Marilyn’s first sports affiliation was with Volleyball, not soccer.  She attended the University of Tennessee (UT) where she played volleyball at the collegiate level.  Marilyn left UT to join the military, served her term and returned to college to gain her Master’s Degree.  Marilyn was a University of Tennessee Letterman and played AIAW Volleyball, representing UT in the National Championship Tournament in 1972.  Marilyn played USVBA Volleyball for 15 years and played in the National Tournament in 1975.
 

Her passion for soccer didn’t begin until 1982.  By 1983 and for the next six years, Marilyn represented Georgia at the Over 30 USSF National Cup team competitions as her team’s goalkeeper and continued to play until injuries forced her playing retirement.
 

Marilyn was instrumental in the formation of the existing women’s soccer programs in the Atlanta Area.  Georgia Amateur Soccer Association (GASA) State Officer since 1987 and Marilyn was the first woman President for GASA (1991-1994).  She received a Special Recognition Award in 1994 for her Olympic Involvement.  Marilyn organized and energized the movement to have women’s soccer in the 1996 Olympics.  She co-founded the Women’s Soccer in 96 with Gail Turbyville.  Marilyn was appointed by US Soccer to be the official Ambassador for the US Women’s Soccer team for the 1996 Olympics.
 

She has been on the USASA Region III Women’s Committee since 1992 and Chaired that committee for 3 years.  Marilyn is also on the USSF Women’s Committee.  She was an advisor and speaker for the First Women’s Leadership Conference for Women in Soccer in December 1993.  In 1995, she developed women leadership conferences in each region of the United States Amateur Soccer Association.  Marilyn was the USSF Representative to the first FIFA Seminar on Women’s Soccer in 1992, which was held in Zurich.  She was also an alternate for the 1999 FIFA Women’s Symposium.  Marilyn was the Chair of the National Coalition for the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup.  Marilyn has been a member of the NSCAA Women’s Committee since 1997.  She was also an advisor to the Women’s Soccer Foundation in 1993-1994 and has been on the Advisory Board Member of the Women’s Sports Foundation for soccer since 1993.  Marilyn has also been a member of the USSF Professional Women’s Soccer League Development Committee since 1997.

Marilyn is the Past President and co-founder of Georgia Women’s Intersport Network, a group that has promoted women and girls in sports throughout Georgia.
 

She was instrumental in establishing National Girls and Women in Sports Day at the Georgia Stat Capital.  Since 1987 she was the Director of International Soccer Matches for Georgia Soccer managing many exhibition games and tournaments.  The National Soccer Hall of Fame named their Under 17 Girls Division, the Marilyn Childress Division in the National Series of Soccer in the summers of 1994, 1995, & 1996.
 

Marilyn received the Special Georgia Citizen Award from the Secretary of State for being a “Georgia Woman Sports Trailblazer” in 1996.  Marilyn’s active dedication, commitment and participation continue to help guide Georgia Soccer to ever-improving levels.  Governor Roy Barnes appointed Marilyn to the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame Authority in 2000.