Best of ’09: Forming a community, WomenTalkSports.com

This post is the start of a series this week in the WomenTalkSports.com network titled “Best of ’09.” Throughout this week, our community will be posting about their favorite moments in women’s sports in 2009.

There’s no doubt, 2009 was an exciting year in the women’s sports world, and I’m excited to see more posts. For me, though, hands down, my favorite moment was creating the WomenTalkSports.com blog network. It’s the first time in history female sports fans have come together and taken action as a community online.

We launched WomenTalkSports.com in February of 2009 with a mission of increasing attention, awareness and coverage of women’s sports. We felt that traditional media was doing somewhat of a disservice to female athletes by not focusing and covering women’s achievements in sports. For example, when was the last time you picked up the sports section of a newspaper and saw the headline of a female football player, swimmer, ice hockey player or gymnast? It doesn’t happen often.

In the spirit of citizen journalism, we took matters into our own hands. I, along with two of my like-minded friends, Jane Schonberger and Ann Gaffigan (and later joined by Lesley Higgins) decided to start a network of bloggers who take it upon ourselves to cover the achievements of female athletes. We knew there were quite a few of us out there, so we started reaching out and asking if we’d like to come together as a community.

In 2009, our network was born. We now have over 70 contributors to the site, and a community of engaged advocates. We cover local events, discuss the hottest trends in the media, digest cultural and gender issues, conduct interviews, do research and simply do our best to promote women in sport in every possible way. Here are just a few quotes from our members and friends:

“It’s clear that women in sport need a dedicated platform to celebrate their passion as well as the challenges they face. By joining together, we amplify our voices and are better able to bring women’s sports into the mainstream,” Jane Schonberger, PrettyTough.com

“We kept thinking that if sites like Deadspin could create massive discussions about men’s sports, we could do the same for women. All we had to do was start talking to each other and create a community, turns out we were right.” Megan Hueter, BecauseIPlayedSports.com

“We need people like you. If you’re not blogging about us, why should we ask a dude to do it? We need to take care of our own business.” Nancy Lieberman, ESPN Women’s Basketball Analyst, NancyLieberman.com

“Through social networking, we’re able to get our voices out there. I can reach whoever it is who wants to know about me. WomenTalkSports helps us connect with all the people who need to know we’re more than just athletes,” Women’s Sports Foundation President Jessica Mendoza, jmendoza.com

“I’ve been very pleased with how WTS has showcased my College Softball Blog, and helped integrate my blog with other coverage of women’s collegiate sports,” Alan Reifman, College Softball Blog.

“Women Talk Sports is the only community of its kind. It is an amazing resource for anyone interested in what is going on in the world of women’s athletics.” Sarah Braesch, Sarah and the Goon Squad, Draft Day Suit, BlogHer

“Women’s sports has been on the back burner so to speak & this is a way of letting people know wonen can play sports!” Lois, Sports Granny

“Women Talk Sports is delivering on the gaping need for Womens Sports to receive the media coverage it deserves, while educating and breaking the glass ceilings that are still silently keeping female sporting events in the shadows.   By giving a central place for all women’s sports to be in the spotlight, Women Talk Sports is a strong champion and ambassador to all women involved in athletics.” Erica Ortiz, Horsepower and Heels

“I joined Women Talk Sports to encourage others to exercise and get fit through my blog. I also joined to learn more about Women in sports and to raise awareness to women in sports today.” Danica, @chicrunner, http://www.chicrunner.com

“WomenTalkSports.com is ‘one stop shopping’ for those that care about the issues and events of women’s sports.  It is an incredible resource center for coaches, administrators, student-athletes, fans and the media.” Coach Bob Starkey, women’s basketball coach, Lousianna State University, Hoopthoughts Blog

“WomenTalkSports.com is an empowering site that provides a gateway for  women to discuss not just athletics, but the politics, celebrations, and triumphs behind women in athletics as well. By opening doors,  discussing controversial topics in an open forum, and putting a spin  on the common perception of sport, WTS paves the way for the future of professional female athletes.” Megan Killian, EnduranceMeg.com

“For women who love sports, there could not be a better place to gather than WomenTalkSports.com, a community of passionate fans and participants.” Michelle McDonald, Leftcoasthoops.com

“Women Talk Sports is a great place for any fan of women’s sports or anyone that wants to hear what women have to say about sports.” Apryl Delancey, Women Like Sports

“Women Talk Sports is not only a way to bring new readers to your blog, it’s an amazing resource for creating a community of bloggers who are passionate about women’s sports.” Fat Louie, Women’s Sports Blog

“Women Talk Sports is an amazing resource for sports fans and athletes alike. It has helped increase the readership of my women’s basketball site. I have also learned more about other sports via WTS. I am proud to be a part of the WTS community.” Cheryl, Hoopfeed.com

“Women Talk Sports is a one-stop spot for all things related to women’s sports at all levels. I am proud to have my site as part of the WTS community.” Charlene Polanosky, Sports Girls Play

“Women Talk Sports is a great resource for athletes and sports fans alike. There’s always interesting and educational content.” Dana, Rungranolarun.com

“When first I learned of Women Talk Sports, the prospect of an online network dedicated to women’s sports excited me. To be a part of it is even more exciting, and an honor. The community that has found a home there has become a source of inspiration and knowledge for all who care about women’s sports.” Rob Mars, Athleticwomen.com

“I think WomenTalkSports.com is important for all women interested in sports, whether they play or just like to be a part of watching women participate. Having a tangible presence on the internet and being heard, read, and viewed, are just two of the main things WomenTalkSports.com does for women sports.” Cynthia, C&R Women’s Basketball Blog

If you’re interested in joining the WomenTalkSports.com network, please contact us!

… Links to more postings on the “Best of ’09″ posts will be added to the bottom of this blog post as they’re published.

• From Because I Played Sports, Best of ’09: Forming a community, WomenTalkSports.com
• From One Athletic Women, Best of ’09: an idiosyncratic digest of bloggings from Athletic Women Blog
• From The Glowing Edge, Top Four Historic Moments in Women’s Boxing 2009
• From MultiSport Mama, A Year of plantar fasciitis: 12 months of pain and recovery
• From Fair Games News, Six troubled trends in women’s sports (and what we can do)
• From Draft Day Suit, Trobling Trends in Women’s Sports
• From One Sport Voice, The “Best” of 2009 and the State of Girls & Women in Sports
• From WakeGirls.com, Best of ‘09 – A Year for Women in Wake
• From Nobody Puts Robin in a Corner, Best of ’09: A Fresh Meat’s Perspective
• From PrettyTough.com, 2009: A Salute to Women in Sports
• From Jayda Evans of the Seattle Times, Best of the decade: A look back at Northwest women’s hoops
• From Women Talk Sports Co-Founder Ann Gaffigan, Victories and Failures in Women’s Sports in 2009 (#FTW or #FAIL)
• From Westbound Boarder, Top Female Snowboarding Moments of 2009
• From Swish Appeal, Best of 2009: The Humble Emergence of Tanisha Wright
• From C and R Stanford Women’s Basketball, Best the Best of 2009
  
• Best the Best of 2009