It was the biggest event in the history of women's sports. And for the
Americans, it came down to five kicks. After regulation play and two
overtimes in the final game of the 1999 women's World Cup soccer match,
the score was 0-0. Penalty kicks would decide the world champion. The
Chinese and the Americans would each pick five players. One kick per
player. With the score tied 4-4, the Americans had one more chance to
win it all. Brandi Chastain was up. If she made her kick, the Americans
would win the World Cup. Success! After her winning goal, Chastain
dropped to the turf, whipped off her jersey, and screamed with joy. The
photo of the triumphant female athlete would circle the globe.
Twenty-seven years after Title IX, the world now knew that women's
sports had arrived. The victory was more than the end of a soccer game.
It was the end of a crusade to prove that women's sports should be taken
as seriously as men's. What a win!