TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Leon County Schools is celebrating 50 years of girls sports this year, and today, girls at the high school level can compete in 14 different sports, 15 when the county adds bowling next year, but it wasn't always that way.
When Dr. James Sulliman was a counselor at Godby in the spring of 1973, there were no options for girls to participate in sports. A conversation with two students changed that, helping to pave the way for today's female student athletes.
"There were 92 girls, three balls, two bats, one coach, and no plan."
Sulliman can remember that first interest meeting for softball at Godby High School like it was yesterday.
"I thought after a week or two, people would stop coming, but they liked it so much, we wound up with 35 kids," he said. "I couldn't cut anybody."
Sulliman was working as a counselor at Godby High School, when two female students told him they were going to quit school because no one cared about girls.
"I asked Paul Coley who was the principal way back then, Mr. Coley, do you think we could get a girls sports program." He said Coley responded, "girls sports? There's no girls sports." He repsonded, "I know, that's why we need to get it going."
So softball at Godby was born, which grew into a four team league, which helped other schools grow girls sports teams of their own.
"We had an announcement, couple days later we had a meeting in the gym, and believe it or not, it was packed." Pat Weaver, then Davis, started girls basketball at Leon.
"They were so hungry for this. They wanted something organized to be a part of," she said. "They sit in the bleachers and watch football, they watch basketball, they wanted the same kind of entertainment. They wanted to get out and show you what they could do."
Two coaches, making a difference.
"It meant something, because it meant something to them," said Weaver. "To see the joy, and to see them when we came off that court when we win and see the expression on their face."
"Don't look for somebody else to do it," added Sulliman. "If you have that thought, then you should be the person to do that. Don't wait for somebody else to do that. Take a chance!"
A chance girls back then, and girls today, are thankful for. Both Sulliman and Weaver were recognized by Leon County Schools this week for their achievements, and Sulliman left a gift as well. He have the district $2,000. The Foundation for Leon County Schools will pitch in $500 of their own to give a deserving female athlete at each high school with athletics a $500 scholarship.
