We all know about the great work that female athletes like Serena Williams and the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team are doing for women in the sports world, but what about those who are just outside the spotlight? These five women are flying under the radar (sort of) but making things happen on and off the field.
Look out world,
The Last Night’s Game Team
PS – Every year for International Women’s Day (March 8) we report on women #GSDing in the sports world and we’re in awe how much this list has grown since last year. Go girls go!
1. Playing together on the same team for the first time since college are sisters Nneka and Chiney Ogwumike of the Los Angeles Sparks. The two are more than teammates, they’re advocates for the women who make up the WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association). They’re women just like us, students, mothers and businesswomen who happen to dominate on the court. Nneka and Chiney, who are leaders of the league’s players association, led the player negotiations that lead to maternity benefits, higher travel standards and increases to player cash compensation and benefits. RAISING THE BAR
*Chiney opted out of the 2020 season for medical reasons, but she will return to the Sparks this season.
2. Move over Jerry Maguire, Nicole Lynn is here. In last year’s NFL Draft (National Football League), Lynn, 30, became the first black woman to represent a top-five NFL draft pick. Before the draft, she took to the internet to figure out what other women agents have worn and found no inspiration because only two women have ever represented players in the draft previously. The next in line will have Lynn to look up to. TAKE YOUR SEAT AT THE TABLE
3. Becky Hammon is setting the NBA (National Basketball Association) on fire. She’s currently the lead assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs and with Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich out, fans are wondering why Hammon isn’t being allowed to step into the head coaching position. The team instead brought in former player Tim Duncan to replace Popovich even though it seems Hammon is doing the work. They might want to watch out because she’s already the first woman ever to interview for an NBA head coaching job and it’s a matter of time until another team hires her to be the boss. SLAM DUNK
4. Last week, Maia Chaka’ became the first Black female referee in the NFL (National Football League). Chaka has been in the training program since 2014, working college football games as part of the process. Chaka is only the second female referee in the league. She follows in the footsteps of Sarah Thomas, who recently became the first woman to officiate a Super Bowl. JUST THE BEGINNING
5. Soon baseball will no longer be left to the “boys of summer.” Kudos to Justine Siegal who paved the way for so many women when she became the first woman to coach for a Major League Baseball (MLB) organization (Oakland Athletics Fall League, 2015). This year, the San Francisco Giants hired Alyssa Nakken as an assistant coach on their big league roster. Both the Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees appointed women to their minor league coaching staff. WHO’S ON FIRST
