EP 98 - At 17 She Led Iowa's Fight to Save Women's Sports | Ainsley Erzen

At just 17 years old, Ainsley Erzen led Iowa’s fight to save women’s sports—speaking out when doing so came with real pressure and real consequences.In this conversation, Ainsley shares the story behind that fight, the role faith played in giving her courage, the backlash she faced, the battle over women’s sports today, and what she hopes people remember about her years from now.This is a powerful conversation about courage, conviction, leadership, and being willing to stand when others remain silent.If you enjoy the episode, please like, comment, subscribe, and share it.CHAPTERS00:00 — The Fight to Save Women’s Sports03:52 — How Ainsley Got Involved at 1707:59 — Backlash, Threats & Refusing to Back Down11:56 — Why Courage Is Contagious16:09 — Becoming a National Champion20:04 — Faith, Family & the People Who Shaped Her24:00 — “God Equips the Called”27:49 — Riley Gaines & the National Fight32:09 — Why Voters and Politicians Don’t Always Agree34:10 — Biology, Title IX & Women’s Sports35:52 — A 4.0 Student and Fierce Competitor38:11 — Growing Up in the Erzen Family39:46 — Handling Criticism and Personal Attacks42:04 — What Comes Next for Ainsley?43:52 — Her Advice to Young Women45:59 — Social Media & the Challenges Facing Her Generation47:56 — Stop Overthinking It. Take Action.50:02 — Faith, Confidence & Finding Your People51:57 — How Ainsley Wants to Be Remembered53:58 — A Final Challenge: Stand for What’s RightSPONSORSVara Guard LLCfacebook.com/varagaurdMyriad Advisor Solutionsmyriadas.comOliverBardwell.comPatreon.com/OliverBardwell#AinsleyErzen #WomensSports #SaveWomensSports #Iowa #OliverBardwellPodcast