About
Have you ever been told you can’t do something because you are a girl? Girls Can’t WHAT? is a web community for women of all ages to share their stories, support and encourage one another to achieve their dreams. Get involved by joining the blog discussion or post your own questions in the Girl Talk forums. If you’ve been there and done that, don’t forget to get the T-shirt!
The next time someone says you “can’t”, respond by saying “Girls Can’t WHAT?” and show the world you CAN!
About Me
My name is Gretchen and I am not your traditional girl. You won’t find me in a dress picking flowers and talking about cute shoes. I am most likely out doing something that someone said couldn’t be done. I was born and raised in small town in Central Illinois and I live about 30 minutes away from there now. I grew up in a neighborhood of all boys (except for my little sister) and I can throw a football and race BMX bikes with the best of them. I played Little League baseball every summer and in the 6th grade I was one of two girls to make the boys basketball team. I played all kinds of sports until my sophomore year of high school when my family was hit by a drunk driver and my back was broken (long story). Shortly after recovering from my injuries, I started playing drums and I never stopped playing. After graduating from high school I went to Millikin University where I graduated with a BS in Music Business.
Today I am married to a great guy, Doug, and we have two awesome daughters named Katelynn and Kirstynn. We also have the best dog in the whole world, a pug named Quest. I still play drums and am currently in an all-girl band called Amplified417. Besides drumming, I like to work out, swim, play basketball, read and play on the computer. This web site is my full-time job. I also volunteer as a youth and children’s leader at my church.
I want to welcome you to Girls Can’t WHAT! Make yourself at home here. Tell us about your accomplishments, inspiring books you’ve read, places you’ve been and what fuels your passion. You will soon discover there are many other women here that hold your same interests and frustrations. Get to know them, share your stories and work out solutions together. Everyone is here for a reason. Simply register and once your account is approved, you can begin building your own personal support network. Join the fastest growing women’s network on the web!
I hope you are enjoying your visit to Girls Can’t WHAT? and will return soon for more inspirational stories and interviews. I am always looking for ways to improve Girls Can’t WHAT? and offer unique ways to help you succeed in reaching your dreams. Your feedback is greatly appreciated!
Comments
47 Responses to “About”
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I like your site…very great concept and one that is much needed in the world today. Anyway, I just had to write and say hi…it’s not every day you come across someone with similar life paths. (At least not for me!)
Hey Gretchen! Nice to hear what you are up to! I just rejoined GtD_Palm recently – well took it off “no email” and am mostly lurking. Your new website looks great! I am forwarding it to my nieces. What a great idea!!
Ok. You’re cooler than I thought - you made sciencedaily.com!
e
The site is looking excellent. I really like it and I am glad folks are joining. I will be passing details of the site to our youth for them to take a look.
Many thanks.
Rich
I was wondering what age group you ment this website to be in. I’m 12 and I love it!!
Thanks for what you do,
Freya
Freya - this site is for girls of all ages! Glad you liked it!
I clicked on girlscantwhat just to get a glimpse : i’ve spent one hour, collected a lot of thoughts (even translated/rewrote some in french) : one of my best enlighting web moments for long ! “Un enchantement”.
BTW : the site is very well thought, I apreciate the work behind
Jacques
from Paris
(sorry : a man)
Hi Gretchen. I found your site from the link you provided for something on the datebk6 list. What great content you have!! Nice layout too–very easy to get around and to see what is here. I just finished reading the Amy Grant article and looking at some humor and T-shirts as well as browsing Home. I’ll be back.
I went to your site first just because of the name…
I loved your blogs too!
thanks so much! I’ll stay in touch. (I already bookmarked your site…)
I’m putting in a request for a math or science “girls can’t what?” I love your logos!!!!!!!!!
hi! this is Duma, a mexican girl married with an italian guy. I am actually living in Italy. I was looking for more information about community builder and I read one of your comments on www.joomlapolis.com. Then I saw your profile and found your website…I made the registration and I’m writting it for your just to say: “congratulations”I have read the “about” section and you are totally right… you know me a little just as you said! I found your web site just an amazing experience! have a GGRREEEat day!
Gretchen: I want to say Thank You for creating something that empowers young girls. As a mental health counselor (and currently a Behavior Specialist), an avid volleyball player, and a “guy” I sometimes see and hear people (including women) say that this or that girl can’t do this or that because they are girls! I also did a small blog on my website, www.stevenguyenonline.com.
Hey Gretchen! I just felt compelled to let you know how much I’m lovin your site! I was working tonight, and looking through the Joomla forums when I came across a link to your site. What an awesome idea for a website… very inspirational. I will definitely be back very soon
but for now… it’s back to work LOL!
Gretchen, I “know” you from the pdbk user group. Just visited your
excellent web site, I am going to send the link to a couple friends who have
daughters - what a wonderful idea - nice work!
Tammy
Dear Gretchen,
I am a big fan of yours. Your site looks awesome. I think it is great what you do for girls everywhere. May your site and vision prosper!
JoeJoomla
Gretchen,
Great site and a super inspiration!
This is fabulous and beautiful. Your artisitic abilities are really taking off!
