I still remember the first time I watched a women’s sports game. I was 8 years old, and it was the US Women’s National Team’s (USWNT) first game of the 2019 World Cup. I was immediately engrossed. I loved the loud fans and tough athletes. Most of the women I’d seen until that point were humble and graceful. These women, however, were proudly noisy and aggressive. I loved how they screamed with joy when they scored. They made me see women and myself in a whole different way: we don’t have to be submissive or calm; we can be loud and aggressive and cheered on all along.
From then on, I decided to be just like the USWNT players. I wore their jerseys everywhere, sported a pink pre-wrap headband like Alex Morgan, and my hair was short like Megan Rapinoe’s. Whenever I had free time, I played soccer. The examples set by those players and the sports I played because of them taught me confidence, resilience, determination, and teamwork.
With the Chicago Stars’ move to Evanston for the duration of the 2026 season, Evanston now has a golden opportunity to teach its girls these skills and become a part of this growing movement. The Stars are Chicago’s premier women’s soccer team and home to many of the world’s top players, including the 2024 US Female Soccer Player of the Year, Alyssa Naeher, and 2024 Ballon d’Or Féminin nominee Mal Swanson. Hence, this move is key to helping Evanston become a hub for women’s sports.
Why do women’s sports matter? Because women’s sports create women leaders. They teach girls to grow from losses, lead, cooperate, and set goals–all skills that will be helpful for a future career. In fact, 94 percent of C-Suite women played sports growing up, according to a study done by EY. Indra Nooyi, who led PepsiCo to become a Fortune 50 company, credits sports with the skills she uses as a business leader, saying that she “carried it with [her] through [her] time as CEO.”
Sports also build the next generation of leaders by providing academic, mental, physical, and social benefits. High school athletes have higher GPAs and college attendance rates compared to non-athletes. Sports also promote physical exercise instead of screen time, lowering girls’ risk of chronic illness and mental health challenges. In short, if we want our girls to be leaders, we should get them involved in sports. Gender equity matters, and sports may be one of the most essential levers to achieve it.
The Chicago Stars’ move to Evanston is one way to do this. Even though boys and girls are equally interested in sports from ages 6 to 9, by age 14, girls’ dropout rate is twice that of boys. According to Dr. Ali Bowes, “it’s clear that having visible role models is central to encouraging girls to participate in the sport.” The Chicago Stars can be these vital role models, encouraging girls to stay in sports and reap the benefits they provide.
Right now, the Chicago Stars play in Bridgeview, and their attendance is the lowest in the league. In the 2024 season, they averaged 4,833 fans per game (excluding one game they played at Wrigley Field with an attendance of 35,038). This year, their attendance is even lower, averaging only 3,000 per game so far (excluding the one match played in Evanston this September).
However, by moving to Evanston, the Chicago Stars are able to access a greater fan base on the North Shore and allow more girls to enjoy the benefits of sports. The move makes women’s sports more accessible, as Martin Stadium, where the Red Stars will play, is easy to reach on public transportation. Sure enough, in the one game they have played in Evanston so far, the Stars’ attendance was 10,127, more than three times this year’s average.
This move to Evanston could open up a new chapter of women’s sports in Chicagoland. It will not only make for better youth athletes but also better future leaders. Therefore, I encourage Evanston to rally around the Chicago Stars. Let’s show the world that Chicago and Evanston value women’s sports. Maybe someone in the stands will grow up to be a CEO like Indra Nooyi or the first female president of the United States. We can only wait and see.
