From the Field to the Founder's Chair: Three Women Changing the Game

Two generations of female athletes and entrepreneurs share how they're building businesses, inspiring confidence, and helping more girls discover the joy of sports.

What happens when two generations of female entrepreneurs connect over their love of sports?

Swax Lax founder Laura Gump recently sat down with Grace Anne McCooey, founder of Instant Replay, and her sister MaryHelen McCooey, who leads the company's lacrosse partnerships. Grace Anne played field hockey at Princeton and now competes at Syracuse, while MaryHelen plays lacrosse at Boston College.

What started as a conversation about two very different businesses quickly turned into something more: an exchange of ideas about entrepreneurship, mentorship, and helping young athletes discover the joy of sports.

Both businesses began with a problem worth solving. And both share a belief that sports can have a lasting impact far beyond the playing field.

1. How It All Started

Sometimes the best business ideas come from seeing something that just doesn't make sense.

For Laura, the idea for Swax Lax grew out of years spent coaching lacrosse and running youth camps. She wanted beginners to have a positive first experience, but recognized that getting hit with a hard lacrosse ball could quickly undermine a young player's confidence. Tennis balls, beanbags, and other alternatives didn't provide the right training experience.

So she created something better: a soft, durable training ball with the same dimensions as a regulation lacrosse ball.

Initially intended just for her camps, the balls attracted attention from parents who wanted to buy them. With encouragement from a parent on the sidelines, Laura decided to bring Swax Lax to market in 2016.

Grace Anne discovered a different kind of opportunity while studying and playing field hockey at Princeton. She learned that apparel and sporting goods companies were discarding significant amounts of brand-new, unsold inventory.

Her solution was Instant Replay, a business that gives those products a second chance through curated, affordable gear boxes for female athletes.

Together with MaryHelen, now a lacrosse player at Boston College, Grace Anne is expanding Instant Replay into additional sports and introducing younger athletes to brands and products used by college players.

Listen: How It All Started

2. The Power of Female Role Models

One of the most engaging parts of the conversation centered on the influence that older athletes can have on younger girls.

Laura recalled how the girls at her camps looked up to their high school and college coaches. They noticed everything, from how the coaches wore their hair to how they styled their T-shirts. To those young campers, the coaches were heroes.

MaryHelen sees the same thing when she coaches younger lacrosse players. The girls ask about her experiences, her training routines and her path to playing college lacrosse. She recognizes that those conversations are opportunities to encourage confidence, ambition and a positive relationship with sports.

For Instant Replay, connecting younger athletes with college players is an important part of the business. It's not simply about getting the right gear. It's about helping girls see what's possible.

And as Laura pointed out, there's something especially powerful about young athletes having real, relatable role models they can learn from and aspire to become.

Listen: The Power of Female Role Models

3. Making Sports More Accessible

Although Swax Lax and Instant Replay offer different products, the founders discovered a shared commitment to making sports more accessible.

For Instant Replay, that means helping female athletes get quality equipment at affordable prices. Grace Anne and MaryHelen are particularly interested in supporting schools and programs that may not have the equipment budgets of larger college athletic programs.

For Swax Lax, accessibility begins with confidence and opportunity. A softer training ball allows young players to develop their skills without the same fear of getting hurt. It also opens up more places to practice, from backyards and playgrounds to indoor spaces.

The conversation also touched on a growing concern among coaches and athletes: the pressure on children to specialize in one sport at increasingly young ages.

All three women emphasized the value of trying different sports, playing with friends, and allowing children to develop a genuine love of the game.

As Laura explained, the broader goal is to spread the joy of sports and the feeling of belonging that comes from being part of something.

Listen: Making Sports More Accessible

4. Advice from Women Entrepreneurs

Before wrapping up, the women shared advice for young athletes and aspiring entrepreneurs.

Laura encouraged people to trust their instincts. When you believe you have a good idea, pursue it, ask questions, and surround yourself with people who can help you figure things out.

Grace Anne and MaryHelen echoed that message, emphasizing the importance of believing in yourself, taking chances, and not waiting until you feel completely ready.

They also discussed failure, something every athlete and entrepreneur eventually experiences.

Laura shared how an early manufacturing problem taught the Swax Lax team the importance of product quality and customer service. What felt like a major setback ultimately helped shape the company's values.

Their collective message was simple: Be willing to try, learn as you go, and don't let the fear of failure stop you.

Listen: Advice from Women Entrepreneurs

Different Businesses. Shared Purpose.

Swax Lax and Instant Replay began with different ideas, but their founders share a belief in the power of sports to develop confidence, create connections, and open doors.

It's a reminder that innovation doesn't always begin with a grand business plan. Sometimes it starts with recognizing a problem, asking a question, and being willing to try something new.

And when women who share those values connect, there's an opportunity to make an even greater impact.

Learn more: Explore Swax Lax and discover Instant Replay.