When Maria texted me those words I honestly thought she was going to tell me she had an internship opportunity for me or she was going to connect me with someone. I should have known better. Nothing she or the Winning Edge ever does is small. As it turns out, Maria was inviting me to attend the espnW Women + Sports Summit. Like what?! “Why me? I’m not that special.” I did not realize how much attending the summit would change my perspective.

As a young girl growing up in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, I would constantly think of what I wanted to be when I got older. From a “hair doer”, to a second grade teacher, to a physical therapist, the idea of my future self was changed on a daily basis. I always knew I enjoyed playing sports and it was not until my appointment to the SEC Women’s Basketball Leadership Council that I discovered my passion for collegiate athletics, more specifically, enhancing the overall student athlete experience.

Have you ever been offered to attend an event for free? I was able to for the first time and it was an experience I’ll never forget. It all started with a Twitter post made by The Winning Edge Leadership (if you are not following them, you need to @TheWELeadership).