RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. -- When ANA, a Japanese airline, took over as sponsor of the longest running LPGA major championship held at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California, it decided to make an ANA Inspiring Women in Sports Conference part of tournament week. This year's event included Olympians in golf, tennis, gymnastics and soccer. Here is some of their best advice:
Don't let the world define you
Julie Foudy, soccer (four World Cups, three Olympics, two World Cup championships): "Everywhere you turn, someone is trying to hang a label on you. It might be about your body. It might be about the clothes you wear. It might be about things you say or the way you play. You don't have to be that person. You can be you. It's choice."
Embrace and include
Billie Jean King, tennis (pioneer in the fight for equal prize money for women): "When I was 12 years old I looked around and saw that my tennis shoes were white, my skirt was white, the ball was white and the players were white. I didn't like that. Mentor someone, sponsor someone who doesn't look like you. Althea Gibson was the first woman of color to win a Grand Slam event. If you can see it, you can do it. She was an example."
Follow your passion
Maria Sharapova, tennis (one of 10 women to complete career Grand Slam): "So much in my life has been through work. Nothing was ever given to me. When you love what you do and work with passion and integrity, you know what you stand for. That's something that can never be taken away from you."
Make your own choices
Aly Raisman, gymnast (two-time U.S. Olympic gymnastics team captain): "When I posed naked for the ESPN The Magazine Body Issue, I got some negative reaction. It took me a while to realize it didn't matter what others thought. It was one of the most fun experiences of my life. And I worked very hard to look like that. I'm very proud I did it, and that's all that matters."
Set the bar high
Lexi Thompson, golfer (highest-ranked American): "I grew up with two older brothers who played golf, so I started playing at 5. They were my yardstick. I tried to hit the ball as far as them and play like them. I learned at a very early age to push myself. Now, I play for five hours, practice for an hour and a half and then workout for an hour. It's a full-time job. That work ethic was established early."