The PGA's David Pillsbury's four daughters all play organized sports and will attend their first WNBA game next month.

Photo courtesy: PGA Tour

Dad of the Week: David Pillsbury

June 17, 2007 - As the WNBA celebrates Dads and Daughters throughout the season, we will be recognizing a "Dad of the Week" who not only exmplifies all of the qualities of outstanding father, but has also recognized the role that the WNBA can play in the lives of girls and women.

Our first honoree is David Pillsbury, who serves as the President of PGA TOUR Golf Course Properties.

His impressive resume also includes 14 years with American Golf Corporation, the world's largest golf course management company, and a football scholarship at the University of California, Berkeley. But for all of the work he has done in the sport of golf, not to mention the impressive number of industry associations he serves and the philanthropic endeavors he takes part in, Mr. Pillsbury is most proud of his role as father, a role he has been playing for 17 years. Clearly he knows a thing or two about sports, and he is passing that passion on to his son and four daughters.

"Sports is a huge part of our lives and our girls' lives," Pillsbury says. "I'm delighted that my girls are growing up in this generation because I'm sure that sports will play a huge part in their lives through college and beyond. Young women today live a different lifestyle than young women did even in my generation because sport is a part of their lives in a different way."

Prior to joining the PGA Tour in 2004, he helped Nike Golf grow into the behemoth that it now is. But he also got experience of another kind. Living in Beaverton, Oregon, with his family, he had his first experience coaching his daughters on an indoor soccer team.

"I read all of the books," he admits. "It was great, just an awesome experience. I'd like to actually do more of that, but it's tough with my job from a time standpoint. Fortunately, they've had great coaching in the sports they have participated in."

His oldest daughter will be senior in high school and a college prospect hoping to earn a volleyball scholarship. She also played basketball in junior high school. The three younger daughters are are 10, nine and six years old and play just about every sport. All three play basketball, they all play soccer and they all swim.

"Down here, every one of the sports goes year-round. It's a lot to keep track of," he laughs. "They tried to get my 10-year old to play year-round soccer and she didn't want to do it because she likes playing other sports. It's ridiculous to think that at that young of an age, kids should choose to commit to one sport. I think kids should be playing lots of sports until they find the one or two that they love. There is plenty of time to do that in high school."

For the time being, he hopes to continue the education and development of his daughters as sports fans by taking them to the 2007 WNBA All-Star Game in Washington D.C. next month. It will be their first WNBA game.

"I think this is going to be a really impactful experience for them, which is so cool," he says. "It will be a big deal. I think their eyes are going to be like saucers. I just don't think they really know that this world exists. Everyone is really fired up about being able to attend this year."

But he also sees the bigger picture.

"I'm thrilled to expose my daughters to what the WNBA is all about," Pillsbury said. "We don't have a WNBA team nearby in Florida where we live, but these young women who play in the WNBA are such great role models for girls. To see these incredible young women competing at such a high level, I think will be inspirational to them. Who knows how it will manifest in their lives. They may not become basketball fans, but it will impact their feelings about themselves and their sense of confidence and their sense of just what the possibilities are for them in life. I think they will be asking me when we can go to another game."

As a sports executive, he knows that these opportunities were not always open to women. Now his daughters can look at very real examples of athletes who have "made it."

"I've seen a tremendous growth in the number of options for women in my lifetime and a lot of it has to do with the positive effects of Title IX," he said. "My mother didn't have an opportunity to play any sports. She grew up in the south and left when she was 17 or 18 years old. My wife had a few options, either cheerleading, softball maybe a little track and field and a little bit of basketball. But it was pretty limited. Now I look at my girls and the options are limitless. It is incredible. There are so many great programs for them to participate in and they are competitive. Young women today have an unprecedented amount of access to sport. That is a wonderful, wonderful thing."