WASHINGTON, Feb. 6, 2019 — A group of champion athletes and activists, led by the Women’s Sports Foundation, arrive on Capitol Hill today to celebrate the 33rd annual National Girls & Women in Sports Day (NGWSD), a national observance celebrating the extraordinary achievements of girls and women in sports.
The 2019 NGWSD theme, Lead Her Forward, will honor the many ways that sports push girls and women to achieve excellence and realize their boundless potential. “This year, we are celebrating all the ways girls and women everywhere are leading us forward and into a brighter future,” shared Women’s Sports Foundation CEO Deborah Antoine. “NGWSD is a great time to uplift these girls and women, along with the advocates using their platforms to inspire greatness in female athletes. We are also more committed than ever to protect Title IX, along with strong policies and safeguards for women in sports and all industries.”
Today, Women’s Sports Foundation will visit Capitol Hill for a series of meetings focused on Title IX and Senate bill S.132 that would establish a commission on the state of the Olympic and Paralympic movement in the U.S. Women’s Sports Foundation representatives, athletes and partners will discuss how to work with the government to improve the experience of Team USA athletes. They will also highlight the importance of keeping Title IX strong, and the importance of creating and sustaining sports opportunities for girls and women.
Yesterday, the Foundation hosted two events in the community, starting with a girls’ sports clinic at George Washington University (GW). Women’s Sports Foundation’s champion athletes Elana Meyers Taylor, Jessica Long, Meghan Duggan, Benita Fitzgerald Mosley, Phaidra Knight, Alana Nichols and Sasha DiGiulian teamed up with GW student-athletes to lead elementary, middle and high school girls from the D.C. area in a multi-sport clinic, with a focus on health and wellness, and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Following the clinic, Women’s Sports Foundation President and GW alumnus Elana Meyers Taylor led an intimate discussion for students on Title IX and shared her thoughts on post-graduate athletic and leadership opportunities.
“Access to sports and all the benefits they provide is critical for girls and women. Sports teach girls leadership, teamwork and confidence,” shared Elana Meyers Taylor, Women’s Sports Foundation President and three-time Olympic medalist in bobsled. “National Girls & Women in Sports Day is a great time to reconnect with the girls and women we serve and call for a national push to support girls and women in sports.”
The Women’s Sports Foundation will be joined by NGWSD signature partners National Women’s Law Center, George Washington University, Girls Inc. and the President’s Council of Sports, Fitness and Nutrition, in promoting the Day through grassroots events. Across the country, sports educators, coaches, athletic departments, recreation centers, community organizations, students and parents will come together to host hundreds of local events in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to celebrate.
About National Girls & Women in Sports Day
National Girls & Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) began in 1987 as a special day in our nation’s capital to recognize women’s sports. The day united premiere organizations and elite female athletes to bring national attention to the promise of girls and women in sports. In 1987, NGWSD also served as a remembrance of Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman for her athletic achievements and dedication to promoting equality for women’s sports; Hyman died of Marfan’s Syndrome in 1986. NGWSD has since evolved into an event to acknowledge the accomplishments of female athletes, the positive influence of sports participation and the continuing struggle for equality for women in sports.
NGWSD is powered by the Women’s Sports Foundation, supported by its team of champion athletes and celebrated throughout the year by schools and community-serving organizations across all 50 states. Visit the official website www.NGWSD.org for more information, and follow the hashtags #NGWSD and #LeadHerForward on social media.
About The Women’s Sports Foundation
The Women’s Sports Foundation is a powerful voice, catalyst and convener dedicated to ensuring all girls have equal access to sports and physical activity and the tremendous lifelong benefits they provide. Founded by Billie Jean King in 1974, we seek to strengthen and expand opportunities for all girls and women to participate in all sports at all levels through research, advocacy, community impact and a wide variety of collaborative partnerships. The Women’s Sports Foundation has relationships with more than 1,000 of the world’s elite female athletes and has positively shaped the lives of more than 3 million youth, high school and collegiate student-athletes. To learn more about the Women’s Sports Foundation, please visit www.WomensSportsFoundation.org.
