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Fresh off having the successes of her Girls4Sports nonprofit recognized on a national stage, Dublin teen Maegha Ramanathan is ready to continue the momentum from her ESPY Award to expand the efforts of her grassroots organization.
Ramanathan — who founded her nonprofit at 13 years old to help improve access to sports for girls locally and across the country, especially in underserved communities — was one of three recipients of ESPN’s 2025 Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Awards, accepting the honor and participating in festivities during ESPYS Week July 14 and 15 in Los Angeles.
“It was incredibly surreal to stand on the same stage where so many inspiring women made history this year,” Ramanathan told the Pleasanton Weekly after the ESPYS.
“I had the chance to connect with trailblazing female athletes (my heroes since childhood) like Simone Biles, Suni Lee and Ilona Maher, who are redefining what’s possible in sports,” she said. “Beyond the recognition, I’m deeply grateful to now be part of a powerful network who are shaping the future of sports nationwide.”
“With the grant that comes with this award, we plan to partner with Title I schools across the U.S. to expand and streamline our free sports programs for girls,” Ramanathan added. “We’re also launching a fellowship for girls ages 12-20, giving them access to mentorship from incredible athletes and organizations like those I met at the ESPYS and empowering them to lead their own community initiatives for equity.”
