Many athletes at Northwestern State University of Louisiana go on to leave a legacy of their own with much of their inspiration coming from those who paved the way before them. From opening up about mental health to the struggles of balancing motherhood and competing, many female athletes around the world motivate the next generation of young women.
Madisen Skinner: Reigniting your passion
Olivia Bush, sophomore business major and right side for the Lady Demons volleyball team, is inspired by Madisen Skinner.
Skinner is a Katy, Texas native and was a former outside hitter for the University of Texas Longhorns where she earned several National Collegiate Athletic Association and American Volleyball Coaches Association honors and awards. Currently, Skinner is a member of the U.S.A. Women’s National Team, where she made her senior national team debut at the 2024 Volleyball Nations League Week One against China.
“She is a phenomenal athlete on and off the court. She struggled with mental health for a while and lost her love for the game, but then she got it back,” Bush said. “I relate to her because I’ve kind of reignited my love for volleyball after coming here and getting with this kind of group of girls and new teammates.”
She explained that watching Skinner not only influenced her approach to the game, but also the impact volleyball has on the world of women’s sports.
“She’s recognized all over the world. Many people are starting to watch volleyball and they’re breaking records of how many people are starting to watch volleyball. It’s really powerful to see that girls’ sports are important too,” Bush said.
Alyssa Brito: Walk of faith
Cameron Curtis, sophomore nursing major and outfielder for the Lady Demons softball team, shared that Alyssa Brito is her role model.
According to Ohio State University Athletics, Brito was a former utility player for the Sooners’ softball team and earned several accolades in her career. In 2023, she was named Unanimous National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) First Team All-American, NFCA All-Region First Team and Big 12 Championship All-Tournament Team.
Curtis explained that not only is Brito a talented athlete, but she also inspired her to be outspoken about her faith.
“My faith in walking with Christ is a large part of who I am and I would encourage others to never be hesitant or be vocal about that,” she said. “Brito was able to win three national championships at Oklahoma, but instead of taking all the credit for those wins, she gave all the glory to God and even prayed for Jada Coleman before her at-bat, which is something I feel like we don’t see very often.”
Curtis shared that Brito’s approach to the game changed how she views challenges.
“She has influenced my approach to softball by just the simple understanding of everything that happens for a reason,” Curtis said. “And as softball players, we’re going to fail and it’s just a matter of how we learn from that failure and how we respond and become better players and teammates.”
Simone Biles: Raising the bar
Vernell Atamah, freshman nursing major and forward for the Lady Demon’s basketball team, shared that Simone Biles inspires her.
According to the Olympics’ website, Biles started her gymnastics journey at only six years old in Columbus, Ohio. She made her debut as a U.S. Olympian in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2016.
During her time as an Olympian, she earned seven gold, two silver and two bronze medals. She attended 30 World Championships, she earned 23 gold, four silver and three bronze medals. According to the Olympics’ website, Biles now holds both the record number of World Championship gold medals and World Championship All-Around titles in the women’s competition.
“She always proves that the standard can always be raised higher. I see this as inspiring because doing this helps me raise my own game and overall performance. It also teaches me to never settle for anything other than greatness,” Atamah said.
Biles encourages Atamah to aim high when it comes to her approach to basketball. “Even though she performs well, Simone is constantly looking for ways to make it even better. I strive to do the same thing on the court,” she said.
Atamah believes that female athletes are constantly breaking barriers and proving to everyone that success in sports is achievable regardless of someone’s race or gender.
“This confidence and motivation is building up inside young girls and encourages them to never give up on their dreams,” Atamah said.
Allyson Felix: Motherly triumph
Leah Thompson, senior biology and music business major and cross-country athlete, explained that Allyson Felix comes to mind when thinking of a female athlete that she looks up to.
Felix is a Los Angeles, California native and an Olympic track and field athlete who paved the way for female athletes with her record-breaking history and medals. According to Team U.S.A, Felix earned seven gold, three silver and a bronze medal in her specialty, the 100-, 200- and 400-meter sprints. She earned her final world championship title in Eugene, Oregon in 2022.
The Olympian also advocated for improvement in maternity protections for athletes, specifically Nike to revisit its policies. This revolutionary change led her to launch her very own brand of footwear, Saysh, designed to empower female athletes.
“I just read a lot about her story. She got married and had children while she’s still running, and Nike tried to cut her endorsement deals by 70%, which is like a large part of her income,” Thompson said. “She’s just a trailblazer for moms and athletes. I’ve always been inspired by her because she had her children, her child, she came back and won more gold medals.”
Thompson praised Felix for her dedication as an Olympian. “Like you can just draw inspiration from just perseverance, you know, it doesn’t matter what sort of adversity you face. You can just apply that to any challenges,” she said.
Female athletes in their sport can inspire the next generation of young girls by showing them that they don’t have to fit into one category of interest. Thompson shared from her own experience how she found a love for both her sport and music.
“I think you can inspire them to work hard. And female athletes, I think, can just inspire you girls to just not have to choose one thing,” Thompson said. “Like if they like sports, then they should pursue that. And no matter what other interests they have, like they can, they can like music and still be an athlete. You don’t have to choose just one thing.”
Many of NSU’s athletes look up to a variety of well-known names and faces around the world. Regardless if they’re competing at the collegiate or national level, Bush, Curtis, Atamah and Thompson agreed that having a female figure to look up to is inspiring.
Correction: This article originally misspelled Simone Biles name as Simon.
