Maria Shriver

Billie Jean King, Co-Founder, World TeamTennis and Founder, Women’s Sports Foundation

By MariaShriver.com

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1. What are your three words to live by?
Inspire
Connect
Integrity

2. Who do you consider to be an Architect of Change in your life? Why?

There were many influencers in my life and it all started with my family. Learning the importance of having good values and living by the Golden Rule helped me as a young child and it still is part of my life today. I was fortunate to have people like Susan Williams and Rev. Bob Richards in my life at a young age. In fifth grade Susan asked me to go play tennis and I had no idea what tennis was.

But if Susan had not invited me on that day, my life could have been very, very different. When I was young, my family attended church in Long Beach, Calif. where Rev. Bob Richards was our pastor. Rev. Richards was a two-time Olympic Gold medalist in the pole vault and his sermons were filled with sports metaphors. Every Sunday I felt like Rev. Richards was talking right to me and it made a difference for me.

3. What's the most important lesson you've learned in life?

While it is so important to have an appreciation of history and the work those who have come before us have done, it is so very important to live in the now and make the best out of each and every day.

4. What is one thing you are working on right now that you feel especially passionate about?

World TeamTennis. Just as I have done for more than 35 years, World TeamTennis is what is important to me. If you have ever seen a WTT match, you have seen my philosophy of life in action –- men and women on the same team competing on a level playing field with equal contributions from both genders.

Check out World TeamTennis

Check out the Women's Sports Foundation

Photo credit: Credit Jonathan Exley