FSU Hosts Girl in Sports Celebration

FROSTBURG, MD – The Frostburg State athletics department hosted a Girl in Sports Celebration event on Saturday, Feb. 2 as part of the 33^rd Annual National Girls & Women in Sports Day.

The yearly event celebrates the achievements of female athletes, the powerful role of sports in the lives of girls and women, and honors the progress of the struggle for equality. This year’s theme is “Lead Her Forward” to honor the ways that sports push girls and women to achieve excellence and recognize their unlimited potential. National Girls and Women in Sports Day began in 1987 as a day dedicated to recognize women’s sports. In this year, the day also served as remembrance for Olympic volleyball player, Flo Hyman for her achievements on and off the court. She passed away due to Marfan syndrome the year prior. The day is typically held during the first week of February.

Melanie Bell, a graduate assistant coach for Frostburg women’s soccer, said, “I think it is important to celebrate women in sports because sports teach young women so many valuable skills, and all girls should be encouraged to play sports. Young girls have the opportunity to change the world of sports. Celebrating women in sports helps show that sports aren’t just for males, and that women can be just as strong in the world of sports.”

Registration for the free event began at 9:30 a.m. and was open to girls in grades 5-8. All skill levels were welcomes as participants had the opportunity to try basketball, lacrosse, softball, soccer, and volleyball as they learned from Bobcat coaches and student-athletes.

25 local female athletes in grades 5-8 attended the event. If they chose to, participants could learn from coaches and student-athletes of two different Frostburg sports as basketball, volleyball, and softball had clinics starting at 10:30 a.m., while both volleyball and softball had a second clinic later at 11:30 a.m., as well as soccer and lacrosse at the later start time.

Athletics intern Emma Gerhold said that this age group was targeted for this event as the NCAA identified it as the time when females begin to drop out of sports. The Women’s Sports Foundation highlights that sports are an asset for young girls to learn important life skills, enhance their self-image, and increase levels of family satisfaction.

“Sports have had a major impact on my life. Not only had it let me to live a healthy and fit lifestyle, but it had taught me valuable life skills including teamwork, healthy competition, time management, self-discipline, and confidence just to name a few,” Bell mentioned. She continued to say, “I definitely would not be the person I am today without sports, especially soccer.”

Participants took part in two clinics of their choice before having a pizza lunch. They could then stay as the Bobcat women’s basketball game took on St. Mary’s in a CAC match-up that tipped off at 1 p.m. in Bobcat Arena. The Bobcats dominated St. Mary’s by a score of 79-49, putting together a strong offensive performance for the young fans in attendance. Following the conclusion of the game, girls had a chance to meet the Bobcat women’s basketball players and get their autographs.