Celebrate National Girls & Women in Sports Day with NIL Athletes Karsyn Spears and Aurielle Brunner

What sports have you participated in across your lifetime?
My parents had me try a bit of everything when I was growing up to get a feel for what I liked. Some of the sports I did were gymnastics, soccer, basketball, lacrosse, and track and field. Ultimately I found running to be the best fit for me! –Karsyn Spears

I have been in sports since the time I was 3. I started off in dance and danced for 12 years. While dancing, I started basketball in Kindergarten and stuck with it all the way through college. In 4th grade, I decided I wanted to add more sports, so I came to the conclusion of playing volleyball and doing cheerleading. These only lasted one year, and I decided to stick to my other sports. During my freshman year of high school, I decided to join my varsity soccer team and loved every second of it. I loved it so much that in my last year of college, I joined my University’s team. On top of all these other sports, I decided to also join the track and field team at my high school during my freshman year but only stuck to it for two years until quitting to focus on soccer and basketball. Once I came to college, I decided to give track another try, and it was the best decision I've made yet. I am currently a 5x NCAA All-American and I am training to become a national champion. – Aurielle Brunner

How would you describe your experience as a female athlete?
I would say my experience as a female athlete has always been positive. I have been surrounded by a great support system from starting sports at a young age to now. I have also found great success over the many years participating in my sport, which has made my love for it grow even more. – Karsyn Spears

Being a female athlete isn’t always the easiest. Historically, sports have been more male-dominated, but have recently been narrowing that gap. More often than not, men look down on female athletes, questioning their strength, skill, speed, and competitiveness. In my time as an athlete, I have experienced many people who have dismissed my achievements, but I always continue to prove my worth, pushing boundaries and showing that talent, dedication, and passion have nothing to do with gender. I have proven myself to not only myself, but to others as well that I am capable of anything I put my mind to, and will continue to do so. – Aurielle Brunner

Why do you think it is important for girls to participate in sports?
To me, I think it is important for young girls to start sports because it gives them a space to be themselves. I have always found sports to be a place where all my stress can go away while doing the thing I love. I think it is a good distraction from what life can throw at you sometimes. Also, it provides you with many friends that you can grow up with. A lot of my friends now are from when I played soccer when I was about 10 and having them there 11 years later is amazing!” – Karsyn Spears

It is very important for girls to participate in sports because it helps build confidence, resilience, and lifelong skills that go beyond the game. Sports are a great way to boost your self-esteem by showing everyone what you’re capable of. When girls play, compete, and succeed, they prove to everyone that they are not limited by their gender. It is also a great way to build leadership and teamwork skills. These skills translate into school, careers, and life in general. One of my favorite things about participating in sports is the friendships I have made throughout the years. Being on multiple sports teams, I have made connections with a multitude of people, and I couldn’t have been happier. Many of the people I have met I consider a second family and cherish our friendships, whether that be teammates, competitors, coaches, or fans. – Aurielle Brunner

Are there any female athletes that inspire you? Who and why?
I would say two of my biggest role models are Athing Mu and Keely Hodgkinson. They are both Olympic athletes in track and field who also participate in the same event as me. Seeing how they handle setbacks at such a high level has taught me a lot about the setbacks I face. Also, their hard work and determination has shown me that I can achieve my goals if I put my mind to it. –Karsyn Spears

There are many female athletes that inspire me, but the one that inspires me the most is Anna Hall. Representation in sports really matters, especially in a male-dominated field. Specifically in track, it is so amazing to see women as athletic, determined, and decorated like Anna Hall. Anna is an American track and field athlete specializing in the heptathlon and pentathlon. She is one of the top multi-event athletes in the world, known for her versatility in all the events in the multi. Her competitive drive, resilience (especially after coming back from injuries), and all-around athleticism make her an inspiring figure in track and field, as well as life. –Aurielle Brunner

How has your participation in sports shaped you?
Without sports, I am not sure who I would be today. I have made so many meaningful connections over the years and if it wasn’t for participating in sports I would not have them. Ultimately, running has led me to the college I attend which has brought me so many opportunities that I am not sure I would have gotten elsewhere. -- Karsyn Spears

Playing sports has shaped me in many ways, both physically and mentally, especially as a female athlete. As I’ve stated above, through sports I have grown in my confidence and resilience, and I have learned to become a better leader in all aspects of my life. Sports have taught me to push past limits and how to adjust and persevere even in hard times. Athletics have taught me independence and helped me to realize that my voice and abilities do matter. I am so grateful for the coaches I had throughout my athletic experiences, and without them or their teachings, I wouldn’t be the athlete I am today. Eden Zenisek in particular has been a huge part of my athletic career. I learned so much from her as she is a female athlete who played both track and basketball, just like me. She has incredible work ethic and has pushed me in ways I didn’t know possible. She set me up for success and always looked for ways for me to get better. A large amount of track coaches are males, and it is so inspiring to have been coached by such a successful female coach such as Eden. She saw the greatness and potential in me, even when I didn’t and made sure I got to that next level. She is the main reason I am the 5 time All- American I am today. –Aurielle Brunner

What advice would you give to young girls in sports?
To the young athletes out there, my biggest advice I can give is to have fun. Time flies by in a blink of an eye and you want to look back at the sport you do and remember all the fun and happy memories. You will find a lot more success when you are having fun with what you do! –Karsyn Spears

If I could give any advice to young girls in sports, it would be to savor every moment and to have fun with what you’re doing. It is so important to be in the moment. A lot of time athletes will rush to fulfill their dreams and they forget how much you will miss it once it is gone, so cherish every moment! Push your limits, do your best, and have fun! There will be many times when people will tell you you can’t do something, but when you put your mind to it you can do whatever you want. You’re going to face many adversities but the life lessons and skills you learn from them are worth it. The only person you have to prove yourself to is yourself. Do not be afraid to fail or fall, as long as you get right back up. –Aurielle Brunner

Looking back on 2024, did anything stand out to you regarding women’s athletics?
2024 was a historic year for women’s athletics. With the Olympics being held last year, this allowed all the women to show everyone what they’re been training for for their whole life. The media coverage of women’s sports nearly tripled since 2021. I work at a bar back at home in the summer, and I would always have the Olympic Games on the TVs while working. I got many of the customers hooked on the women’s sports and other sports they normally wouldn’t watch. A few of the athletes that stuck out to me this Olympic season were Simone Biles, Katie Ledecky, Suni Lee, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Julien Alfred, Sha’Carri Richardson, Tara Davis-Woodhall, Gabby Thomas, and many more. The US Women’s Soccer and Rugby teams also had a groundbreaking year. The college athletics also had an inspiring year with the University of South Carolina Gamecocks completing an undefeated season and becoming national champs, as well as Katie Schumacher-Cawley coaching the Penn State Volleyball team to a national championship while being recently diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer and becoming the first female head coach to win a women’s NCAA Volleyball Championship. – Aurielle Brunner

How do you anticipate (or hope) that participation and inclusion will change for women’s sports in the coming years?
I hope that women’s sports will continue to gain the recognition and respect they deserve. Women work just as hard (and sometimes harder) than men, and still get little to no respect. I hope that there are more opportunities for women to get quality coaching, facilities, and scholarships, just like their male counterparts. I hope that there will come a time when female athletes aren’t constantly compared to men but are valued for their own skill, strength, and achievements. I believe these can be achieved if we all start having stronger support at all levels (from youth to pro sports). – Aurielle Brunner

 

Thank you to Karysn and Aurielle for taking the time to participate in this interview and share some inspiring advice and messages. To follow them and discover more of their content click here.