Growing up watching sports and playing sports, the popularity of female athletes has never been nearly as great as male athletes. It’s time to give female athletes the highlights they deserve.
To start, one famous female athlete that I looked up to growing up is Alex Morgan. She was the first athlete that I really took inspiration from; She has had such an impact on the game of soccer and female sports in general. For those that don’t know who Alex Morgan is, she played in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and for the U.S. Women’s National Team. She has won two World Cups, an Olympic Gold Medal, and was named U.S. Female Athlete of the Year twice. Alex Morgan, inside of the game of soccer, had skill, speed, and team leadership, which is something every little girl, including me, looked up to. Outside of soccer she is an advocate for equal pay and better playing conditions, thus laundering the Alex Morgan foundation. The Alex Morgan foundation fights for equal pay, rights, and opportunities for women on and off the soccer field. She is someone that has done nothing but inspired me in life, and although she is now retired, she has left her mark on the world of sports.
Another famous female athlete that has inspired many girls and women in the athletic world is Simone Biles. As a gymnast, Biles has won 11 Olympic medals, 30 World Championship medals, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2022. Besides being extremely talented at her sport, something that I have found very inspiring is her advocacy for mental health. During the 2020 Olympics, Biles took a stand, and withdrew from the Olympics due to mental health issues. This is something that wasn’t easy for her, but that stand she took sparked inspiration for all athletes around the world. The advocacy for mental health has been so much greater and I believe that part of it is because of her.
Another famous female athlete is Serena Williams. Even if you have never played a sport, you know who Sererna Williams is. Throughout her career she has won 23 Grand Slam Titles, and as well as an Olympic Gold medal. Williams is also an activist who is passionate about fighting against racism and sexism, inspiring young girls all around the world to do what they want, and that they can accomplish anything.
Finally, although they are not famous, I would like to take a second to admire and highlight the female athletes in my life that have inspired me. Last year I had the privilege to work with the Monmouth University’s Women’s Soccer team and learned a lot from them. Being someone that played soccer my whole life, these girls helped to bring my love for soccer back. Going to the games, being around the team, and cheering them on helped me to see it from a new perspective. The girls on the team are proof of never giving up; they show up after wins and losses and keep moving forward, which is something I will forever admire.
This year, I have the privilege of working with the women’s basketball team, and they are also the definition of never giving up. Everyday they show up to practice and put the work in no matter what the result of the game was from the day before. Along with this, they are some of the funniest and kindest girls I have ever come across, making working with them an absolute pleasure.
Finally, I’d like to highlight my roommates, five of seven who are on the swim team here at school. My roommates are truly the strongest people I know. Growing up I didn’t know much about swimming, but since living with them I have learned how hard the sport truly is. They wake up early almost every day of the week for lift or morning practice, and then go back in the afternoon for practice and dryland again. This is something that I admire, because I never realized how time consuming the sport was. They stay on top of their school work while trying to be the best they can be at the event they all swim. Along with this, they are all leaders in their own way, and the whole team are people that light up the room whenever they walk in. These girls are some of my closest friends, and I believe that they are the best athletes I have ever met, even if they don’t think so.
Female athletes deserve equal recognition as male athletes because the phenomenal women listed above, and so many more, are talented, intelligent, amazing role models that will inspire little girls to follow their dreams for generations to come.
