MARION — For Tabor Academy junior and Marion resident Izzy Murphy, the difference between how boys and girls are treated in sports was evident from a young age. The boys received better practice times, better game times and better equipment in her youth basketball league, according to Murphy.

Murphy’s passion for sports was instilled at a young age when she first picked up a lacrosse stick at the age of four, inspired by her father who would become her lacrosse coach.

She founded the Global Local Athletic Movement, also known as GLAM Girl, in 2021 alongside fellow student athletes Teagan Lind, Maureen Lind and Taryn Madsen to help girl athletes have the resources they need to continue playing.

GLAM Girl combines Murphy’s passion for sports and community service, giving her an opportunity to help women athletes succeed within her community and beyond.

“The mission is just to raise as much awareness as we can for female athletes,” said Murphy. “It’s so important for girls to stay in the game, so just making sure that girls have everything that they need to be able to play the sport that they want to.”

In 2024, Murphy received a grant from the Cape Cod Foundation’s Women and Girls fund to a week-long summer basketball camp for indigenous girls in Cape Cod, in addition to raising money to fly out Ryneldi Becenti, the first Native American woman in the WNBA, and 3 indigenous girl athletes under the age of 10 to attend the camp.

The GLAM club at Tabor Academy hosted a fundraiser where they sold chocolate covered strawberries to cover the cost of the air fare.

The camp gave girls a chance to play sports with each other and learn more about Native culture.

“It was just a super meaningful experience,” said Murphy.

GLAM Girl also partners with athletic directors across Massachusetts in schools where at least 50% of students are eligible for free school lunch.

Murphy fundraises to provide girl athletes at these schools with items like running shoes, cleats, sports bras, compression shirts, cheer shoes, goalie gloves and more.

“I love giving back, and I love that GLAM has reached the point where we can give back this much to the community,” said Murphy.

Over the holiday season, GLAM Girl set up pink giving trees at Marion local businesses such as Marion Yoga Loft, Uncle Jon’s Coffee, Mimis and the Marion General Store and raised almost $5,000, according to Murphy. Each giving tree was labelled with a different student athlete and the equipment they need in order to play their sport.

“The support from local businesses has been so incredible,” said Murphy. “I’m really grateful for all the local businesses that have made it possible this season to get all the items that I just mentioned.”

GLAM Girl also received international grants to pursue their work on a larger scale.

The organization recently received funding from the Afghan Sports Trust to implement recovery yoga in all-girls schools in Afghanistan who are “suffering under the Taliban.” 

Afghan women are currently banned from participating in sports due to rulings by the Taliban.

“We want to find a way to give the girls something meaningful,” said Murphy.

Beth Murphy, Izzy’s mother, previously made documentaries with girls' schools in Afghanistan.

“We’re super fortunate to have a close connection,” said Murphy.

Murphy and the GLAM organization hope that the girls can use recovery yoga as a form of athletic expression.

“I am so proud of her,” said Beth Murphy. “It’s just a gift as mom to see her engaged and giving back in this way, and being so motivated and inspired by the mission.”

Looking forward, Murphy hopes to continue her work helping female athletes from her community and beyond.