Bonnie-Jill Laughlin, the NBA’s first and only female scout, has published a new book titled “In A League of Her Own: Celebrated Female Firsts in Sports.”
The former NFL and NBA dancer turned journalist took it upon herself to educate her readers about the impact and importance of the first women in sports. In this book, Laughlin details the anecdotes, society-driven grievances, wide-ranging experiences, and untold stories of 19 prominent women fighting for equality in sports.
“I wanted to focus on the pioneers who paved the way for us,” Laughlin told FOX News Digital.
In the book, Laughlin not only compiles historical industry brush-ups of sports stars like Danica Patrick and Billie Jean King, but also Jane Kennedy, Jackie Joyner-Kersey, Manon, and more. The special stories of people she calls “hidden gems” are also expanding. Réome and Julie Krone.
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“I wanted to portray different walks of life in the book,” Laughlin said. “They are all women who have inspired me.”
Laughlin told Fox that when she started her career, some women in sports weren’t as strong as they are today. Nevertheless, it is important to her that she inspires women of all ages in her career.
“It’s really important to me to reach out and help as much as I can,” she said. Laughlin also founded the nonprofit organization Hounds and Heroes.
Laughlin began his scouting career as a pre- and post-game sports reporter for the Los Angeles Lakers and later became an unpaid scout for the team. And while various indomitable female athletes have inspired her to continue building her empire, she also credits the men who rallied behind her.
“I wasn’t happy with myself,” Laughlin said of himself as a first-year NBA scout. She hid her hair in a ball cap and wore baggy sweatpants for her role, she revealed.
“I was trying to be one of the boys,” she said. It was Brian Shaw, now an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Clippers, who encouraged Laughlin to find her place in the industry.
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“He told me, ‘You have to be comfortable with who you are,'” she said. Laughlin was a scout for the Lakers, where he was signed for 13 years, five of which he produced a championship ring.
“And Kobe,” she said of NBA legend Kobe Bryant. She described Bryant as a mentor, friend and confidant who took pride in empowering women in the industry.
“Kobe used to see me crying,” she said of reading comments about herself in the media. “He said, ‘This is good. I want some opposition. I want some doubters.'”
All of this, including work ethic, inspired Laughlin to write the book. After her three years of discussions with her publisher, she has written not just any book, but a book she can be proud of.
“They said, ‘We want you to write a tell-all book about your days with the Lakers, your days with the Dallas Cowboys,'” she said. Laughlin understood that the publisher was trying to dig deep into the secrets of athletes’ lives, but her head and heart weren’t in it. She said, “She wanted to write a book that would inspire women.”
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Laughlin hopes the book will be used by journalism schools and individuals to show women how capable and resilient they can be as long as they stay committed to their goals.
“This book is one of the things I’m most proud of,” she said. “My ‘why’ is to show women that there is space for them.”
She also has some great advice for other women looking to break into the sports industry.
“Take any job to get your foot in the door,” she said. She recommends jobs, internships, and even ticket sales jobs to prove your enthusiasm. She emphasizes the need for determination, the drive to succeed, and not giving up. “As we know, people are not just given. You have to work hard for things. You have to prove yourself and be versatile.”
“Yes, I’m on the air, but I can also write, produce, and film,” she concluded.
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