STANDISH, ME – Saint Joseph’s College hosted an event in conjunction with National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) at the Harold Alfond Center on Saturday, February 22nd. The event was a great success as nearly 30 girls, grades K-5, attended the three-hour clinic, which was free to the public.
Athletes from eight of the SJC women’s varsity and club programs (cross country, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, track & field and cheering) as well as the two club teams instructed attendees on the practices of their respective sports. The young girls traveled from station to station to learn various skills and techniques related to sport and enjoyed a healthy snack break and Monks gear giveaways. Certificates of participation were given to each child in attendance.
NGWSD is celebrated in all 50 states with community-based events, award ceremonies, and activities honoring the achievements and encouraging participation of girls and women in sports. Under the watch of Senior Woman Administrator Tiffany-Miller Gagnon, Saint Joseph’s has hosted a NGWSD event in each of the last eight years.
“This is always a great event for us, to provide young girls with the opportunity to participate in new athletic pursuits and hopefully discover new activities they enjoy,” adds Miller-Gagnon. “Just this year a parent told me that her daughter was very interested in signing up for youth softball after learning how to play at our event.”
NGWSD began in 1987 as a day to remember Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman for her athletic achievements and her work to assure equality for women's sports. Hyman died of Marfan's Syndrome in 1986 while competing in a volleyball tournament in Japan. Since that time, NGWSD has evolved into a day to acknowledge the past and recognize current sports achievements, the positive influence of sports participation, and the continuing struggle for equality and access for women in sports.
Congress has proclaimed this national day each year since 1987, as it recognizes the progress of girls and women in sports and the benefits that sports and fitness activities can bring to the lives of all girls and women. The Day is organized nationally by the Girl Scouts of the USA, Girls Incorporated, National Association for Girls and Women in Sport, the National Women's Law Center and the Women's Sports Foundation.
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Saint Joseph's College is Maine's only Catholic liberal arts college, providing a supportive, personalized and career-focused education for more than 100 years. From its 430-acre campus on the shores of Sebago Lake, the College offers more than 40 undergraduate programs to a population of approximately 1,000 students. Saint Joseph's College Online provides certificates, undergraduate and advanced degrees for working adults through an online learning program. For more, visit www.sjcme.edu.