BOULDER (2/18/11) – Nearly 200 young girls will descend to the University of Colorado Student Recreation Center on Saturday Feb. 26 for the ninth annual Colorado Girls in Sports Day.
The afternoon will be packed with demonstrations and sports activities to help girls, ages 5-12 get their bodies moving and get experience in many non-traditional sports. The demonstrations and sports stations will be headed up by CU’s Collegiate Sport Clubs.
“Many young girls don’t get enough exercise throughout the day,” said the event founder and Collegiate Sport Clubs director Patty McConnell. “This event will help show some of the sports that they can participate in so they can get that exercise and be healthy.”
The day will begin in the Rec Center’s East General Gym at 1 p.m. with a welcome ceremony and demonstrations of some drills and skills from CU’s fencing and taekwondo team. The girls will then break up into smaller groups and go through the six sports stations of hockey, racquetball, rugby, softball, taekwondo, and ultimate Frisbee. The day will end at 4 p.m. with a closing ceremony. CU athletes will be on hand to help teach the girls about the sports they love to play.
“Girls leave this event feeling good about having a strong, fit body, while also having the opportunity to socialize with new friends who enjoy playing sports,” McConnell said. “Girls also gain more self-confidence about themselves and their physical abilities and strengths.”
McConnell began a similar program years ago while working at Metropolitan State College of Denver; however she wasn’t able to get enough support to sustain the event long term. After coming to Colorado, McConnell gave another shot at organizing the event, and it has been a success ever since.
February was chosen to host Colorado Girls in Sports Day so it would coincide with National Girls and Women in Sports Day earlier in the month
There are still a limited number of spaces available; however girls can register up to the day of the event as long as there are openings. The event costs $10 per person, but every girl will receive a T-shirt, a finisher’s certificate, and refreshments throughout the day.
Free parking will be available in Lot 169 on campus (enter from Folsom Street at the Boulder Creek bridge).
