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Dublin native Maegha Ramanathan is being recognized on sports TV’s biggest award stage next week as the Gael swimmer and founder of Girls4Sports has been selected by ESPN among three national winners of the Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award.
In announcing the ESPYS’ 11th annual Sports Humanitarian Awards honorees last week, ESPN officials lauded Ramanathan for creating the youth-led nonprofit laser-focused on expanding access to sports for girls, especially in underserved communities, and breaking down gender-based barriers in athletics.
“It’s incredibly surreal to be recognized with this award. I genuinely couldn’t believe my eyes when I read the email saying that I won the Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award,” Ramanathan told the Weekly ahead of ESPYS Week in Hollywood.
“Beyond the recognition, I hope this moment shows young girls the power of their voices when they speak up and advocate for themselves. My goal has always been to inspire girls to become leaders in their communities,” she added. “This moment couldn’t have been possible without the incredible support of our volunteers and executive team who have worked tirelessly to empower young women nationwide.”
Born out of her own experience facing sexism in competitive swimming, Ramanathan founded Girls4Sports at 13 years old and has seen her grassroots effort grow and effect change locally and across state lines.
“Maegha channeled her frustration into action, building a national network that uses sports as a tool for empowerment and leadership development,” ESPN officials said. “What started with cold emails and donated equipment has grown into a robust, multi-chapter organization with 1,500 volunteers and programs in 20 states.”
Girls4Sports has connected nearly 40,000 underserved girls with 250 sports programs and donated over 10,000 pieces of sports equipment to children’s homes, hospitals and youth teams, according to ESPN. It also offers free seasonal sports camps, advocacy workshops, speaker events with pro athletes and was integral in helping establish Dublin High School’s first-ever girls’ flag football team.
The three Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award honorees will be recognized along with other Sports Humanitarian Awards recipients next Tuesday (July 15) in the Ray Dolby Ballroom in Hollywood. The winners and their stories will also be part of ESPN studio programming and The 2025 ESPYS live telecast on Wednesday.
The two other youth winners are Rishin Tandon, a youth climate advocate in Issaquah, Wash., who created the Youth Eco Sports Scorecard (YESS) tool, and Ian Waite of Boca Raton, Fla., whose Bigger Than Sports nonprofit creates sports and career pathways for student-athletes in underserved communities.
