I was exiting the merchandise tent at a Chicago Stars FC game in April when I heard my brother-in-law tell my nephew, “I think Uncle Steve needs to get that shirt.” I hadn’t planned on spending any money on merch that day, but when I saw the black t-shirt with the Stars FC logo and “SUPPORT WOMEN’S SPORTS” across the front, I immediately walked back into the tent to find one in my size.

It is a source of pride that my friends and family would associate me with such an important message, though if I’m being honest, I am still not entirely sure how I got here. Perhaps that is because there have been so many factors in my women’s sports fandom that it is nearly impossible to isolate just a few. One thing I am confident in, however, is that it began with my younger sister, Leslie.

Growing up I would play sports in the neighborhood any chance I could. When it came time to pick teams, I always tried to pick Leslie, because I knew she would be underestimated by the other boys and give me the best chance to win. This was especially true when we played basketball. I would always try to find her with passes when we had the ball, because she knew how to get open and I trusted her to make shots.

Leslie played soccer and basketball in high school but unfortunately, I didn’t get to see her play too often because I was away at college at Illinois State. I had never cared much for college sports growing up, but I couldn’t get enough while I was a student. I drove eight hours with some friends to watch the ISU women’s volleyball team play in Kentucky. Two of my best columns for the school newspaper were about how much fun the women's volleyball team was and how more people should watch the WNBA.

Attending ISU volleyball, softball and women’s basketball games live was thrilling, and I think that is one of the reasons my passion for women’s sports has endured over the years. I have attended plenty of men’s professional sporting events in my lifetime, but nothing will compare to attending the 2009 Solheim Cup, or the last two games of the 2021 WNBA Finals. One of the things I have always appreciated about women’s sports is the accessibility. Watching the Blackhawks and Cubs win championships on TV was thrilling, but being in the Arena when the Sky took down the Mercury was something else.

As you can probably imagine, I could talk about women’s sports for days. And I often do. I love the women’s sports community and how accessible and relatable women’s athletes are. It is great to watch this thing that I have loved start to take off, and yet when someone asks me why I love women’s sports, I still struggle to answer.

I think the real reason I can’t answer the question is that I don’t really understand why everyone doesn’t love women’s sports. Everything I have loved about sports since I was a little kid is encapsulated every day in places like the WNBA, NWSL, LPGA, WSL, and beyond. Why wouldn’t I want to be a part of that? Especially now that all those leagues are starting to take off.

There has never been a better time to be a fan of women’s sports, and launching this site is one part of that. I cannot wait to see where it goes, and I hope you will all join me for the ride.