A Moment or a Movement for Women’s Sports?
When my high school team won the Virginia State Championship in 1988, women’s basketball wasn’t that different from today.
Women’s sports haven’t suddenly become exciting.
They have always been exciting.
It’s just that media executives and brands have never prioritized them and shined their spotlight on them like they are right now. It also doesn’t hurt that Caitlin Clark shattered records on both the men’s and women’s sides of the game. But the stories, dynamic personalities, athleticism, and high level of play have always been there, but most of the world hasn’t had the opportunity to experience it.
The Girl In The Dutch Braids on The Basketball Court
The US Women’s National team forced people to take notice at the 1999 World Cup Final when Brandi Chastain ripped off her shirt after a dramatic win on penalty kicks. Individual sports like tennis, gymnastics, and track and field have had their share of iconic moments and superstars; nobody can deny the attention Serena Williams, Coco Gauff, Simone Biles, and Flo-Jo have garnered on the world stage.
But we have never seen women’s basketball showcased like this…until now.
That’s not to say there haven’t been incredible players in the women’s game: A’ja Wilson, Sheryl Swoopes, Cheryl Miller, Lisa Leslie, Rebecca Lobo, and Sue Bird—just to name a few. But most of us have never seen them play. We may know their names, but not much else. When I asked several friends if they knew them, most could only recall one or two, saying they ‘sounded familiar.’
As a basketball ‘gym rat’ growing up in the 1970s and ’80s, I can’t recall ever seeing a college or professional women’s game on television or in person before playing myself in college.
But now things are going to be different.
Right now, we are witnessing the greatest surge in women’s sports EVER. That means little eyeballs all over the country are watching, cheering, and celebrating these incredible athletes. They are watching possibilities unfold right before their eyes, dreams being played out in front of them. Whether it’s playing, coaching, reffing, or being the boss in the front office, little neuropathways are being laid for what is now possible because they can actually see it. Watch it. Be it. It’s hard to dream big when you have no reference point. Now, there are a lot of reference points!
