By Candice Storey Lee
Perry Wallace, the first Black basketball player in the history of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and a trailblazer at Vanderbilt University, used to say that “reconciliation without the truth is just acting.” I can also hear the voice of the late David Williams II — the first Black athletic director in the SEC, a longtime Vanderbilt athletic director — chiming in with his oft-repeated mantra that “change does not automatically mean progress.” Among their many accomplishments, both were constant and fierce advocates for creating opportunities for women in sports.
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As I learned from these pioneering leaders, change, on its own, is not enough. Progress requires intention, resources and the courage to invest where the return may not be immediate — but is unmistakable over time.
Women’s sports illustrate this better than almost any arena. Long before women were formally recognized, funded or celebrated by their institutions, they were already competing — playing, organizing and building teams with little more than determination and belief. The absence of institutional support never erased their talent or ambition. It only delayed acknowledgment of what was already true.
That history matters because it reminds us of a persistent pattern: opportunity often exists before institutions are willing to name it, fund it or lead it. And progress depends on leaders who are willing to close that gap — not with symbolic gestures, but with sustained investment.
Today, on National Women and Girls in Sports Day, we are at one of those moments. Women’s sports are experiencing unprecedented visibility, competitive excellence and fan engagement. Yet the infrastructure that supports them — scholarships, facilities, staffing and long-term resources — too often lags the reality on the field and court. If we believe in excellence, we must be willing to invest accordingly.
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This is not about taking away from men’s sports or reallocating a fixed pie. It is about strengthening the entire ecosystem of college athletics. When women’s programs are fully supported, institutions benefit from stronger leadership development, broader engagement and a more durable model of success. Investing in women’s sports is not a side initiative; it is a core strategy for the future of college athletics.
For too long, girls and women were excluded from such opportunities — even as sports continued to shape leaders, communities and cultures for all of us. We also know the immense value that participation in athletics provides any human. That’s why it’s so important we don’t just mark this day with feel-good slogans or social media graphics. Celebrations matter, but they are most meaningful when paired with a commitment to truth and real change.
The popularity of sports continues to rise. And in the world of women’s sports, it seems that every day brings a new story about the formation of a league or a record being set — whether in attendance, television viewership, sponsorship dollars or professional player contracts.
A recent report by McKinsey found that between 2022 and 2024, revenue from women’s sports grew 4.5 times faster than men’s. And yet, even with that growth, revenues generated by women’s sports represent less than 2 percent of the total U.S. sports market. “The next frontier of growth for women’s sports,” the report concluded, “will be closing this monetization gap and realizing women’s sports’ full potential as a high-revenue market.”
Vanderbilt AD Candice Storey Lee hugs Mikayla Blakes after she scored her 1,000th point of the season on Dec. 3, 2025. (Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)
(Johnnie Izquierdo via Getty Images)
But supporting girls and women in their athletic endeavors goes well beyond the idea of increasing revenues — and it aligns with what we know sports can do for any young person. It’s also about developing leaders who will help build a better society. Whether a girl or young woman plays competitively in high school or college, goes on to the Olympics or simply plays at the recreational level for the pure enjoyment of the game, sports can teach us so much.
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As someone who played basketball from about the age of 10 through college, I speak from firsthand experience when I say that without the lessons I learned through the highs and lows of sports, I would not be in the position I am today. Sports teaches people the value of teamwork — of being part of something larger than themselves. It teaches accountability, resilience, and discipline. It prompts us to have difficult conversations with peers, to feel a sense of mastery, and to gain confidence. We learn how to lead and how to follow, how to compete, and how to win and lose with humility and grace. In sports, we work and play alongside a diverse group of people who may not all look or think alike, but who can come together in pursuit of a common goal. Those opportunities are too few and far between these days.
If sports participation can benefit young women in so many of these ways, it’s no surprise that studies consistently show that more than 90 percent of women in C-suite positions have a background in playing sports. Studies also show that 85 percent of women who played sports attribute their career success to the skills learned through athletic participation. Count me among them.
These are astounding numbers — and they would have been unimaginable just a few generations ago, before Title IX. But we know we cannot take progress for granted. Remember, we can’t even assume that change equals progress. History has taught us that gains can be reversed in the blink of an eye. Support for women’s sports has ebbed and flowed. Leagues have come and gone. Women have been pushed out of leadership positions when money starts to flow. As we work to ensure more opportunities for women in sports at a national level, it’s important that women maintain seats at the table — working alongside men as partners, collaborators and allies in shaping the future of sports. Women should not only be the players on the fields and courts, but also the leaders driving business decisions, innovation and long-term strategy.
Make no mistake about it: Investing in women’s sports makes everyone better. When we commit to a level of equity where everyone is able to achieve at their highest capacity, it benefits all of us, regardless of gender, role or starting point. By not only celebrating girls and women in sports, but by strengthening the infrastructure that supports their participation, we build a stronger nation.
And that’s the truth.
(Editor’s Note: This is a guest editorial written by Vanderbilt vice chancellor for athletics and university affairs and athletic director Candice Storey Lee.)
