Hilltown Families 
Throw like a girl — Lead like a champion!
This year’s slogan for the National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) is “Throw like a girl – Lead like a champion!” NGWSD is a day that acknowledges the positive influence participation in sports can have in a young girl’s life. It is also a day to honor sports achievements while working towards equality and accessability for women in sports.
In honor of this national day there are several free clinics being sponsored by area colleges for young girls to participate in and learn more about sports, including Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and Smith College.
FREE NGWSD CLINICS IN WESTERN MA
- Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, MA, will celebrate its annual NGWSD event on Saturday, February 3rd, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Amsler Campus Center Gym on the MCLA campus. This is a free clinic for girls 3rd-8th grades. Clinics will cover basketball, golf, volleyball and tennis, and pre- registration is required by calling (413) 662-5437.
- Smith College in Northampton, MA, will be celebrating on Sunday, February 4th. In an effort to promote girls in sports, Smith College will be sponsoring a day of free sports clinics on five different sports to all local 3rd-6th grade girls. Interested participants must fill out a registration form. For more information call the athletic department at (413) 585-2705.
WHO IS NGWSD?
NGWSD began over 20 years ago and is jointly organized by the National Girls and Women in Sport Coalition. The Coalition combines the experience and resources of the six premiere girls- and women-serving organizations in the United States: Girl Scouts of the USA, Girls Incorporated, the National Association for Girls and Women in Sport, National Women’s Law Center, the Women’s Sports Foundation, and the YWCA USA.
SUGGESTED READINGS FOR PARENTS
-
101 Ways to Be a Terrific Sports Parent, by Joel Fish (2003)
- Games Girls Play: Understanding and Guiding Young Female Athletes, by Silby & Smith (2001)
- Go Girl! : Raising Healthy, Confident and Successful Through Sports, by Storm & Jenkins (2002)
- Good Sports : A Concerned Parent’s Guide to Little League and Other Competitive Youth Sports, by Rick Wolff(1993)
- Home Team Advantage : The Critical Role of Mothers in Youth Sports, by Brooke C. de Lench (2006)
- Moms & Dads, Kids & Sports, by Pat McInally (1988)
- Parenting Your Superstar: How to Help Your Child Get the Most Out of Sports, by Rotella & Bunker (1987)
- Click here to review similar titles from your local Western MA library.
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Photo credit:
Girls basketball – (c) 2007 – Steve Harwood (All rights reserved)
Girls volleyball – (c) Jeff Walton (CCL)
The UMass Department of Athletics is pleased to announce it will be holding a National Girls And Women In Sports Day Clinic on Feb. 11 prior to the start of the women’s game versus Rhode Island in the Mullins Center. Area girls are encouraged to sign up to meet and learn from some of UMass’ top female student-athletes and coaches. The clinic will feature hands on activities, question and answer sessions, and free prizes. Best of all, those who sign up will receive free admission to the women’s basketball game and will be recognized in a special ceremony at halftime. The clinic will run from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., in Boyden Gymnasium, while the women’s basketball game will tip-off at 2 p.m.
This year, student-athletes representing the varsity field hockey, lacrosse, rowing, soccer, and track & field teams as well as members of the club rugby and volleyball teams will be on hand.
In addition to the free clinics, each participating girl will receive a complimentary ticket to the UMass vs. Rhode Island game, as well as be recognized and honored during a half time presentation. The Women’s Sports Foundation will have representatives present at the linics and the game to distribute materials and freebies, as well as answer questions pertaining to women and girls in sports. They will be holding a raffle for a substantial prize (autographed item by an elite female athlete).
For more information on NGWSD or to sign-up, contact Jaclyn Muns, Marketing & Promotions Assistant, at jmuns@admin.umass.edu or by telephone at 413-577-0340.