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OUR MISSION
Our mission at Girls United Thru Sports is to unite and inspire female athletes by providing quality sports apparel and giving female athletes a space to connect.
Our brand reflects the unstoppable momentum of women in sports. As we embrace the changing landscape of athletics, our vision remains simple, but limitless. We want to provide resources specialized for female athletes to connect, prosper, and motivate each other. “The girls need to feel like they have something the boys don’t have.”
our story
Jenson and Carmen shared a childhood, and if they had to describe their childhood in one word it would be SPORTS! Between watching their dads play football at Wrightsville Beach Park, spending summers playing soccer with Port City, attending their sibling's games, endless weekends of travel basketball- there was never a time of year when sports weren't in season!
As they were starting middle school in 2012, Jenson’s dad began to note the gap between male and female sports. At this time, even more so than now, there were limited opportunities and connections for girls in sports. Inspired by the journeys of Jenson and her sister, Baley, her dad thought of the idea of GUTS. Here are his words on how GUTS originally came to be in their childhood home:
“Girls United Thru Sports is a concept that started in our kitchen with our two daughters, Baley and Jenson, who enjoy and play a number of sports. Both of our girls enjoy athletics and love competition, but think there is not enough attention faced on female athletics. Although female sports have come a long way over the years there seems to be a void between boys and girls. The girls need to feel like they have something the boys don’t have. That is where Girls United Thru Sports (GUTS) comes in. Yes, they can get female athletic apparel from other companies, but do they feel like they are a part of something that is just focused on girls when they buy that stuff. At GUTS, we are focused solely on the female athletes and girls that participate in sports. You buy GUTS gear and you are part of a club that is totally focused and driven by the female athlete. After all, you gotta have GUTS to play sports and GUTS to have the drive to be successful at it!”
- Cee Edwards
The idea of GUTS took off in their hometown of Wilmington, NC! It was proven that girls in the area were in need of the recognition and community that sports bring. The Edwards were proud to finally create a movement that was solely focused on the female athlete. For the years to follow, GUTS was the source of many core memories involving their lives in sports.
Jenson’s dad maintained GUTS for multiple years, but had to shift his priorities as Jenson and Baley’s own sports began to pick up as they got older. They both attended Laney High School and participated in soccer and basketball, as well as competed in club sports. Jenson’s primary sport was basketball and she went on to play basketball at High Point University. Baley’s focus was in soccer, and she continued her soccer career at University of North Carolina Wilmington.
While Jenson was at Laney, Carmen was living in Topsail, NC and attended Topsail High School about 30 minutes away. Their involvement in sports allowed them to remain close- both as teammates and opponents. Carmen played soccer and basketball in high school, as well as ran track, until she went on to NC State. There, she played club soccer all four years. Now both as college graduates pursuing careers, they look back on how impactful it was to have the community and relationships that came out of sports.
It was an easy 'yes' when Jenson brought up the idea to Carmen that they should start GUTS back up- over 10 years after its initial launch. They both want every girl to have the same opportunities that they did as young girls growing up surrounded by sports. The idea behind GUTS is simple- to unite and inspire all female athletes. When you wear our GUTS Gear you are truly part of a community that cares about the future success of women in sports.
“Courage, sacrifice, determination, commitment, toughness, heart, talent, guts. That's what little girls are made of; the heck with sugar and spice.” - Bethany Hamilton