“Will You Be My Coach?”: A Father-Daughter Reflection on the Power of Seeing What’s Possible
Written by Matt Scott, Taylor LEAD Foundation Board Member
The room was filled with stories of resilience, grit, and possibility. At the Taylor LEAD Foundation’s Change Make*Hers Gala, accomplished women in sports shared what it took to claim space in arenas that were not always built for them. And then, in a room full of leaders, donors, and athletes, one young girl stepped forward and asked Tara VanDerveer a simple question: “Will you be my coach?”
On the surface, it was a sweet and unexpected moment. But what made it unforgettable was not just what she asked. It was how she asked it. She did not hesitate. She did not apologize for taking up space. She did not second-guess whether her voice belonged in the room. She simply asked. That confidence, and the meaning behind it, is exactly why spaces like this matter.
A Moment Bigger Than the Question
Later, when her dad asked what made her do it, her answer was simple: she had been telling her team about Tara at practice the night before, and they agreed she should ask if she got the chance.
“You never know unless you ask.”
In one sentence, she named something adults often forget. A question creates possibility. Silence guarantees the outcome.
What Title IX Looks Like in Real Life
Title IX is often discussed through numbers — participation, scholarships, championships, access. But sometimes its legacy shows up in a much more human way.
It shows up in a young girl who fully believes she is allowed to ask a world-class coach to invest in her and her teammates. It shows up in the confidence to speak, the curiosity to connect, and the expectation that she belongs in the conversation.
That belief came from decades of women pushing doors open and from organizations creating spaces where girls see women lead.
The Stories That Stay With Us
On the drive home, what stayed with her was not the stage, the photos, or the spotlight. It was the stories.
She remembered hearing about the speakers’ lives and how each of them was special in her own way. She said it made her feel that it could be her, or somebody she knows, someday.
That line is the bridge between inspiration and mission. When girls hear honest stories of leadership, perseverance, and possibility, they do not only admire them from a distance. They begin to imagine themselves inside them.
Why This Story Matters
When we create environments where girls see leadership modeled, where their voices are welcomed, and where their curiosity is encouraged, they do not wait to be invited. They participate.
Sometimes leadership starts with a raised hand, a bold question, or the belief that the people you admire are still people you can learn from.
That is the quiet power of spaces like this. They do not just celebrate leadership. They help the next generation practice it.
At Taylor LEAD , we believe moments like this matter because they shape what young people believe is possible. When girls see women leading, coaching, and sharing their journeys, something shifts. The distance between “them” and “me” gets smaller. The courage to speak up feels more natural. And sometimes, it starts with a young girl raising her hand and asking exactly the question she came there to ask.
Help Us Create More Moments Like This
Learn how Taylor LEAD and iWIN Sports are creating spaces where girls can see what is possible—and step into it.
Learn About iWIN SportsThis story was written by Matt Scott, Board Member of the Taylor LEAD Foundation.
