National Girls & Women in Sports Day: The Power of Showing Up, Lifting Up & Leading the Way
There was a time when I sat in front of the TV, eyes locked in, watching Jennifer Capriati and Monica Seles battle on the tennis court with grit and grace. I was mesmerized by the way Cheryl Swoopes and Rebecca Lobo redefined women’s basketball, proving that the game wasn’t just for men—it was for anyone who could play. I cheered for Bonnie Blair, a powerhouse on the ice, whose speed skating dominance made her one of the most decorated winter Olympians. And I held my breath watching Kristi Yamaguchi and Nancy Kerrigan, their movements a blend of strength and elegance, carving history into the ice.
And then there was Pat Summitt, a coaching legend whose intensity, leadership, and unwavering belief in her athletes changed the game forever.
And how could I forget the Magnificent Seven?
The 1996 U.S. Women’s Olympic Gymnastics Team—Shannon Miller, Dominique Moceanu, Dominique Dawes, Kerri Strug, Amy Chow, Jaycie Phelps, and Amanda Borden—became the first U.S. women’s gymnastics team to win gold in the team competition. They inspired an entire generation, showing the world what strength, determination, and resilience looked like. Kerri Strug’s unforgettable vault on an injured ankle was the epitome of grit, a moment that proved female athletes don’t just perform—they redefine what’s possible.
I grew up watching these women, studying them, learning from them—not just about their victories, but about their resilience, their fight, their refusal to accept anything less than what they deserved. They showed me what was possible. They showed me why we keep going, even when the road ahead looks impossible.
During my childhood, the ultra-thin supermodel was the face of beauty, plastered across every magazine cover, selling an unrealistic and often unhealthy body image. But I chose to keep my eyes on strong, athletic role models instead—women who were powerful, who used their bodies for more than just aesthetics, who taught me that strength was something to celebrate, not shrink.
And that’s why National Girls & Women in Sports Day matters.
The Power of Representation: Why It Matters
As a young athlete, I didn’t just need role models. I needed to see women thriving in sports, leading teams, winning championships, coaching, and breaking barriers. I needed to know that the dreams I had weren’t just wishful thinking, the endless shooting baskets on an icy driveway, pausing to use a hairdryer to keep the ball bouncing—they were achievable, real, and worth fighting for.
I didn’t have many female coaches in my playing career, but the ones I did have? They made all the difference.
💪 Jen Kools, my freshman tennis coach at Carroll College, taught me the importance of discipline and growth. My first time living away from home, dealing with big adult issues, and she was there with me as a sister, a confidant, free of judgement. She understood the assignment.
💪 Angie Youngbauer, who built a world where high school and college rugby players could find strength, community, and belonging. I did not know this world existed and wish I found it earlier. But finding the flyer or advertisement and showing up not knowing anyone but Dinah, changed my life.
💪 Anne Marie Hoppe, my high school tennis coach, who was a constant in my tennis journey, someone who was there as I grew up, and looking back, kind of growing up together.
💪Kathy Huss gave me a lighthouse in my weird middle school days. She wasn’t just a teacher, a mentor, or someone I saw in passing—she took time to see me, to really see me. She made me feel less alone in a time when people felt they had a right to remark on my body. She was friends with my mom, but she made space for me too—including me, joking with me, connecting with me in a way that made me feel like I mattered. And sometimes, that’s all a kid needs—to know that someone is paying attention.
The power of having a female coach coaching female athletes is undeniable. There are truths that don’t need to be spoken—just understood. They know what it’s like. They know the challenges, the sacrifices, the quiet battles that happen behind the scenes. They know what it’s like to fight for a place at the table.
And now, we have to keep building bigger tables.
Where We Stand Today: The Fight Continues
We are making progress. Women in sports today have more opportunities, more visibility, and more financial support than ever before.
✅ NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) deals are allowing female college athletes to finally get paid for their talents.
✅ Equal pay movements have created real change in professional sports.
✅ More women are stepping into coaching roles, leadership positions, and decision-making seats.
But we still have a long way to go.
Remember when Abby Wambach stepped off the stage after receiving her ICON ESPY along side Kobe Bryant and Peyton Manning? She talked about how her male counterparts were financially set for life, while she had to figure out how she was going to pay her bills. One of the most decorated soccer players of all time—and still, the financial disparity was undeniable.
This is why we keep the conversation going.
This is why we keep giving young girls someone to idolize—someone whose posters they can hang on their walls, whose stories they can follow, whose journeys they can believe in.
This is why we keep showing up.
We’re Walking the Path They Built—Now We Extend It
There are days when I want to stop fighting. There are days when I think, Is this even making a difference?
But then I remember:
I am walking on a path made by strong women before me.
And now? I will extend that path. I will create new paths for the girls watching me.
There are endless seats at my table—for new ideas, for new voices, for new perspectives. It’s an inclusive table, one where we honor the journey, the struggles, the victories, and the fights still ahead.
Because parts of our community are still under attack.
And we will not be silent.
We will use our voices. We will use our positions. We will stand for them and with them.
Because when one of us succeeds, we all succeed.
Girls rising and lifting one another.
Girls leading and inspiring.
That is who we are.
That is who we hope to connect with.
That is why we show up.
Happy National Girls & Women in Sports Day. Let’s keep making history. 🚀💪🏽🔥
💬 Who inspired YOU to keep going in sports? Drop a name below and let’s celebrate them!
#NGWSD #GRLInitiative #GirlsRisingAndLeading #MoreThanAnAthlete #RepresentationMatters #KeepFighting
