In 2022, USC Trojan Simone Jackson competed in the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, an international soccer championship for women under the age of 20. Jackson scored the U.S. team’s only goal in a game against Japan.
Jackson, who played soccer at USC, has a family history with Trojan athletics. Her grandfather coached football at USC, and both her father and older brother played football as Trojans. Since the NCAA began allowing students to participate in NIL deals (deals that allow students to be monetarily compensated for use of their name, image and likeness) in 2021, Jackson has noticed a difference between the kinds of deals being offered to herself and to her brother.
“There’s certain perks, especially when it comes to the NIL space, that I feel like he gets to take advantage of,” she said.
In “Play Like a Girl,” Jackson and other female athletes talk about the disparity between the respect and opportunities offered to women and men in sports.
“The deals are on the male side,” Jackson said.