In a League of Her Own

Bonnie-Jill Laflin

doi:10.5771/9781538171530

Summary

Some of the most influential women in sports tell their stories of courage, adversity, and triumph to trailblazer Bonnie-Jill Laflin.

A half-century after Title IX legislation leveled the playing field for women and girls, the time has come to celebrate the lives and careers of some of the most notable groundbreaking women in sports, while also encouraging future generations to make history of their own.

In a League of Her Own: Celebrating Female Firsts in Sports shares the stories of nineteen impactful women in sports, including Billie Jean King, Danica Patrick, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Laila Ali, Jeanie Buss, and Mary Lou Retton. These iconic women open up to Bonnie-Jill Laflin, herself a trailblazer as the first and only female NBA scout, about the sobering realities females face in the sports world and the many obstacles they had to overcome. But they also celebrate the amazing support they received from colleagues, friends, family, and the women who came before them, and impart their own desires to inspire young women through their stories.

In a League of Her Own gives these remarkable women a voice to share their experiences across the sports industry. They discuss such issues as the pressures of social media, the sexism that still exists in boardrooms and locker rooms, and their hopes for closer equality in the sports space. Their journeys are each unique, but together, they have changed the face of sports and culture forever.