The Greatest Female Athlete Characters in Film

A boxer who faces heartbreaking challenges. A college basketball player who dreams of making it to the pros. A pint-sized football protege. You'll find all of these memorable figures and more on this list of the greatest female athlete characters in the movies. Whether they're fighting for glory on the field or struggling to overcome personal obstacles, these fictional female athletes inspire audiences with their love of the game.

Who are some of the most iconic female athlete characters in films? Hilary Swank gave a heart-wrenching and heavy-hitting performance as boxer Maggie Fitzgerald in the 2004 hit Million Dollar Baby. Swank also appears on this list as martial arts master Julie Pierce, the heroine of The Next Karate Kid. Jess Bhamra followed her love of soccer in Bend it Like Beckham, and Blue Crush's Anne Marie Chadwick dreamed of surfing the perfect wave. Some of these characters were even based on real-life athletes, like the groundbreaking female baseball players portrayed in A League of Their Own.

It's up to you to decide which female athlete character is the best of all time. Vote up your favorite roles to the top of the list, and vote down the ones that don't have you cheering. You can even add characters that are missing.