Despite my success in college basket-
ball, including winning the Wade Trophy as
the player of the year in 1979 and 1980, the
riches and professional opportunities that
awaited my male counterparts eluded me
and my fellow women stars. For us, college
was supposed to be the pinnacle of our
sports careers. Basketball was my life,
though, and I was determined to make a
living in the sport I loved. This determina-
tion served me well, because the chances
for a woman in professional basketball
were few and far between. I played in two
short-lived professional leagues in the 1980s,
the Women's Professional Basketball
League and the Women's American Bas-
ketball Association, both of which folded
after a year. In between, I worked in a
number of sports-related ventures, includ-
ing stints as a television commentator. In
1986, I played in a men's professional sum-
mer league, and, in 1988, I toured with the
Washington Generals, playing the Harlem
Globetrotters in a European tour. While
these jobs brought me great experience, it
was frustrating to have to work so hard off
the court, never sure where the next oppor-
tunities would be.

In 1997, my basketball career came full
circle. I once again joined a fledging women's
professional basketball league, the WNBA.
This time around, however, the league was
a success from the beginning. Attendance
surpassed everyone's expectations and
games were regularly shown on national
television. Female basketball stars coming
out of college had two professional leagues
in this country to choose from, and through-
out the sporting world, people were taking
notice of strong women's teams in various
sports. Many of the myths regarding the
perceived lack of interest in women's team
sports began to crumble as attendance fig-
ures at women's sporting events soared.
Now as I prepare for my second year in the
league, this time as a coach, I'm excited at
the prospect of the coming years.

Unfortunately, my story of struggle in
sports is not a unique one. In reading through
Outstanding Women Athletes, I came across
story, after story of women who faced simi-
lar obstacles to the ones I overcame. These
athletes refused to take no for answer and
broke through barrier after barrier. Not
only is it satisfying to read the stories of
these trailblazers, but it is also very reward-
ing to learn of the exploits of the first
generation of women to benefit from the
efforts of their foremothers. In this second
edition, women are profiled who, thanks to
tireless advocacy and struggle on and off
the playing fields, had full access to top
facilities and coaching, who had opportuni-
ties to play both individual and team sports
at every level, and who had the chance to
make a living doing what they love.

It is important to read the stories and
history in this book, and even while we
rejoice in the progress so far, plenty of
room is left for improvement. Women's
sports at all levels still receive less coverage
than men's sports in both print and elec-
tronic media. The salaries of women ath-
letes are still lower than their male counter-
parts, and in some sports, leagues have yet
to form. Professional leagues need to be
supported, and young girls growing up need
role models to emulate. Outstanding Wo-
men Athletes provides the role models; it is
up to you to fight for your opportunities,
and to support those who want to plan--
whether in the school, playground, or pro-
fessional arena.

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