Elena Delle Donne and John Wall participate in TOMBOY documentary.
I don’t know about you, but I could not be more excited for the start of our Washington Mystics’ 2017 season, which begins this Sunday against the San Antonio Stars at the Verizon Center.
As many of you know, we made a bold trade during the off-season and acquired Elena Delle Donne, the WNBA’s 2015 MVP, from the Chicago Sky. While this Sunday will be our fans’ first opportunity to see her in a Mystics uniform, Elena appeared in TOMBOY, a documentary series focusing on gender and its role in sports, which aired on our partner network CSN Mid-Atlantic.
Told through the voices of the world’s most prominent women in sports, including Elena’s, TOMBOY looks to elevate the conversation around and provide a platform for discussion about the role gender plays in sports – from the elementary school blacktop through the professional ranks.
In the documentary Elena speaks about the challenge female athletes, specifically those in the WNBA, face throughout their lives and careers of proving to the “everyday fan” that women are elite athletes just like their male counterparts. She recognizes the great respect NBA players have for what she and her teammates do and believes this should be the standard – and I agree.
The documentary also features testimonials from the other side of the ball – the men’s side. Our own John Wall speaks passionately about his admiration for his female counterparts, their high level of skill, love for the game and incredible worth ethic. John and Bradley Beal met Elena before her introductory news conference in Washington, and it was immediately evident how much they respected her as a fellow athlete and for what she has been able to accomplish on the court.
Like our players, this is a topic that our organization is extremely passionate about, and we are proud to have players from both our women’s and men’s teams speaking up and sharing their opinions. They are tremendous ambassadors for the sport, our organization and our city. They are thrust into the position of being role models, and they frequently amaze us with their outreach to our community and those who are less fortunate.
This is all to say, if you are not already a fan of the Mystics, you should give it a try. The athleticism, skill and passion these women display is incredible.
Don’t believe me?
Come out to the Verizon Center this Sunday and see for yourself. I know I will be cheering on the Mystics this season on their journey to the 2017 WNBA Championship!
Go Mystics!
