I was raised in Missoula, Montana and lucky enough to have been gifted two amazing parents who allowed me to chase my dream of playing volleyball in college out of state. In 1988, I originally headed to San Diego State University as a walk-on for the Aztecs at the #15 team in the country.
After injuring my shoulder (hitting hundreds of balls), red-shirting and changing positions (twice), I jumped into the non-existent “transfer portal”, i.e, I put my VHS highlight tape together, typed up a letter (on a typewriter!) and mailed it to University of Michigan (where I was born), University of Virginia (where my older sister went to school), Arizona State University (where I had crossed paths with the coach) and a little DI school in southern Virginia, then called The College of William and Mary. Seemed perfectly logically thinking in my 20year old brain.
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When the Head Coach from William & Mary received my letter, she immediately called and left this voicemail on my answering machine, “This is Debbie Hill from William and Mary. I know exactly who you are and you should definitely come play for me.” No one had ever been so excited about me. I packed my bags and headed to the opposite coast.
August in Virginia is hot. Hot and humid. Get out of the shower and immediately start sweating kind of hot. Did I mention it’s HOT and you sweat a lot? In the 1990’s, the women’s volleyball team trained in Adair Hall, the old recreational gym above the indoor swimming pool. It had no air conditioning. It barely had windows that opened to the outside. In the 90 degree weather, you could taste the chlorine wafting up the stairs as we pounded volleyballs off the walls. Our t-shirts were drenched five minutes into suicides and we thrived.
There was no locker room in Adair. In fact, I think there were barely bathrooms in the building. We all threw our bags in the storage closet. There was no team practice gear and definitely no laundry service. I think most of our knee pads could stand on their own by the end of the season. We weren’t given sports bras or team shoes, we got two uniforms we returned at the end of the season, a track warmup suit (made out of something completely non-breathable) and a “warm up” t-shirt that said William & Mary Volleyball on the front and “Educating the best athletes since 1693” on the back.
The program only had 7 full ride scholarships, which Coach Hill had to do her best to split among the talent. Some walked on and others had full-rides. And this was 20 yrs post Title IX being introduced.
Yet, my over-riding memories of my time at William & Mary volleyball was that it was hard work both in the classroom and on the court, but it was SO rewarding. Our team was good, really good. We won more than we lost. In fact, we were regular conference champions. We played tough national competition, going 5 sets with nationally top ranked teams like SDSu and Florida State. We finished #23 in the nation my junior year.
All of my former teammates have gone on to “crush it” in life including becoming brain surgeons, archeologists, college professors, lawyers, Peace Corp volunteers, sports sales executives, Final Four DI volleyball coaches and of course, amazing wives, mothers and life-long friends.
In a survey of 400 women executives, 52% of C-suite women played sport at the university level, compared to 39% of women at other management levels. The correlation between success on the playing field and success in the workplace is indisputable. Girls who play sports have greater social and economic mobility, grow up healthy and confident, and perform better in school.
In fact, 74% of executive women agreed that a background in sports can help accelerate a woman’s leadership and career potential. - Fortune 02/2023
I am so excited these days to turn on ESPN and watch college volleyball, basketball, soccer and WNBA finals. It’s so uplifting to see women role models on mainstream TV. I love that I was able to stand on the shoulders of those women who came before me in the 1960’s and 70’s and I’m grateful that my daughter’s generation is now seeing the tide turning further still.
Caitlin Clark has changed the sports zeitgeist his year. Men and women are tuning in to watch women’s sports. One person can make a difference. Bars and restaurants were filled this summer watching US Women’s Soccer Team win gold.
Women's sports have never been more exciting or impactful. As we continue to see record-breaking performances, increased visibility, and growing fan bases, now is the time to invest and be part of this movement. Supporting women's sports—whether as a fan, sponsor, or advocate—means promoting equality, fostering future generations of athletes, and elevating the entire sporting community. By watching and investing in women's sports, we're not just witnessing athletic excellence but actively contributing to a more inclusive and equitable playing field.
With all this said, #RaisingAthletes podcast is proud to partner with Watch Me! Sports Bar and Strong Girls United for a LIVE PODCAST next week!
How exciting to be able to celebrate a place that is showcasing women’s sports?
📅 Mark your calendars: [Wednesday, 10/23 @ 5pm] 📅, Watch Me! Sports Bar in Long Beach, CA.
“It’s a space that I wish I could’ve had growing up. A spot we could go to after a (soccer or softball) game on a Sunday and watch my idols on the screen with my teammates and family.”
-JAX DIENER, Co-owner of Watch Me! Sports Bar
Did you know? Watch Me! Sports Bar is the latest bar in the country dedicated to showcasing women’s sports on the big screen! 🙌⚽🏐🏀
Did you know? Strong Girls United mission is to empower girls through sports, mentorship, and mental health programming. 👏💖
What happens when these 3 TEAM UP?1️⃣➕1️⃣➕1️⃣🟰♾️
Susie Walton and I will dive deep into inspiring conversations on empowering young girls, building mental resilience, and fostering strong communities 💖👧👦. We will also stick around to sing books📚, answer questions ❓and watch some women’s sports📺! We will have prizes for any teams/athletes that want to join us!
Bring your family, team or friends. We’d love to meet you all.
#WatchWomenSports #InvestInWomen
We are excited to announce a new partnership with CorVive Natural Health Supplements. CorVive offers top-notch, natural products designed to boost your health and wellness. From hydration to daily supplements, CorVive has you covered.
All #RaisingAthletes listeners will receive 30% OFF with promo code KIRSTEN. Check ONE-TIME PURCHASE for discount.
Do you and your athlete need more tools to Peak Performance? Do you want to connect more with Kirsten? WE HAVE A COURSE STARTING IN NOVEMBER!!!
Check out the Daily Rituals workshop! There have been so many amazing takeaways each week and we hope everyone is beginning to see the differences in their life.
Kirsten’s Substack - Raising Empowered Athletes is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
LOVE this post, Kirsten. So true...and also love the growing trend of sports bars dedicated to women's sports!