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Kansas City, Mo. — Thousands of people took over the T-Mobile Center Tuesday afternoon for the 2025 Women’s Sports Awards.
One WNBA Superstar was the featured speaker.
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WIN for KC said this is the largest celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day in the country. About 4,000 people were at the T-Mobile Center to celebrate.
The celebration kicked off honoring hundreds of high school state champs across the metro, including the Bishop Miege girls basketball team.
“We had a new coach last year,” Bishop Miege girls basketball player Mary Grant said. “So it was kind of like a new season last year, but everyone adapted well and it was a lot of teamwork, a team effort.”
They’re inspired by the growth in women’s sports and people paving the way.
Director of Win for KC Taylor Obersteadt said the awards highlight women’s contributions to the community through the lens of sports, fitness and wellness.
She said people from across the country were in attendance.
“Someone from LA is coming all the way to Kansas City to join us,” Obersteadt said.
Stepping center stage, Indiana Fever Guard Caitlin Clark, who’s also regarded as one of the best collegiate players of all time.
In a Q and A Clark shared some advice with the young women, telling them to have confidence, trust in yourself and know that it’s ok to fail.
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The 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year said to learn from the situation and bounce back.
“To have the opportunity to see women that you could become is kind of a new thing, like I don’t think I had that growing up,” Obersteadt said. “So, I think it just makes it a little more real and inspires them in that, you know, if you set your sights on something, your dreams can really happen.”
“To hear from Caitlin Clark, and in previous years we’ve heard from Abby Wombach, Simone Biles, Billie Jean King,” President and CEO of KC Sports Commission and WIN for KC Kathy Nelson said. “I hope our high school girls don’t take that for granted about what they get to hear from and experience from one on one.”
She said Kansas City has established a strong track record for advocating for women in sports.
“Kansas City’s become a hot bed for women in sports and you think about the KC Current and we host the Big 12 Women’s Basketball Championships, MIAA Women’s Basketball. We have two NCAA Women’s Championships, Final Fours, yet to come this year in 2025, soccer and volleyball,” Nelson said.
“Our city has to show up for that. We need people to buy tickets for that. We need people to know that we are. That opens doors for other things.”
She’s excited about the future and potential for a WNBA team in Kansas City.
“When you think about Kansas City’s success and the global recognition we have right now, I certainly hope that we are being considered for this, and I know that we are,” Nelson said. “Between Chris and Angie Long and the Mahomes’ jumping into this, and working through that bid process and now onto the next stage, I’m just so excited that people are hearing us and people welcome us to the table to share what Kansas City is.”
Clark also said she thinks Kansas City would be a great spot for a WNBA team, noting she’d love to play at the T-Mobile center.
Leaders said this is the largest crowd to date.
Melissa Lambert is the Kansas City Royals Director of Behavioral Science and Major League Mental Health.
Lambert is one of six award winners this year, winning the Game Changer Award.
She became the first licensed mental health provider to be in an on-field role with an MLB franchise, opening new doors for women in professional sports.
“She’s the first woman in a dugout,” Obersteadt said, “And that just gives me chills to even say that, and so she’s their mental support on and off the field. She’s a sports psychologist.”
Clark is from the Des Moines, Iowa area and grew up a Chiefs fan. She said learning the fundamentals of basketball at a young age helped her succeed.
She believes putting in time and practice is important. Clark also prioritizes mental health.
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During the Q&A, Clark also talked about her experience at the AFC Championship game at Arrowhead stadium with Taylor Swift. She said Swift is a “kind and caring human.” She appreciates “her ability to bring people together.”
Clark said she also played soccer growing up, noting it was the first sport she loved. Clark scored a goal from mid-field.
She said the angle and reading people in soccer helped her as a basketball player.
As much as she loved soccer, the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year said she thinks, “basketball turned out okay.”
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