This is a great website. I’m enjoying your posts. Keep up the good work.
Rock on
~Becky
I am your number one fan!
Can I have your autograph?
My autograph? Are you kidding? I am such a geek that I don’t even remember how to handwrite anything! How about an electronic one…
~*~ G R E T C H E N ~*~
Is there any way you can make a shirt with a girl playing the saxophone? That would be awesome!
Lisa - it’s on my list! I’ll try to work on that one next week. I played trombone in High School Band (first chair, too) so I will do a trombone player, too.
yo yo! you r my favorite mom with the coolest web n the world!
- a.k.a. your daughter
great great great idea !!!!! girls cant what? wow awsome awsome…. theres alota money to be made with that idea alone … keep it up ;o)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi Gretchen!
Your site is hopping! Great to see other girls venturing into new territories!
As for me, well, when I started climbing, my two girlfriends and I would get stares of near disbelief when we arrived at a crag and started climbing on our own.
Now I’d say I meet another girl climber nearly every trip out to local crags and every single time on longer trips. We’ve all come a long way baby!
~ Eileen
http://www.rockgrrl.com
Eileen - great site! I will have to write more about it soon. Rock climbing is definitely on my list of designs for this year. Thanks for stopping by. I will have the forums up in a day or two, so feel free to start a thread on rock climbing.
Hi Gretchen!
This is a great site! Thank you for it. I love your band too! This is inspirational. I had a band for a while too…but now playing solo myspace.com/maiermusic
Love the website! You should come up with a design about women owning a business! As a self-employeed woman I get that comment all the time that I can’t be a “stay-at-home mom” that has a business too! Why that would outrageous. To them I say “All things are possible if you have Jesus on your side.”
Liking the website. I found it through CafePress when I was looking for Geek Girl stickers to put on my new laptop. Keep fighting the good fight, letting everyone know that there’s nothing we can’t do!
Thanks Dee - come back and visit any time!
Great website, interesting posts, and I love the blog design too.
Visiting from blogging chicks !
I love this site. I have friends who think that I’m weird cause I love to mud ride, but that’s who I am and who I’ll be. I’m just saying to everyone out there this site is awesome. And to all the girls out there don’t let anyone tell who you can’t be, put your mind too it.
what the heck is blogging chicks
I am the mother of 2 girls. They are very independent and I do believe that they can do anything but, they still LOVE PINK! I have been searching this site high and low and I just don’t find enough PINK. My girls adore anything in pink. I would have loved to order some things from your site for them but there is not enough pink. One more suggestion. You have 2 choices of color either light or dark. My girls are not really either extreme. I know you can not cover the entire color spectrum but something in between would be nice.
I came across your site by accident and I love it! I am the owner of a women’s professional football team in Modesto, CA and most of the women that play for me have stories like yours.
This is one of the best sites I’ve found in a while! Keep up the good work!
dear gretchan
trust i love sports i have been playing them since i was born. my dads a football coach and i love it i have a brother and a AWESOME mom and dad and family. i just came to this site its awesome though already. i have moved to a new school and i have alot of sports there and let me tell ya there fun and we are good my dads the coach though bye
ps please right back to e love abby
dear gretchan,



do you no how boys say like girls are bad at this girls are bad at that well i have been picked on like that and i dont like it and im am not trying to be rude or anything but im pretty good at all of the sports i play basketball softball and other sports and some boys say you stink at basketball and we could be your team but that makes me feel bad becaause i am working my hardest at every sport
please right back i love your website it is so so cool i love it








Thanks for the compliments. Sounds like you’re abusy girl. If you want ot chat more, check out the girl talk forums. )
Stumbled upon your site when looking for a quote by Annie Oakley. I am working on a new collage about women that includes Annie Oakley, Marilyn Monroe and a Pakistani women wearing a niqad (covering with only a slit for the eyes). When I was in high school in the early 70’s my aunt that is 12 years older than me gave me a book called Girls Are Equal Too. I still have that book. It never occured to me that I could not do anything I wanted to. I teach art in high school and I love my strong wonderful young women that have so much life ahead of them. They make me proud to be a girl.
Thanks Mary - I’d love to see a photo of that collage when it’s ready!
Hi Gretchen,
The short half of my story is I had two teachers in middle school who said I would be one of “those kids” who did nothing. Mr S said I would never reach college prep math b/c it wasn’t a girl thing. Mrs O said I’d never write “anything worthwhile.” I’m in college now and I still hear those claims. Granted, I’m genetically not gifted at math, but I made it to college-level precalc as a freshman. My fiction was published in the high school magazine and now I have a wonderful mentor helping me find an editor for a manuscript I wrote. They tried to have me doubt myself for their own shortcomings, but I see through them now. Your site is the whipped cream on mint chocolate chip ice cream!
Love “Girls Can’t What?” My husband is a firefighter and our 3 daughters seem to be following in his foot steps so far. So needless to say, we will be shopping on this sight for next Christmas.
Thanks Katrina and Staci! I appreciate the encouragement.
Wow! I never knew the owner was a tomboy!I am so happy!I thought this site was meant for posting girly things,but I was wrong.You are awesome!