Leslie: women are still making strides in sports

There are not very many people who have won four Olympic gold medals.

But Lisa Leslie is amongst that elite group.

The former WNBA basketball pro is the keynote speaker for tonight’s Women in Sports Expo banquet.

Leslie’s list of accomplishments makes her one of the all-time greats in women’s basketball history.

She was the first player to dunk in a WNBA game and the first to reach the 6,000 points plateau. Leslie was a two-time WNBA champion, three-time WNBA MVP and eight-time WNBA all-star.

While playing for Morningside High School, she became just the second female to score 100 points in a game as she put up 101. 

It’s likely she would have broken Cheryl Miller’s record of 105 points except South Torrance High School decided to forfeit the game at half time, trailing 102 to 24. 

Oh, and there’s those four gold medals.

Leslie is looking to pass on her pearls of wisdom to the guests at tonight’s banquet.

She said: “It’s exciting. I’ve never been to Bermuda before so I’m very honoured to come and hopefully inspire a lot of other women. We all want to be successful and do the best that we can do.

“I want to pass on information that’s been key for me both on and off the court. I want to give them little nuggets that they can take away and use on a daily basis.” 

Leslie’s success comes in part to legislation (Title IX) in the US that required schools to give women equal opportunity to compete in sports. 

She said: “Title IX has been huge. Just to have the opportunity has been the difference in my career. Otherwise I would not have been able to go to a private university like USC. Title IX was passed in 1972, the same year I was born — and it’s really done exactly what it’s supposed to have done. It gives young women and young girls the opportunity to play sports.”

She said women have not yet reached the promised land in sports and there are still gains to be made.

“We’re still making strides in making our space and place. Girls just want to play too. We’re definitely moving in that direction, but the media has just as much a responsibility in helping us to advance.

“The media have a responsibility at a local level to cover girls’ sports whether it be high school or college. There are a lot of girls’ sports that are happening and women sports that are happening at the college level could be covered.

“If they were covered from a local level, that could help grow the sport and gain interest.”

Leslie was thankful for her WNBA career with Los Angeles Sparks and the acceptance the sport has had with its NBA counterparts.

“Having the opportunity to play professional basketball in the USA was really a difference maker. The way the NBA players have responded like LeBron James or Kevin Durrant. They speak highly of women’s basketball and the WNBA. They have helped gain such respect for us as players. That’s really been the benefit.”

As great as that was for her, Leslie said that does not compare to putting on the red, white and blue for the United States at the Olympics. 

“It was the highlight of my career. It’s amazing. It’s one thing to represent my city, but it’s definitely an honour to represent my country four times and win gold four times. It doesn’t get any better than that other than having children.”