Why I Created Women Sports USA®
To understand why Women Sports USA was created, I have to go back to early 2025, when I heard about a broadcaster describing a lacrosse team as the first at a University. But women had already been playing lacrosse there for decades. What about those athletes? Where were they in the story?
Written by Linda Herron
Women Sports USA®
Sports have influenced almost every aspect of my life. Before I became a business finance executive, an author, or the founder of Women Sports USA®, I was a girl learning to compete, support my teammates, recover from errors, and persevere. I couldn't have predicted how frequently I would rely on those experiences in my life.
I participated in Division I field hockey at the University of Rhode Island, where I was the team captain in both my junior and senior years. Reflecting on that period, I recall not only the competition but also the people. The coaches pushed me to excel because they believed in my potential. My teammates consistently came prepared and committed. We all shared the understanding that each of our efforts was significant to the entire team as a whole.
Those lessons stayed with me throughout more than 40 years as a business finance executive. The setting changed, but I continued to rely on what sports had taught me about preparation, accountability, leadership, and finding a way forward when something did not go as planned.
That lasting influence is at the heart of why I created Women Sports USA®. I know how much a sports experience can shape a person, and I wanted to create a place where women could share those experiences, receive recognition for their contributions, and help others learn from what they had lived through.
Why Women Sports USA® Was Created: From Frustration to Purpose
My letter proposed a way forward: create a trailblazer series to recognize those women. Tell their stories. Give people a chance to learn who they were, what they contributed, and what it was like to compete during those years.
There was an opportunity to turn the controversy into something valuable. The station could introduce its audience to women whose experiences were part of Rhode Island’s sports history and deserved to be heard.
I got crickets.
That silence stayed with me. I had offered an idea that could bring recognition to the women who had been overlooked. When no response came, I thought, “Heck no. I’ll write the articles myself.”
Then I began thinking beyond Rhode Island. If women’s sports history could be overlooked here, where else might it be happening? How many other athletes, coaches, and teams had stories that were known within their own circles but missing from the larger account?
That question helped turn my frustration into a national purpose. It was the beginning of Women Sports USA®.
Why This Mattered So Much to Me
As a former Division I field hockey athlete at the University of Rhode Island, I understood what it meant to represent that university. I served as captain during my junior and senior years, and I still carry the lessons and relationships from those seasons.
When you play on a team, you contribute more than the results someone can find in a record book. You show up for practice, work through difficult days, support your teammates, and take responsibility for your part. You become part of a program’s history, even if your name never makes a headline.
That experience shaped how I responded to the lacrosse story. I thought about the women who had put in that same effort and what it would feel like to hear their sport described as though they had never been there.
Sports also shaped the way I approached the problem. Throughout more than 40 years as a business finance executive, I drew on the preparation, persistence, and accountability I had learned as an athlete. When the news station did not respond, I began looking at what I could do myself.
I could listen. I could write. I could help make those stories available to others.
Preserving the People Behind Women’s Sports History
Women Sports USA® grew from that decision into a nonprofit dedicated to celebrating women in sports, preserving their history, and inspiring future generations through storytelling and community.
I wanted to create a place for the athletes who competed, the coaches who helped them grow, the officials who served the game, and the trailblazers who worked to expand opportunities. Their experiences help explain how women’s sports developed and what it took to keep moving forward.
Some of those stories are well known. Others live in newspaper clippings, family photo albums, or conversations between former teammates. Bringing them forward gives more people the opportunity to learn from them.
That work starts with questions. What was it like to be on your team? What opportunities were available to you? Who supported you? What did you help change, and what do you want the next generation to understand?
A score tells us the result of a game. A conversation helps us understand the people who played it and why the experience still matters to them.
From One Story to a National Mission
The event at the university prompted me to consider more deeply whose experiences are remembered and whose are overlooked. I aimed for Women Sports USA® to extend beyond a single school, sport, or state.
Our 50 States | 50 Stories™ program gives that purpose a national direction by bringing forward women’s sports stories from communities across America. Each story contributes another perspective on the people and opportunities that shaped sports in that community.
By spotlighting athletes, coaches, and trailblazers, we can recognize individual contributions and help readers see the connections across generations. Our educational articles also explore what sports teach us about confidence, leadership, teamwork, and belonging.
I want a girl beginning her first season to discover women she can learn from. I want a former athlete to know that her experience still matters. And I want coaches, families, and communities to have a place to find stories that help them understand the lasting influence of sports.
What I Want Potential Partners to Understand
As I've been having numerous partnership discussions recently, I want them to understand the reason behind this work's existence. It started because women were absent from a narrative, and I felt there was something I could do to assist.
This purpose directs the interviews, research, writing, and relationships involved in the articles. When someone shares their experience, they are entrusting us with something personal. I want them to feel acknowledged, and I want readers to grasp the significance of their contribution.
Collaborations can uncover stories we might not find on our own. A school might be aware of a coach who shaped the lives of many athletes over the years. An association could link us with women whose stories merit broader recognition. A business or community group might provide the resources needed to research, interview, write, and share these narratives.
A meaningful partnership starts with a mutual belief that this history warrants our attention. From this foundation, we can explore the stories we aim to highlight and discuss how to make this work achievable.
You can learn more about the people guiding this mission on our About Us page.
Help Us Bring More Stories Forward
I reached out to the local television station via email to advocate for the recognition of women's contributions. When I received no reply, I chose to take matters into my own hands. What began as frustration over a single broadcast evolved into a dedication to sharing stories of women's sports nationwide.
That's why I founded Women Sports USA®. The women who paved the way should be recognized in the history they contributed to. Future generations deserve the chance to learn from their legacy.
Explore our 50 States | 50 Stories™ collection, learn more about our leadership and purpose, or visit Partner With Us to discuss how we can work together.
There are additional stories to share. I invite individuals and organizations interested in helping us share them.
Linda Herron is the Founder and CEO of Women Sports USA®, a former Division I field hockey athlete, coach, author, and business finance executive with over 40 years of experience. She uses storytelling to honor athletes, coaches, officials, and pioneers, preserving the history of women’s sports and inspiring future generations.
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