Today, on National Girls and Women in Sports Day, we take a moment to highlight some of our outstanding female athletes and coaches. They share their experiences as players and mentors, discussing the evolution of their sports and their hopes for its continued growth in the years to come. 
Head Coach Erminia Russo Thorpe of the women's volleyball team has witnessed firsthand the dramatic changes in both playing and coaching over the years. 

"For me, it's been incredible to see how much the sport has evolved, especially with the rise of club teams and the growing opportunities available for young female athletes," she says. "When I played on the national team, there weren't as many young athletes being developed to compete at a high level. Now, you see eight- and ten-year-olds playing and improving at an incredible rate." 

One of Coach Russo Thorpe's players, Courtney Webber, echoes her sentiment. 

"When you look at the U.S., women's volleyball has exploded in popularity. Organizations like LOVB Volleyball are drawing massive media attention, and we're seeing stadiums sell out. That's something we've never really seen in women's sports before it's amazing." 

It's not just volleyball experiencing a surge in popularity; women's basketball has seen remarkable growth as well. Head Coach Kiera Lyons shares her perspective on how the landscape of women's sports has shifted. 

"It's a funny thing, you know, the 'Caitlin Clark effect' feels like an overnight success for women's basketball, but it's been 50 years in the making," she says. "Seeing women's sports finally get the coverage they deserve, especially at the professional level, makes you think, 'Finally!' People are now realizing just how impressive and unique the women's game can be." 

Despite the progress, there's still work to be done. Coach Russo Thorpe emphasizes the need for more opportunities not just for female athletes, but for female coaches as well. 

"For the athletes, it's about opportunities. I receive about fifty emails a day from young women who want to play for our program, but I can only take so many," she explains. "Our conference has just fourteen teams, and only a handful of players will get selected. For the rest, what's left? Unfortunately, many of them will stop playing altogether." 

Even as more women enter the coaching ranks, there remains a significant gap, particularly when it comes to pay. 

"We've made strides in getting more female coaches in the game, but the salaries still aren't equal," Coach Russo Thorpe adds. 

Coach Lyons shares the same concern. 

"Take Caitlin Clark, arguably the greatest college basketball player of all time yet her contract barely reaches $100,000. The pay gap is still a huge issue." 

While challenges remain, the progress of women's sports is undeniable. Both Coach Lyons and Coach Russo Thorpe encourage young athletes to stay committed to their goals. 

"It's tough," they agree. "But if you love it, keep going." 

Courtney Webber also offers her own advice, particularly on an often-overlooked aspect of being an athlete, which is nutrition. 

"Nutrition is huge. A lot of female athletes struggle with undereating and overtraining, which leads to injuries," she says. "It's important to fuel our bodies properly because that's how we perform at our best and feel our best." 

As women's sports continue to grow, it's clear that athletes, coaches, and advocates are pushing for even greater change. The future is bright, and the women you see in sports today, even if they don't know it, are helping lead the charge for a lot of younger aspiring female athletes.