by Abby Wambach
First published 2019
Abby Wambach transforms her viral Barnard College commencement address into a leadership manifesto for women. The two-time Olympic gold medalist and FIFA World Cup champion argues that traditional leadership models exclude and fail women. Drawing from her experience as co-captain of the 2015 Women's World Cup winning team, Wambach shows how she built a culture of excellence, honor, and sisterhood that united individual athletes into a powerful collective. She presents four core principles: make failure your fuel by converting setbacks into wisdom and strength, lead from the bench by taking charge wherever you are, champion each other by celebrating every woman's success, and demand the ball by claiming what you have earned without asking permission. Wambach rejects the Little Red Riding Hood narrative that keeps women on prescribed paths. Instead, she envisions women as wolves who blaze new trails together, supporting their pack while fighting for future generations.
Genres: gender-studies, feminism, leadership, sports, non-fiction, biography-memoir, 21st-century, activism
Vibes: inspirational, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: empowerment, leadership, sisterhood
Setting: Barnard College
Period: 2015
112 pages · Hardcover · Celadon Books