The Yale Women’s Athletic Council came about when Lilla and Emma both separately approached the AD for student services, Brian Tompkins , with their idea. Both women had the wish to create YWAC, even though they had never previously met or spoke on the topic. Mr. Tompkins put the two together and then YWAC was created!
On why they created YWAC:
“I felt like I had met so many amazing women athletes at Yale, but there was no group on campus specifically for female athletes to come together. It is empowering to learn from each other’s experiences and challenges, and building each other up in all-female space. With discussions, speakers, service, and leadership I believe we can empower ourselves to challenge and re-make our experience as female athletes!” -Emma Lower ‘19
I feel that female athletes at Yale face a completely unique experience with a combination of pressures which no other group of students has to face in its entirety. As women undergoing normal societal pressures, we also face the pressures to perform from our respective sports which, a lot of time, contradict pressures from other areas of our lives. I believe a united group could provide female athletes on campus a source of support, comfort, and empowerment as well as build a team that wants to make a difference at Yale and in the surrounding community!” -Lilla Felix ‘19