Jennifer Mead, Massachusetts – 2017

Since 1988 Jen has coached at youth basketball and soccer camps. She also worked in the US Soccer Olympic Development Program, high school basketball and soccer camps, and at NCAA DI and DIII camps.

Jen has a mission to share the experiences and knowledge of her basketball and soccer career with others. She accomplishes this through speaking engagements with audiences of different ages. Jen shared her experiences as a high school and collegiate student athlete at basketball clinics from 1989-1994. From 1993 – 2001 she volunteered at soccer clinics relating her experiences as a professional athlete and college/high school coach. Since 2003, Jen has been sharing her knowledge as a graduate student and higher education faculty member while doing GWS-related research and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students.

While doing her undergraduate work at Providence College (1991 Big East All Rookie Basketball Team and 1993 Big East Soccer Champs & MVP), Jen founded the Providence College celebration of Girls and Women in Sport Day in 1994. She then did graduate work and taught at Springfield College (2003-2004). She is currently a teacher and advisor at Bridgewater State University.

“As an athlete and coach, I spent years promoting participation opportunities for girls and women through clinics, speaking engagements, and public appearances. Over time I have evolved to also advocate for the quality of those opportunities as they relate to the developmental needs of girls and women as well as boys and men.

I spent 10 years promoting the sport of soccer for girls and women as an interscholastic student athlete, as a member of the US Women’s National Soccer Team and as a member of the Bay Area Cyber Rays in the WUSA.

My proudest accomplishments lie in the individual stories of the girls and women I have coached and mentored as students.”