Yesterday marked the 30th annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day. The organization sponsoring the day wanted to celebrate the extraordinary achievements of those who have implemented change and created opportunities for women and girls in sports during the past three decades.
University of Memphis women’s basketball guard, Taylor Williams, says college sports have helped her grow in areas she never thought she could.
“Being a woman is already a phenomenal thing, but to participate in college sports feels amazing,” Williams said. “We have many great female athletes that came before us, and to be where they once were is an incredible feeling. It’s indescribable.”
Because women are less prone to receiving sports opportunities than men, the organization behind this day tries to remove gender barriers for women in sports. Since the introduction of women’s sports, many women and young girls have faced adversity because of their gender.
The organization also acknowledges the positive influence that sports participation has given many girls and women.
Miranda Smith, a sophomore center midfielder for the U of M’s women’s soccer team believes women’s sports have progressed a long way.
“I grew up playing soccer with boys because there was a different level of seriousness put into their teams,” Smith said.
“But overtime, that has changed because women have proven to be able to compete at high levels, and it’s an awesome feeling to be a part of that.”
The members of the National Girls and Women in Sports Day coalition created the organization in 1987 as a way to celebrate female athletes. This year’s “Leading The Way” theme will bring together students, professional, athletes, coaches, athletic directors and parents who are “Leading The Way” to inspire greatness in this generation and the next.
The Women’s Sports Day coalition consists of four organizations in the United States: Women’s Sports Foundation, National Women’s Law Center, Girl’s Inc. and The President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition.
The coalition members are made up of champion athletes and leaders in the women sports community, including two-time Olympic gold medalist in soccer, Angela Hulces, who is now president of the Women’s Sports Foundation.
“The opportunity to play sports has been beneficial to me in innumerable ways, but some of the most important qualities sports provided are the self-confidence and belief in my unique abilities to achieve success in life,” Hulces said on the organization’s website. “Having the challenges and opportunities to grow in an environment of safety with a group of friends that’s also fun while doing it, for me, it doesn’t get much better than that.”
The organization also features the hashtag #NGWSD, so that girls and women in sports are able to share their celebratory moments with one another.
