You know, I completely forgot National Women Sports Day was coming up until my sister mentioned it last week. Felt kinda bad about that, honestly. So I decided to actually learn what it’s really about instead of just nodding along.
First thing Monday morning, I brewed some coffee and sat down at my kitchen table. Grabbed my laptop and just typed “National Women Sports Day” straight into the search bar. Was surprised how little I actually knew. Knew it celebrated female athletes, obviously, but the history? Nada. Found out it started back in 1987 – way before I was even paying attention! A U.S. thing originally, honoring women’s contributions in sports. The date changes year to year, which explains why it snuck up on me. Found a simple list explaining its purpose:
- Celebrating women’s achievements in athletics (duh, but important!)
- Recognizing the fight for equal opportunities and funding
- Inspiring the next generation of girls to get active
Reading about the struggles early female athletes faced just to play? Man, that kinda touched me. Made me think of my niece trying out for soccer. Things are better, but still not perfect, you know?
Alright, So How Did I Actually Honor It?
Didn’t want to just read about it and move on. Decided to put some action behind the respect. Here’s what I actually did:
- Shared Stories: Scrolled through my feed and noticed absolutely nothing about the day. So I dug up a couple of articles about pioneering women athletes – Wilma Rudolph, Billie Jean King – and just shared them on my page. Added a simple caption like “Grateful for these trailblazers on National Women Sports Day! Who inspires you?” Felt like the bare minimum, honestly.
- Made It Active: Went for my usual run that evening, but switched it up. Plugged into a playlist featuring female artists only. Turned up Megan Thee Stallion extra loud. Small thing, but it kept the theme in mind while moving my own body. Felt good.
- Put My Money Where My Mouth Is: Was browsing online later. Saw my favorite athletic gear brand actually had a small section highlighting their women ambassadors supporting youth sports access. Gave me an idea. Didn’t buy anything new (trying to be responsible!), but rummaged through my closet. Pulled out a gently used pair of running shoes and some barely-worn yoga pants my sister gave me ages ago. Dropped them off at the local rec center’s donation bin specifically for their girls’ programs the next morning. Felt more useful than just posting.
- Amplified Voices: Made a conscious effort all day to watch clips or read interviews featuring current female athletes – basketball, swimming, skateboarding, didn’t matter. Followed a few more women sports journalists too. Retweeted a couple of their posts calling out the continued pay gap stuff. Important reminder the fight isn’t over.
Honestly? Before this week, I probably would’ve just scrolled past any mention of the day. But taking even these small steps made it feel real. Fired me up about supporting women’s sports year-round, not just one day. Makes you appreciate how far things have come, but also see how much work is still left. Definitely gonna be more intentional about tuning into women’s leagues now.