Title IX Stories from our Community
"Growing up in Connecticut, I was being profoundly impacted by Title IX earlier than I may have realized. For as long as I can remember, I watched the UConn Women’s Basketball Team sell out Gampel Arena and the XL Center, two of the states largest event venues. I witnessed their exceptionalism year after year and the notion that women have a place in the sports world was normalized to me at a very young age. I honestly knew nothing else. The visibility of the team allowed me to dream fearlessly and without limit when it came to any sport I participated in. So while of course I’ve felt the impact of Title IX in my own career as an athlete, I’m most grateful for the environment it allowed me to grow up in and the influence it had on my younger self!"
Allyson Swaby, Angel City FC
"I didn’t start playing sports just because of Title IX, but I did play at the highest level collegiately because of it. Since 1972, women have been kicking balls, throwing pitches, hitting 3s, serving aces, diving off platforms and more, creating lifelong fans and proving that we are deserved of spots on a team, scholarships and championships. So, when someone says what was one of the biggest influences in my career and for me to win the NCAA women’s soccer championship with Santa Clara, I’ll easily say it was Title IX."
Leslie Osborne, soccer analyst and former pro
"I believe that Title IX, though not as recognized, ranks right up there with other more well-known landmark amendments such as the Equal Rights Amendment and the Women's Right to Vote. With fifty years of Title IX, we now have two generations of women and young women who have played sports their entire lives. These women carry their athlete identity with them on and off the field. The confidence that women gain from playing sports spills over into their personal and professional lives. I think the reason we have seen a significant uptick in women in senior leadership roles across myriad industries, is thanks in large part to Title IX."
Ann Kletz, Co-CEO & Co-Founder of Goal Five
"On a personal level, Title IX means opportunity. Without it, my university probably wouldn't have had the scholarship opportunities it did, affording me the ability to play soccer at Santa Clara University and develop my skills enough to open doors to the U.S. Women's National Team.
On a women's soccer level, Title IX means a head start. The U.S. Women's National Team got a leg up on the rest of the world because in the 1980s and 1990s, women's soccer was starting to be supported in a way that didn't happen in other countries around the world. I don't think we have as many stars on our crest or gold medals around our necks without Title IX.
On a women's level, Title IX means gratitude, tinged with frustration - gratitude for the doors that have opened as a result of this law, yet still frustrated at the lack of compliance. I smile when looking back at how far we've come, but when I turn my head and face forward, I remain as dedicated as ever to the progress that must still be made."
Danielle Slaton, soccer analyst and former pro
“When I was a little girl, I often played with the boys on my street. They used to tell me that because I was a girl, I couldn't do the same things as them. That only fueled me more to prove them wrong. This drive led me to have the opportunity to play D1 Soccer at UC Berkeley. At Cal I was inducted into a program of women that had come before me that taught me about Title IX. I was taught to be grateful for the opportunity but to never settle and keep fighting for equality within my sport as a female athlete. This led to my now job as the founder of Female Footballers. We provide mental skills training and resources to female athletes. I now teach young girls the importance of themselves, representation and visibility through sport. I am forever grateful for Title IX for the people, opportunity and purpose it has given me.”
Kassie Gray, Team G5 Ambassador and Founder & Executive Director of Female Footballers
“The impact of Title IX was monumental, but we aren’t finished yet. I’m grateful to have the college athletics + professional experience, and I’m proud to continue fighting for what female athlete programs deserve.”
Alexis Catt, Team G5 Ambassador & NISL Pro
"Title IX has affected my life in countless ways, but the most impactful affect has been the ability to fill my life with sports. Being an athlete for so many years of my life played a huge role in my personal development growing up, and hugely contributed to many of the qualities I have as a human today. (While full-field sprints and 5-mile warm-ups humbled me for life) Having the privilege to play lacrosse for so many years instilled in me that it is okay to own my accomplishments and confidently take the L's, which is a lesson I hope every girl can learn from a young age."
Kyla Feldman, Team G5 Ambassador & Overall Badass
“As a woman, especially in sports, I am constantly reminded of sex based discrimination. Whether it be solely in the wage gap or in the different opportunities presented, this problem is still ever present in our lives. I think especially now that Title IX needs to extend further into sports and so much more.”
Mary Griswold, Team G5 Ambassador & Penn State soccer stud
"I grew up always appreciating Title IX. Even though it passed before I was born, I was hyper-aware of its impact as I pursued my sports career. From increased youth soccer opportunities to pure scholarship expansion at the collegiate level, I can say confidently I would not have been able to compete at the level I did without the passing of Title IX. Sport has defined much of who I am. For that reason, the trailblazers who set out to achieve equality and broaden access to sport for girls and women at all levels will forever be my heroes."
Lindsey Jones, Co-CEO & Head of Marketing at Goal Five
"Ever since I was a kid, sports have helped me navigate life. Volleyball helped me grow in confidence, soccer helped me build community, and track and field taught me essential life skills. I know for a fact that my life is better off because of the opportunities presented to me through Title IX. Through our work at Goal Five, we will keep pushing forward until sports for women and girls are truly equitable. Women belong in sports!"
Julia Green, Community Manager at Goal Five
Read more stories celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Title IX at the blog!
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