GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Today marks the 39th annual National Girls & Women in Sports Day (NGWSD). In the new age of Name Image and Likeness, football gets a lot of attention but women’s sports have always been a priority at the University of Florida and with Florida Victorious. Thanks to the passionate and loyal fan base, the Florida softball team was the second team onboarded shortly after Florida Victorious’ inception.
Softball led the way, but supporting the women that make up the UF athletic program has been a goal and an emphasis from day one for Florida Victorious. Women’s sports at the University of Florida make up nearly half of the teams who are directly supported by Florida Victorious. This season, all 21 women on the UF softball team are contracted with and working in tandem with Florida Victorious.
“I’ve been really appreciative about the Florida Gators brand and what we do at the UAA and what Florida Victorious has done. It’s just been another cog to that and to the education. Teaching athletes about taxes and helping them with their foundations and in the community and I think that’s the one part that the number of logged community service hours and the number of giving back to people from all different places,” Florida softball coach Tim Walton said.
“There’s so many of our athletes that will do that stuff on their own because their eyes have been opened to another level of kindness. There’s the positive part of Florida Victorious and NIL. I think that’s the part that people miss. There’s so many positive things that come out of NIL.”
Florida gymnast Leanne Wong takes giving back to a whole new level. On top of being a 22-time All-American and Olympian, Wong has balanced being a pre-med student, an entrepreneur with her own businesses and recently started her own foundation.
“I started my foundation on my birthday last year (September 20),” Wong told Florida Victorious. “I just had connections with people who’ve been able to help me get it launched. I actually just picked up food from Cilantro Tacos. We got 90 pounds from Cilantro. The next day I picked up 60 more pounds from the dining hall. It’s prepared food that’s leftover or unsold. Then we take it over to Grace’s Marketplace, which is a homeless shelter here in Gainesville. We’ve just been doing that from week to week. I think we donated over 1,000 pounds of food in less than a month and were able to feed over 7,000 people.”
Wong’s story, while exceptional, doesn’t stand alone. A pillar of Florida Victorious has been giving back to the community.
Whether it’s in the classroom, on the court or field winning games for the Orange and Blue, or out in the community, the women that make up Florida Victorious are making the program, the community, and Florida Victorious better.
