across the women’s sports ecosystem.
Donating and volunteering to programs that support girls and women in playing and coaching at all levels.
Creating a community by hosting events, sharing knowledge, and educating on all things sports.
AuraAthletic Fit will be a space where female athletes, young and old, feel seen, supported, and unstoppable.
Because when women are given the right tools and opportunities, they don’t just play—they win.
