The Yale Women’s Athletic Council was created in 2017 by undergraduates Lilla Felix ‘19 and Emma Lower ‘19. YWAC is a community of female athletes at Yale who come together in order to create an environment of growth, empowerment and support. At the meetings, members discuss relevant topics such as body image, mental health in sports, team building and more!
YWAC is the first organization on campus created solely for female athletes. It wasn’t until 1969 that Yale began to accept its first female undergraduates. Even after coeducation, practice spaces for female athletes were scarce. This situation remained unchanged until 1976, when the women’s crew team marched into the office of the Director of Women’s Activities and demanded equal treatment for female athletes. This was famously titled the “Title IX Strip” as the women had Title IX painted on their chests and backs.
Yale has a long history of empowered, determined women and YWAC wants to continue the tradition. Our goal is to be bigger than our own voices and grow to have a lasting impact on campus, just as the women’s crew team did in 1976!
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