Williams talked about meeting King as a child: “She just leaves her imprint everywhere."Kennedy Rose
BILLIE JEAN KING, VENUS WILLIAMS and other female leaders in sports gathered Friday evening to talk gender equality in pro sports. Hosted at St. Joseph’s Univ. in Philadelphia before the WTT Philadelphia Freedoms’ match against the Washington Kastles, the conversation focused on breaking down barriers in sports. Williams played for the Kastles later that evening. “When a woman leads, she’s an example for everybody, not just girls,” King said. Also on the panel were NBA Kings assistant coach LINDSEY HARDING and VALERIE CAMILLO, President of Business Operations for the Flyers and Wells Fargo Center. Harding is one of the only female assistant coaches in the NBA, while Camillo is one of only two female presidents in the NHL. Harding believes what women have to be twice as good at what they do to get the same opportunities as men because critics are always looking for something to knock them down. “It’s one thing to get the opportunity, and it’s another to knock the door down,” she said. Camillo emphasized being authentic and not forcing yourself to fit in as a way to break down gender barriers. King recalled meeting Williams at a WTT clinic in '88 when Williams was a small child. Now, Williams teaches at those clinics, and she said that meeting King as a child made an impact on her life in tennis. Williams said, “She just leaves her imprint everywhere."
Kennedy Rose writes for the Philadelphia Business Journal, an affiliated publication.
