Preserving the Hidden Foundations of Women’s Athletics
At a panel discussion hosted at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, sports legends and media figures gathered to examine the often-overlooked history of women in athletics, drawing connections between historical civil rights struggles and the current surge in popularity. Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer Valerie Still and award-winning broadcaster Brenda VanLengen spoke during a packed evening moderated by Philadelphia Sisters cofounder Ashley Lunkenheimer. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the event featured a one-night-only exhibit displaying historical sports memorabilia from field hockey, tennis, and baseball alongside items from Still’s personal collection.
Still, who grew up in Camden and maintains deep local ties, emphasized that the erasure of women’s athletic achievements is deliberate rather than accidental. During the discussion, she reflected on her journey discovering that she is the great-great-grandniece of William Still, the abolitionist widely recognized as the father of the Underground Railroad. Her genealogical research began after her playing career ended in 1999 following the dissolution of the American Basketball League, serving as a personal bridge between her family’s enslaved past and her own pioneering athletic career as one of the first women to earn a basketball scholarship to Kentucky.
Archival Research and the Fight for Title IX Equality
VanLengen shared similar insights regarding the importance of unearthing historical records. After discovering photographs of her grandmother playing basketball in the 1920s, she began investigating why succeeding generations faced institutional barriers, leading her to produce the docuseries If Not for Them, which chronicles early women’s basketball pioneers. VanLengen noted that the fundraising effort for the project is approximately 75% complete.
The conversation also bridged generational divides by featuring 83-year-old Lurline Jones, a local coaching icon and civil rights leader. In 1979, Jones filed a lawsuit under Title IX after city officials refused to organize a girls’ high school basketball championship. Jones warned the audience that contemporary youth face renewed hurdles as school districts cut back athletic programs, equipment access, and funding, reiterating that competitive sports remain vital for youth leadership and academic engagement.
Looking Forward to the Philadelphia Sisters and 2030 Expansion
The evening connected past systemic barriers to modern institutional growth, highlighted by the anticipated 2030 arrival of the WNBA expansion team, the Philadelphia Sisters. Still expressed profound emotion over the milestone, noting that growing up she dreamed of playing alongside Julius Erving and the Philadelphia 76ers, a barrier that the upcoming franchise will help dismantle for future generations of local athletes.
At the same time, speakers addressed ongoing challenges in the sports media landscape. VanLengen pointed to recent online harassment targeting female sports journalists as a reminder of the hostility young girls still observe, while expressing hope that the resilience of women athletes will inspire continued community advocacy. Lunkenheimer closed the event with a direct call to action, urging attendees and local corporations to actively support women’s sports at every level to establish Philadelphia as a premier market for the discipline.