Athletic department provides sport options for young girls
Christine Molnar couldn’t have been happier to spend a day playing sports with her 9-year-old friend.
Molnar is a mentor to Katherine Wilson, a Mount Pleasant resident. They were just two of around 20 different pairs who attended Girls and Women in Sports Day Saturday at the Student Activity Center.
“This was a great opportunity for us to hang out with each other,” said Molnar, a Taylor senior.
The University Recreation and Athletics Departments co-hosted the seventh annual event. National Girls and Women in Sports Day has been held annually in February for the past 20 years.
Girls between the ages of 8 and 13, along with their mothers or mentors, attended Saturday’s event. Each pair took part in sport clinics taught by CMU coaches and athletes, in addition to area coaches. The clinics included field hockey, soccer and volleyball.
Participants received a T-shirt, lunch and a free ticket to the women’s basketball game against Ohio later that afternoon where CMU handled the Bobcats 64-48.
Lindsie Posey, coordinator of programs and special events for University Recreation, said the goal was for girls and their mothers to have fun.
“My favorite part of today was seeing the mothers with their daughters. They were laughing and having a good time,” she said. “Developing awareness and showing that there are many different sports available to young girls is important.”
Shepherd resident Lilly Maloney, 13, was one of many who were laughing and having a good time. She said her favorite part of the day was learning how to play field hockey.
“I’m good at it and I like hitting things with a stick,” she said. “If I could, I would come back next year.”
Kim Ferris, St. Louis senior and co-captain of the field hockey team, helped teach the field hockey clinic.
“Some girls haven’t seen field hockey before and I think it’s interesting seeing their faces when they learn about it,” she said. “I think sports are really empowering and it’s nice to see these girls have enthusiasm about sports.”
Ferris also said teamwork, self-esteem and friendship are really important aspects for girls to learn. She said she believes girls can do whatever they want.
“Just have some excitement with it,” Ferris said.
