Billie Jean King Quotes

I knew after my first lesson what I wanted to do with my life.

I have a lot to say, and if I'm not No. 1, I can't say it.

I didn't really care if I had a coach that much, me personally, because I was brought up to think for myself.

I always wanted to help make tennis a team sport.

I always liked co-ed events best so we have two men and two women on each team.

Ever since that day when I was 11 years old, and I wasn't allowed in a photo because I wasn't wearing a tennis skirt, I knew that I wanted to change the sport.

At 62 you want to keep moving; that's important.

Any therapist will tell you that when you're ready, you will come out. To be outed means you weren't ready.

When I was outed, it was like, That's done.

The old boy network is still very strong and very true. Just look at the stock exchange and how many men and women are there. It is still very much run by men.

In the seventies we had to make it acceptable for people to accept girls and women as athletes. We had to make it okay for them to be active. Those were much scarier times for females in sports.

In 1973, a woman could not get a credit card without her husband or father or a male signing off on it.

I wanted to use sports for social change.

When they take surveys of women in business, of the Fortune 500, the successful women, 80% of them, say they were in sports as a young woman.

Sports are a microcosm of society.

I think self-awareness is probably the most important thing towards being a champion.

Women's sports is still in its infancy. The beginning of women's sports in the United States started in 1972, with the passage of Title 9 for girls to finally get athletic scholarships.

The main thing is to care. Care very hard, even if it is only a game you are playing.

Be bold. If you're going to make an error, make a doozy, and don't be afraid to hit the ball.

Tennis is a perfect combination of violent action taking place in an atmosphere of total tranquillity.

A girl didn't get an athletic scholarship until the fall of 1972 for the very first time.

A champion is afraid of losing. Everyone else is afraid of winning.

Sports teaches you character, it teaches you to play by the rules, it teaches you to know what it feels like to win and lose-it teaches you about life.

Champions keep playing until they get it right.

Everyone has people in their lives that are gay, lesbian or transgender or bisexual. They may not want to admit it, but I guarantee they know somebody.