Women's sports is still in its infancy. The beginning of women's

Billie Jean King declared, “Women’s sports is still in its infancy. The beginning of women’s sports in the United States started in 1972, with the passage of Title IX for girls to finally get athletic scholarships.” These words are not mere observation—they are a proclamation, born from the struggle of generations. They remind us that what many now take for granted—the sight of women competing on equal fields, cheered by thousands, honored with medals—was not born from ease, but from law, from courage, and from sacrifice. Title IX was the key that unlocked the gates of opportunity, yet the journey from infancy to maturity remains unfinished.

In speaking of infancy, King does not diminish women’s achievements; rather, she places them in historical truth. Men’s organized sports, with its centuries of infrastructure, wealth, and tradition, towers in comparison. Women, by contrast, were barred from the fields, silenced in the arenas, their strength dismissed, their talent overlooked. Only in the year 1972 did the law of the United States declare that women, too, must be given equal opportunity in education and athletics. From that moment, the child of women’s sports was born, small and fragile, yet destined to grow into strength.

The ancients knew the power of beginnings. Rome was once a village before it became an empire; the acorn was once overlooked before it became the mighty oak. So too is women’s sport. Billie Jean King, who fought her own battles on the tennis court and beyond, reminds us that the true birth of equality in American sport is not measured in centuries but in mere decades. What we see today—the WNBA, women’s World Cups, Olympic champions—are still the early fruits of a tree that has only just taken root.

History confirms her wisdom. Before Title IX, opportunities for young women in sport were rare and poorly supported. Colleges offered scholarships only to men. Facilities, coaching, and recognition were denied to women. But with the passage of Title IX, a wave began: girls were able to dream of college through athletics, women’s teams grew stronger, and the nation began to see what had long been hidden—that women possess the same fire, the same endurance, the same will to win as men. From this law, legends were born: Mia Hamm, Lisa Leslie, Serena Williams, Simone Biles, and countless others who carried forward the torch of possibility.

The emotional weight of King’s words lies in their mixture of triumph and urgency. Triumph, because a beginning was made, and doors once barred were broken open. Urgency, because infancy is fragile, and without care, without vigilance, the child can stumble. She warns us not to imagine the battle finished, but to understand that we are still in the earliest chapters. True equality, true recognition, true celebration of women’s sports requires nurturing, resources, and above all, respect.

For the seeker of wisdom, the lesson is luminous: do not despise small beginnings, for from them rise great things. The infancy of women’s sports is not weakness but potential. What matters is how we tend to it—whether with neglect or with devotion. To belittle it is to deny the future; to nourish it is to shape generations of strength and glory. Just as the ancients trained their youth for the games of Olympia, so too must we invest in the daughters of our time, ensuring they have fields to play on, coaches to guide them, and scholarships to open the doors of learning.

What then must we do? Support women’s sports with our presence, our voices, our resources. Tell the stories of female athletes with the same reverence given to men. Ensure that young girls grow knowing they are not shadows, but stars. And remember always that laws like Title IX are not dead words on paper, but living promises to be upheld.

Thus, Billie Jean King’s words resound like a call to generations: women’s sports is still in its infancy, but infancy is the promise of greatness. What was born in 1972 must be guarded, nourished, and celebrated, until it grows not only into strength, but into equality. And when that day comes, the victories of women will not be seen as novelties, but as the rightful triumphs of half of humanity, long overdue, and eternally deserved.