Volleyball is her game. She started in high school, played Division I in college, and now plays in national and local leagues year round—grass, sand, co-ed, you name it— including a USAV women’s team that goes to the Nationals every year.We first heard about Holly Nichols through her husband

At 77, Sue Schmidt doesn’t mince words, or pull punches. She has a clear message for the older women of America: “Get out of your black pants and do something! We need to set goals and believe in ourselves…and it all starts with SPORT!”

When I interviewed her for this article, Melanie McLouth worried that her story sounded “boring compared to the ladies that run marathons and triathlons.” But the point of this column, and Title Nine itself, is that there is no such thing as “ordinary” when

“Lose your head and gain control of your senses.” That’s one thing that six years of competitive dragon boating has taught Michelle Rudd. Another is “When the water gets rough, don’t pull your paddle out of the water. Paddle through it.” These lessons began innocently enough.

Liz McQuinn’s path to athletic glory began at age four. “I wanted to keep up with my Dad and brothers,” she says. “I did whatever they did, just so I could spend time with them.” She definitely kept up, and then some. Last June, she completed her third Ironman triathlon, a competition involving a 2.4-mile swim

It’s not surprising that Denise Hitzeman is asked to be a motivational speaker throughout California. Her story is as inspiring as it gets. Seven years ago, Denise was diagnosed with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), a vascular disorder

Welcome to the new and improved Working In Working Out. What’s changed? The girth, for starters. It’s much leaner. First up is Jean an undeniably gutsy local hero of ours.

Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Just ask Title Nine customer Stacy Tarrh. The 27-year-old physical therapist puts the idea to practice everyday in her work with patients who’ve suffered spinal cord injuries. Their goal? To walk again. Stacy’s goal? To help them do it.

For the past few months, I’ve had the pleasure of writing about some truly amazing women. So you can imagine my surprise when the good folks at Title Nine suggested that the next customer I profile should be me. “What?” I exclaimed, “there’s nothing special about me.” “Precisely,” my T9 contact said with a smile. And I knew exactly what she meant.

By all accounts, Title Nine customer Barb Trafton leads an inspired life. A full-time mom, community activist, artist, and athlete, she is a woman of many talents. In fact, Barb is a modern Renaissance woman of sorts. She’s an independent thinker who can champion a group cause.