Sports have always been part of my life. Some of my earliest memories are being outside with my dad, shooting basketball in the driveway while he rebounded for me, or standing in the backyard while he hit ground balls my way. Those moments made sports feel fun and familiar. As I got older, sports became more competitive, but they were still something I truly enjoyed. Playing taught me how to work hard, stay disciplined, and be part of a team. Over time, my interest in sports grew into wanting to understand more than just the game itself. My passion for women’s sports really developed when I played high school basketball. Our girls’ games were always played before the boys’. Most nights, the stands stayed pretty empty until the end of our game, when students would start coming in just to watch the boys play. Even during my sophomore year, when our team started the season undefeated and the boys’ team was struggling, the support didn’t change much. That experience stuck with me. It showed me that girls’ sports don’t always get the attention they deserve, even when the effort and results are there. Because of that, I became interested in sports media and marketing. I started noticing how women’s sports are covered online and how social media affects what people pay attention to. I’ve always been curious why my basketball posts on Instagram usually get more likes and engagement than other posts I share. That made me wonder what draws people in and why certain sports content connects more than others. It made me want to learn how stories are shared and how interest in sports is built. Next year, I will be attending the University of Alabama, and I’m excited to be in such a strong sports environment. I plan to get involved in student organizations related to sports media, marketing, or communications, and I hope to work with athletics in any way I can. Being around college sports at that level will give me a chance to learn how teams are promoted and how fans connect with athletes. I’m especially interested in organizations like Playmakers Nashville because of their focus on supporting and connecting women in the sports industry. I like that Playmakers values collaboration, networking, and helping women grow in different roles within sports. That kind of community is important, especially for young women who are just starting to figure out their path. The impact I hope to have on the sports industry is to help make women’s sports feel more supported and respected. I want younger girls to grow up seeing more coverage, more fans, and more opportunities. This scholarship would help me take an important step toward being part of that change.

Sports have always been part of my life. Some of my earliest memories are being outside with my dad, shooting basketball in the driveway while he rebounded for me, or standing in the backyard while he hit ground balls my way. Sports were never forced on me, they were just something we did as a family. As I got older, they became more competitive, but they always stayed important to me. Playing sports taught me how to work hard, stay disciplined, and be part of a team. Another big part of my sports experience has been growing up around professional sports, especially hockey. My family has been season ticket holders for the Nashville Predators for several years, and I’ve been going to Preds games since I was little. Some of my favorite memories are standing behind Lyndsay Rowley during intermission, listening to her talk and hoping we’d show up on TV in the background. Watching how the broadcasts worked in real time made me curious about sports media and how much goes into creating the gameday experience beyond the ice. My interest in women’s sports became even stronger when I played high school basketball. Our girls’ games were always scheduled before the boys’. Most nights, the stands stayed pretty empty during our game, and students didn’t really show up until the end so they could get seats for the boys’ game. Even during my sophomore year, when our team started the season undefeated and the boys’ team struggled, the level of support didn’t change much. That experience stuck with me and made me realize how often girls’ sports are overlooked, regardless of effort or success. Because of that, I became interested in the media and marketing side of sports. I started paying attention to how sports are promoted and how fans connect with teams, especially through social media. I’ve always been curious why my basketball posts on Instagram tend to get more likes and attention than other posts I share. It made me wonder what draws people in and why certain content connects more than others. That curiosity made me want to learn how interest in sports is built. Next year, I will be attending the University of Alabama, and I’m excited to be surrounded by such a strong sports culture. I plan to get involved in student organizations related to sports media, marketing, or communications, and I hope to work with athletics in any way I can. Being in a major college sports environment will give me the chance to learn more about fan engagement, branding, and the business side of sports. I’m especially interested in this scholarship because of Playmakers Nashville’s focus on supporting and connecting women in the sports industry. Pairing Playmakers Nashville with an organization like the Nashville Predators shows how professional teams can invest in the next generation. The impact I hope to have on the sports industry is to help make sports, especially women’s sports, feel more supported, visible, and valued. This scholarship would help me take an important step toward being part of that future.

