KSHB 41 reporter Elyse Schoenig covers Johnson County. She also focuses on issues surrounding the cost of health care, saving for retirement and personal debt. Share your story idea with Elyse.
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The 1976 Shawnee Mission Northwest softball team won the first-ever state softball championship for Kansas.
The first KSHSAA State Softball Tournament was in May 1976. At the time, only 19 schools and 380 girls across Kansas were participating in softball. Today, 250 schools and 4,757 girls participate in the sport.
Debi Milton, Tracy Parrott, Tammy Phipps Phillips, Julie Marlin and their teammates took home the title at the state's first-ever tournament, on the heels of the newly-passed Title IX law.
"I don't think we realized the history at the time," Parrott said.
The women credit their chemistry and closeness as the foundation of their success.
"We just had each other's backs, we knew what the other one was going to do before they ever did it, and so we were solid," Milton said.
"We really were just having fun and loved what we did," Phipps Phillips said.
Their legacy now stands as part of a broader story in women's sports — one that Marlin said she feels deeply connected to.
"I love the way that Kansas City wraps their arms around women's sports, and to kind of be a foundation and a part of that is really a feeling of pride," Marlin said.
The women said they are sometimes amazed at how far the sport has come, including the quality of today's facilities.
While the game has changed, what they hold closest is the bond they built with one another.
"We're sisters and teammates for life," Parrott said.
For young women in sports today, Parrott has a simple piece of advice.
"I would tell them, just for a second, slow down, close your eyes and make a memory, because 50 years from now, you're still going to remember it," Parrott said.
The state championship team was honored for their anniversary and their legacy at the KC Diamonds game at 11 a.m. Saturday.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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