Carly Smolak to the U.S. Senate: Girls Deserve Their Own Sports

Former professional soccer player Carly Smolak tells the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee how girls’ sports helped take her from youth soccer in Oregon to a scholarship at Stanford and a professional career. She asks whether young female athletes today can count on those same opportunities.

Smolak also recounts her experience in Australian Rules Football and raises concerns about fairness and safety on women’s teams. She urges sports leaders to protect the female category at every level, from youth leagues to professional competition.