NGWSD
Today is National Girls and Women in Sports Day. As a female who’s played soccer since the age of three, I know that sport has molded me into the person I am. It sometimes feels impossible to express my gratitude for sports. So, this year, I’m releasing this NGWSD T-Shirt. Inspired by a girl playing soccer on the beach, this T-shirt sparks a smile with its custom design and pops of color. Comfy to play in and cool to wear out, the NGWSD T-Shirt promotes girls and women in sports and pledges to donate $5 to the Women’s Sports Foundation with every shirt purchased.
The Women’s Sports Foundation was established in 1974 to advance the lives of women and girls through sports and physical activity. The WSF mission is to enable all girls and women to reach their potential in sports and life.
If you’re interested in supporting and want to purchase a NGWSD T-shirt, complete the form below.
The NGWSD T-Shirt is $50, which includes your $5 donation to the Women’s Sports Foundation. As a personal thank you, I will take care of the shipping and handling to show my appreciation in your support of this t-shirt ◡̈
More Behind the NGWSD T-Shirt
As I think about what this day means to me, it’s hard to articulate how sport has impacted my life. My dad was a coach for nearly 50 years, so it seemed destined that I’d come out of the womb being a sports fanatic. In the simplest way to embody what sport has brought to my life, here’s a short acrostic poem:
Success through highs and lows
Perseverance when someone tells you no
Opportunity to evolve and grow
Responsibility to work and show
Team for you cannot do it alone
Through sport, we can experience the highest of highs and lowest of lows. When we feel stuck in the trenches, we find a way to grit through and persevere to unlock the next opportunity. We need those hardships, because comfort and growth do not coexist. In sports, we create friendship and foster mentorship. We empower one another to achieve our greatest self. Kobe Bryant once said that “sports is the greatest metaphor we have for life.” I think we can unanimously agree.
In the spring of 2021, my boyfriend showed me the graphic to the NGWSD T-shirt. Immediately, I loved the art work. Then, he said the design was inspired by a picture of me playing soccer at VBFC, Venice Beach Football Club *me feeling weak knees to be his muse.* When I look at this shirt, it makes me smile because it takes me back to the concrete court where I (re)found my love for the game, friendship and a fútbol familia. I think about the community I built through countless years of soccer that helped bring me to where I am today.
Over the past years, I’ve realized that you don’t have to just be an athlete in order to be a female involved in sport. There are endless avenues: business, coaching, journalism, medical professional, photographer, administrator, friend, sibling, parent. This is why we should all celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day!
I chose the Women’s Sports Foundation as the organization to pledge donations to because the WSF “provides financial fuel to aspiring champion athletes. [F]unds groundbreaking research. And help[s] communities get girls active.” Additionally, the WSF was founded by Billie Jean King who is a profound trail blazer for women in sport. Billie Jean King is an instrumental impact in women’s history, a passionate advocate for marginalized communities, and a powerful leader that inspires. The WSF also has a strong team and numerous female athletes that support the foundation. Learn more about the Women’s Sports Foundation here.
Women in sport have been on the rise and are the moment. We’ve been hustling for decades to get a spot on the field / court / pool / gym. The world is at an inflection point for women sports and it’s truly exciting to see the possibilities that younger generations have in today’s day of sport.
The picture that inspired the NGWSD T-shirt.