Billie Jean King’s $5,000 check from a sportswoman of the year award in 1974 helped to launch the Women’s Sports Foundation, which has since invested over $100 million to support girls and women in sports. The foundation aims to provide opportunities and equity for women in sports through research, advocacy, and community programming. At a recent celebration at the Empire State Building, King highlighted the foundation’s efforts to eliminate barriers for women in sports and ensure equitable opportunities, equipment, facilities, and pay. The WSF offers programs like Sports 4 Life for underserved girls, travel and training grants, mentorship, and support for Title IX compliance.
The Women’s Sports Foundation was founded a year after the passage of Title IX, the federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in educational programs receiving federal funds. The organization has been instrumental in advocating for gender equality in sports and empowering girls and women to achieve their athletic dreams. Recently, Vice President Kamala Harris hosted an event honoring women in sports in recognition of Women’s History Month, emphasizing the importance of girls and women in leadership roles in sports.
In addition to supporting athletes, the WSF also focuses on developing the coaching pipeline through initiatives like the Tara VanDerveer Fund for the Advancement of Women in Coaching. Tara VanDerveer, the Stanford basketball coach and winningest coach in NCAA history, has been a pioneer in promoting gender equity in coaching. The WSF will host its annual awards dinner on October 16 in New York, celebrating “50 Years of Changing the Game” and honoring outstanding athletes in the individual and team categories.
The foundation’s president, Scout Bassett, and CEO, Danette Leighton, joined Billie Jean King at the Empire State Building celebration to mark the occasion of the iconic landmark being lit in the foundation colors of blue, red, pink, and yellow. King emphasized the transformative impact of the foundation’s work in breaking down barriers for girls and women in sports and expressed that there is still more work to be done to achieve full equity in the sports world. The WSF continues to advocate for gender equality, provide support for athletes, and promote leadership opportunities for girls and women in sports.
Through its ongoing efforts, the Women’s Sports Foundation aims to ensure that girls and women have access to the same opportunities, resources, and recognition as their male counterparts in the sports world. The foundation’s commitment to advancing gender equity in sports has made a significant impact over the past decades, and it remains dedicated to empowering girls and women to reach their full potential in athletics. As the WSF prepares for its annual awards dinner and celebrates its achievements in promoting gender equality in sports, it looks towards the future with a continued focus on breaking down barriers and creating a more inclusive and equitable sports landscape for all.
