Dear GRL: When 300 Women Athletes Remind You Why This Work Matters

Hey GRL,

Yesterday was one of those moments that reminded me exactly why we do this work. I found myself in a room with about 300 incredible women in athletics – coaches, administrators, athletes, and leaders who are changing the game in sports. When the opportunity came up to share about the GRL initiative, I took a deep breath and went for it. You know that feeling when you have exactly 60 seconds to capture why something matters? That was me, delivering what I hoped was the tightest elevator pitch of my life.

Standing there, looking out at all those faces of women who know what it's like to compete, to lead, to break barriers in traditionally male-dominated spaces, I felt this incredible surge of connection. These are women who understand that representation matters, that data drives change, and that having research-backed information can be the difference between making your case and being dismissed. When I talked about how the GRL initiative provides evidence-based insights to support women's advancement, I could see heads nodding. They get it – because they've been there, fighting for equal resources, fair treatment, and the recognition they deserve.

What struck me most was how many of these women came from different states, different programs, different levels of athletics. The diversity in that room was everything – from Division I powerhouse programs to small college athletics, from seasoned veterans to rising stars just starting their coaching careers. If even a fraction of those amazing humans check out what we're doing here, we've just expanded our community in the most incredible way. That's the thing about movements – they grow when people who believe in the mission take it back to their own corners of the world and say "hey, you need to see this."

Here's where you come in, GRL. The absolute best way you can support this work is surprisingly simple: like, share, and invite others into this conversation. Every time you share one of our posts, you're putting research-backed insights in front of someone who might desperately need that information. Maybe it's the woman trying to negotiate her salary with solid data, or the one preparing for a leadership role and needing confidence-boosting statistics. And honestly? If there's ever something you want to see us dive into – some topic where you're like "I wish I had real research on this" – please let me know. This initiative exists to serve you and the incredible women in your network. Your questions and curiosities drive the research that could change someone's career trajectory.

Keep being brilliant,
The GRL Team

P.S. – To all the amazing women in athletics who might be reading this: thank you for the work you do every single day. You're not just changing sports; you're changing what's possible for every girl who dreams of being a leader.