One great ally inside the room beats ten fans outside it.

Being liked widely and being represented are different things. Ten people who think well of you outside the room cannot say anything when the decision happens, while one person inside it can say your name at the moment names are being said. That is not about popularity, it is about where the deciding actually happens.

Work out who is in the rooms you care about: a coach, a manager, a teacher who sits on the committee. Do good work where they can see it and let them know what you are aiming for. One person who can speak for you is worth building.