Girls and women from across Utah will participate in the annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day celebration Saturday, Feb. 7, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. inside Brigham Young University’s new Indoor Practice Facility.
The celebration is one of more than 1,000 events taking place nationwide to honor female athletic achievement and recognize the importance of sports and fitness participation for girls and women.
The event, sponsored by BYU Athletics and the Deseret Morning News, is free and open to the public.
“Hosting a celebration for the National Girls and Women in Sports Day is a perfect fit for the community and for BYU Women’s Athletics,” said Elaine Michaelis, BYU women’s athletic director.
“We are excited that girls and women will get to spend one-on-one time with our student athletes,” she said.
Members of the BYU women’s athletic programs, including BYU soccer player and four-time All-American Aleisha Cramer Rose, will participate in the event, autographing free posters and demonstrating basic skills in their respective sports.
In addition to the BYU athletes, the Orem High School and BYU cheer squads, the BYU Cougarettes, teams from All-American Gymnastics and other local dance groups will provide live entertainment.
Members of the General Young Women’s Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will also attend.
The celebration will also feature interactive and informational booths from athletic, health and educational organizations including the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society and IHC Utah Valley Sports Medicine.
The U.S. Congress chartered the National Girls and Women in Sports Day in 1986 to encourage participation of girls and women in sports.
The program has evolved to also acknowledge past and present sports achievements, the positive influence of sports participation and the continuing struggle for equality and access for women in sports.
For more information about the celebration, contact Janie Penfield at (801) 362-9290.
Writer: Thomas Grovers
