Age is a strange thing. We associate a higher number in this respect with a lower level of ability and energy. However, there are tons of examples out there to prove us all wrong. The most relevant at the moment are three women who have proven their strength over the past few months, with all of their hard work culminating Sunday night in the FIFA Women’s World Cup final.

Abby Wambach, 35, Shannon Boxx, 38, and Christie Rampone, 40 -- these three women have just contributed to the United States bringing home the world cup for the first time since 1999.

The “‘99ers” were our generation’s athletic heroines. Women like Carli Lloyd, Alex Morgan and Christen Press watched them on television growing up.

A Fox reporter said Lloyd had wanted to win the cup this year not so that people would stop talking about the 99ers, but so that they would start talking about them. They didn’t want to replace or overshadow their predecessors, they wanted to be right up there with them and remind young girls in the U.S. that they still have what it takes.

Rampone was a part of the 1999 team. She was there for the win alongside teammates Mia Hamm, Brandi Chastain and Kristine Lilly. Rampone was 23 years old at the time, according to the 1999 roster. However, even at 23, she was not the youngest, nor was she one of the youngest players on the team. The oldest player on the 1999 team was Michelle Akers at 33 years old. The second oldest was Julie Foudy at 28 years old.

This year, Rampone is the oldest player. According to USSoccer.com, Morgan Brian, 22, is the youngest of the “2015ers.” Brian and Julie Johnston, 23, are the only two teammates under the age of 26.

What does all of this say about age in sports? Should we, as a culture, continue to expect men and women to quit being active once they reach a certain age? The answer is different now than it would have been in 1999.

Quite a few of the 2015ers are married or engaged and have children of their own. Nothing can stop these women from achieving what they have set out to do, not even their age.

This isn’t to say that soccer is the only sport to allow women 40 years of age to win the most coveted world championship. Venus Williams is one of the most well-known female athletes in the world. She has won countless championships, trophies, holds seven career grand slam titles, and may even win another at Wimbledon this year.

My grandmother, who is more than 80 years old, still plays competitive tennis.

If all of these women can do all of this at their age, I can only imagine the things I have to look forward to once I turn 30. The 2015ers are peaking now, and hopefully it sets the tone for the rest of us.