On Feb. 5, Old Dominion University celebrated National Girls and Women in Sports Day, an annual celebration established by the Women’s Sports Foundation (WSF). The WSF was founded by Billie Jean King, the former number one world tennis player with an impressive 39 Grand Slam titles. King made history as the first female athlete to earn over $100,000 in a single season. In 1973, she famously defeated Bobby Riggs in the “Battle of the Sexes” match. Throughout King’s career, she accumulated numerous accolades, including induction into the National Women’s Hall of Fame. King strongly believed that equality was not a privilege but a right for women, especially in sports.
It is vital that we continue to not only recognize those who are at the top of their game but also young girls and women with amazing potential. By continuing to recognize growing athletes, we can show young girls that becoming the best doesn’t happen overnight; it takes continuous dedication and hard work.
Old Dominion University (ODU) has a long history of inclusivity in women’s sports. In March 1970, Mary Fleet earned ODU’s first Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) honors in swimming. She outscored 36 other teams all by herself, placing ODU 14th in nationals. Then in March 1974, ODU created its first women’s athletic scholarship, only a year after the University of Miami, which had created the first women’s athletic scholarship. ODU has only continued to grow in their support of women in sports.
While attending ODU, I had the privilege of meeting Leah Powell, a player for ODU’s women’s club soccer team. Despite not being on the D1 soccer team, Powell’s energy and enthusiasm for the sport have made her a vital part of keeping soccer alive at ODU. Her dedication and love for the game are truly inspiring.
Powell mentioned that one of the best parts about soccer was how it helped her to better manage stress. When discussing how the club is different from professional teams, she was more than happy to share how much she loved her team. “We’re still a very connected team, and we definitely learn and build off each other. Which is really why I love it,” said Powell.
Powell grew up playing on co-ed sport teams. Powell explained that this created a difficulty for her as she was often the only girl on her soccer team. When asked how she managed to overcome this challenge, she described how her dad actually became her biggest supporter and started an all-girls team so Powell would have a more comfortable and inclusive environment. When asked if she could say anything to someone younger than her in the hopes of inspiring them, she said, “Don’t be afraid. Put in your most optimal effort, I feel like that improves the team overall.” She described how she has seen many younger girls not put all of their effort in because they see someone better than them and feel discouraged, but that only hurts the team. She hopes everyone can take these words of encouragement and play to their best ability no matter how intimidating.
After a deeper dive into National Girls and Women in Sports Day, we can celebrate not only how far we have come but how far we are still going in the journey to gender equality. We should continue to celebrate not just professional trailblazers like Billie Jean King, but also the women who uphold the club or recreational teams keeping sports alive for women all over the world. I leave you on this note hoping that you use the encouraging words of Leah Powell to continue to prove to the world that girls and women have more than earned their spot on the pedestal.