Sports saved Liz Ferro's life. Growing up in the foster care system and experiencing childhood sexual abuse, she found refuge in sports. Through running, swimming and biking, Ferro built her confidence as a young girl. Sports helped her envision a better future.
In 2009, Ferro started her Ohio-based non-profit, Girls with Sole, to help girls facing challenging circumstances access no-cost fitness and wellness programs. The organization's mission is to "empower the minds, bodies and souls of girls who are at-risk or have experienced abuse of any kind." Ferro partners with schools, hospitals, youth centers and LGBTQIA+ groups to offer the noted programs and workshops.
Ferro believes physical activity helps shift the mindsets of her participants. Through running, stand-up paddleboarding, hiking, basketball and various group workouts, Girls with Sole promotes healthy self-esteem, lasting friendship, and consistent support. Every participant receives free running shoes, a sports bra, water bottles, a fitness journal and entry into at least two 5K races per year.
With the help of volunteers, Ferro runs all the programs by herself. To keep Girls with Sole afloat, Ferro does not take a salary and fundraises at every opportunity. Since the organization's inception, Ferro has raised money by running marathons and competing in triathlons. To date, Ferro has completed 50 marathons in 50 states, five Ironman races and several other competitive runs worldwide -- including a marathon in Antarctica. Her next personal goal is to complete a marathon on all seven continents. In addition to her marathon fundraising efforts, Ferro has written two books, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to Girls with Sole.
At the 2022 espnW: Women + Sports Summit, Ferro received a grant from Toyota as part of their Everyday Heroes Spotlight. Ferro talked to espnW about the impact of sports on her life and how she helped the more than 1,000 girls that have participated in Girls with Sole programs.
This has been edited and condensed for clarity.
On what she would tell her younger self:
I would've never believed it. Even if I was like, "But I swear, I'm you in the future," I wouldn't have believed it. Because I couldn't believe in myself, I couldn't believe in anything.
I would tell myself, "You've just got to keep holding on and moving forward because you're going to touch people's lives someday with the s--- you're going through now."
On the power of running:
In my 20s, I fought hard to overcome what I experienced as a kid. And every time I run, it's a reminder of what I've gone through and overcome and what the kids I work with are currently going through. It's amazing because I know that when I complete a marathon, I'm a great example for them. And I'm raising money to help them. That's what keeps me going.
When I was a little kid, I never walked anywhere. I was either running or doing cartwheels. In the parking lot at the grocery store, I'd be doing cartwheels. I had a lot of energy. When I was around 8 to 10, my dad took me to the local track and would run with me.
I loved going with my dad. That was like, "Oh my God, I get to go with my dad to the track." And he would do his thing, and I would do mine, and I would see that sense of pride in him when I would tell him, "I ran two, three times around." He would go nuts. I felt good, and I loved it. I was always trying to duplicate what I did at the track or beat it, see if I could push myself further.
Building self-confidence through sports:
When I was in eighth or ninth grade, I started feeling self-conscious about my body. And I turned to sports. I hated my body, so the only thing that made me forget that and concentrate more on what it could do was running and swimming. It was very meditative. Swimming is also very rhythmic; you don't hear anything except water. And running can be the same thing. I started to feel truly powerful. No one could touch me. I wasn't ugly. I wasn't worried about anything. I remember thinking, 'I'm a machine.
On how her dad supported her interests:
He's not alive anymore, but if he knew what I was doing with Girls with Sole, he'd be so proud. My dad believed in focusing on people's talents and putting them in places to help them become stronger and better. He supported my efforts in sports and reinforced my talents. He was at every track meet. He was at every swim meet. I always knew he was going to be there.
In a way, he invented Girls with Sole because he believed in me and saw the difference that sports had in my life. I was fortunate because I had him, but many of the girls I serve don't have someone like that. I try to be that for them.
On making a difference:
I see the hope in their eyes after they've participated in Girls with Sole [events]. Even if they don't show me initially, I always see a smile or hear words of affirmation at the end. It's usually the ones who come the furthest or are the most resistant. I'll get a random text or an email or message on Instagram years later, and it'll say, "Thank you so much. You saved my life. I still work out, and you change how I look at the world."
I feel proud, but I also feel like I'm not doing enough, and there's always more I could do to change these girls' lives.
On the impact of Girls with Sole:
Showing someone you are proud of them is such a basic thing, but it's so impactful. These young girls need to know that someone believes in them. They need to know they are worthy. And they need to know that someone will show up for them.
When I hear them say, "She's never coming back again," and then when I come back, they say, "Miss Liz, you came back." I'm reminded of the importance of support. That feeling is gold. And that's when I start to see the hope and the light go on for them.
