The atmosphere in Chapin Auditorium was electric at 7:30 on September 22. Students and non-students alike (including a girls’ soccer team from the area, the Western United Pioneers) gathered in anticipation for the opportunity of a lifetime: being greeted by a champion, an inspiration and an all around wonderful human being, Abby Wambach. The Weissman Center for Leadership organized the event that led to the monumentally talented soccer player and equal rights activist coming to Mount Holyoke. The recently retired legendary soccer player is the current leading international scorer for both women and men. She is a two time Olympic gold medalist and FIFA Women’s World Cup champion. Yes, she’s a big deal. But she tries to downplay her success, saying that, “I don’t want to be put on a pedestal,” because she feels it creates a separation between those seen as higher than others and everyone else. A division she feels creates unnecessary boundaries. Abby briefly discussed her career and certain moments cherished by lovers of the sport everywhere, such as the famous 2011 World Cup goal she scored, as well as the beloved 2015 World Cup win.
Her primary focus in the talk, however, was personal leadership. She discussed navigating a world that can seem stacked against your favor, creating positive energy for yourself and those around you, and believing in yourself enough to take risks that may not always pan out in your favor. She emphasized the importance of recognizing that life is full of moments that, however small or large, are waiting for you to take advantage of them. She also conveyed the point that rejecting and ignoring your emotions is unhealthy and detrimental to your performance and overall happiness. Her speech demonstrated that not only is she a powerful woman and an absolutely incredible athlete, but also she is a flawed human being who, like us, has faced obstacles and grappled with self-doubt.
In the Q & A session following her speech, she addressed issues such as transgender identity in sports, handling mistakes on and off the field, staying positive in the face of negativity and put downs, the controversial topic of athletes such as Colin Kaepernick and Megan Rapinoe (a former teammate and current team member of the US Women’s National Team) kneeling during the National Anthem. She shared her support for the athletes taking part in the latter issue, recognizing that it is a “touchy” subject as she puts it, but that she thinks, in its own way, is “very patriotic”. Her concluding statement was regarding the pay gap between men and women, which was greeted with a resounding chorus of boos as audience members voiced their disgust with the current reality of lower pay for women. Abby’s inspirational speech was a rousing success and a true pleasure for all who had the fortune to attend.
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