Tennis star works to ensure a bright future for girls
By Joy Capps
Photography by Robert French
Billie Jean King, tennis legend and founder of the Women’s Sports Foundation, recently visited San Antonio to talk about a unique program she developed called GoGirlGo!, created to get one-million girls between the ages of 8 and 18 physically active and keep another one-million girls from dropping out of sports. San Antonio became the third U.S. city to launch the initiative in November 2006. Under the umbrella of The San Antonio Sports Foundation, $100,000 in cash grants will be awarded to local girl-serving agencies which implement and enhance physical activity and sports programs. King knows the importance of this program; before she was a tennis star, she was a girl who needed encouragement, too.
A legend in the making
As a young girl in the 50’s and 60’s, King felt like a second-class citizen. When her keen athletic abilities began to surface in school activities, she encountered teachers who discouraged her from using superior coordination. “My fourth grade teacher sent derogatory notes to my parents about my athletic abilities, sharing that it wasn’t proper for a young lady to actively use these skills,” King reflected. In those days, it was considered strange for a girl to excel in athletics.
“By the age of 12, I knew I wanted to change things for women who wanted to compete athletically,” she continued. Her parents decided she should give up playing football and baseball for more “ladylike” sports. Her father, Bill Moffit, suggested tennis since it involved running and hitting a ball. “After my first lesson, I knew what I wanted to do with my life.” She went on to win her first championship match by age 15.
Throughout her legendary tennis career, King earned a phenomenal 20 Wimbledon titles. Among other victories, she also won three World Team Tennis Championships and four U.S. Opens. King’s pursuits revolutionized women’s sports while championing social change and equal rights for everyone. She moved tennis out of country clubs into the national spotlight while proving women could compete athletically like men.
In 1974, King started womenSports magazine, the first magazine dedicated to women in sports. During the publication’s inception, Bob Hope and Tony Randall each gave King $5,000 checks to help launch the Women’s Sports Foundation simultaneously. Currently in its 33rd year, the organization successfully continues the charitable mission to “ensure equal access to participation and leadership opportunities for all girls and women in sports and fitness.” This goal led to the development of programs such as GoGirlGo!
GoGirlGo!
San Antonio was selected to implement the GoGirlGo! program because of its increasingly high number of cases involving obesity and diabetes, especially among Hispanics. Statistics have shown most girls will grow up inactive unless they are encouraged to build physical activity into their daily routines when they are young. Historically, active young women maintain a positive body image, confidence and self-esteem not typically found in those who are inactive. The simple act of moving and playing consistently can reduce the risk for diabetes, cancer, obesity and other debilitating diseases, as well as unwanted pregnancies.
Girls’ health is a significant issue locally. Statistics have shown that girls in Texas have a more sedentary lifestyle (39.5 percent), poorer nutrition (17.6 percent) and a higher incidence of obesity (11.2 percent) than girls nationwide. Ranking sixth in the nation, Texas residents include over 17 percent of the U.S. population living below the poverty level.
During her March visit, King discussed GoGirlGo!’s goals and benefits at a San Antonio Sports Foundation reception held at the Koehler Cultural Center at San Antonio College. Joining King at the event were Donna Lopiano, CEO of the National Women’s Sports Foundation and Texas State Senator Leticia Van de Putte.
“In the U.S. today, two out of three girls are not getting enough exercise,” shared King. “We started [the program] in Atlanta and Chicago. San Antonio was selected because we knew the San Antonio Sports Foundation would take ownership in the project to help educate local Hispanic girls who are growing up in the nation’s second worst city for diabetes.” Understanding the impact of this statistic, it is vital to have a project like GoGirlGo! to educate and motivate San Antonio girls to develop good physical and emotional health.
A call to action
King’s philosophy is: “You never know how you’re going to change the lives of the people you meet in life. We need to be awake and look for the opportunities standing right in front of us.” San Antonio’s GoGirlGo! program is an expression of this philosophy.
This program educates and motivates girls to appreciate that health and wellness is an asset. By teaching active lifestyles today, this approach instills healthy habits for life. In today’s society, many girls grow-up to become primary caregivers for their families. With established wellness routines, the families they lead will develop healthy and strong who will mature and repeat the process with their children.
Committed to the cause, the San Antonio Sports Foundation, coupled with other key individuals and organizations, has earmarked funds to develop the program in the San Antonio community. U.S. Representative Charlie Gonzalez secured $200,000 in federal funds dedicated to the program. Local individuals and companies have donated thousands of dollars to the cause. The long list of contributing champions includes companies such as, the Pepsi Bottling Co., Creative Link, IKON Office Solutions, The San Antonio Express-News, Valero Energy Corporation and many others.
“We need to work together to empower girls while changing San Antonio dynamics to provide equal opportunities. This can only be achieved through an army of organizations and individuals working together in the community,” King says.
To learn how you can get involved visit www.kintera.org/faf/home or www.gogirlgo.com.