Sports have always been part of my life. Some of my earliest memories are being outside with my dad, shooting basketball in the driveway while he rebounded for me, or standing in the backyard while he hit ground balls my way. Those moments made sports feel fun and familiar. As I got older, sports became more competitive, but they were still something I truly enjoyed. Playing taught me how to work hard, stay disciplined, and be part of a team. Over time, my interest in sports grew into wanting to understand more than just the game itself. My passion for women’s sports really developed when I played high school basketball. Our girls’ games were always played before the boys’. Most nights, the stands stayed pretty empty until the end of our game, when students would start coming in just to watch the boys play. Even during my sophomore year, when our team started the season undefeated and the boys’ team was struggling, the support didn’t change much. That experience stuck with me. It showed me that girls’ sports don’t always get the attention they deserve, even when the effort and results are there. Because of that, I became interested in sports media and marketing. I started noticing how women’s sports are covered online and how social media affects what people pay attention to. I’ve always been curious why my basketball posts on Instagram usually get more likes and engagement than other posts I share. That made me wonder what draws people in and why certain sports content connects more than others. It made me want to learn how stories are shared and how interest in sports is built. Next year, I will be attending the University of Alabama, and I’m excited to be in such a strong sports environment. I plan to get involved in student organizations related to sports media, marketing, or communications, and I hope to work with athletics in any way I can. Being around college sports at that level will give me a chance to learn how teams are promoted and how fans connect with athletes. I’m especially interested in organizations like Playmakers Nashville because of their focus on supporting and connecting women in the sports industry. I like that Playmakers values collaboration, networking, and helping women grow in different roles within sports. That kind of community is important, especially for young women who are just starting to figure out their path. The impact I hope to have on the sports industry is to help make women’s sports feel more supported and respected. I want younger girls to grow up seeing more coverage, more fans, and more opportunities. This scholarship would help me take an important step toward being part of that change.

Sports have always been part of my life. Some of my earliest memories are being outside with my dad, shooting basketball in the driveway while he rebounded for me, or standing in the backyard while he hit ground balls my way. Those moments made sports feel fun and familiar. As I got older, sports became more competitive, but they were still something I truly enjoyed. Playing taught me how to work hard, stay disciplined, and be part of a team. Over time, my interest in sports grew into wanting to understand more than just the game itself. My passion for women’s sports really developed when I played high school basketball. Our girls’ games were always played before the boys’. Most nights, the stands stayed pretty empty until the end of our game, when students would start coming in just to watch the boys play. Even during my sophomore year, when our team started the season undefeated and the boys’ team was struggling, the support didn’t change much. That experience stuck with me. It showed me that girls’ sports don’t always get the attention they deserve, even when the effort and results are there. Because of that, I became interested in sports media and marketing. I started noticing how women’s sports are covered online and how social media affects what people pay attention to. I’ve always been curious why my basketball posts on Instagram usually get more likes and engagement than other posts I share. That made me wonder what draws people in and why certain sports content connects more than others. It made me want to learn how stories are shared and how interest in sports is built. Next year, I will be attending the University of Alabama, and I’m excited to be in such a strong sports environment. I plan to get involved in student organizations related to sports media, marketing, or communications, and I hope to work with athletics in any way I can. Being around college sports at that level will give me a chance to learn how teams are promoted and how fans connect with athletes. I’ve also taken time to learn about organizations like Playmakers Nashville and Athletes Unlimited. I like that Playmakers Nashville focuses on connecting and supporting women who work in sports through networking and mentorship. Athletes Unlimited stood out to me because of how they run women’s professional leagues and focus on giving athletes more visibility and leadership opportunities. I respect that they want to inspire the next generation of women in sports, not just on the field but beyond it. The impact I hope to have on the sports industry is to help make women’s sports feel more supported and respected. I want younger girls to grow up seeing more coverage, more fans, and more opportunities. This scholarship would help me take an important step toward being part of that change.