The United Way of Chautauqua County Girls In Sports event brought together 9 to 12-year old girls from the Brocton, Dunkirk, Forestville, Ripley and Chautauqua Lake school districts.
The United Way of Chautauqua County’s annual Girls in Sports event recently welcomed 124 girls from five school districts to Steele Hall Fieldhouse at SUNY Fredonia.
Presented in partnership with Chautauqua Striders and Fredonia State Athletics, the event brought together 9 to 12-year old girls from the Brocton, Dunkirk, Forestville, Ripley and Chautauqua Lake school districts. Participants rotated through six sport stations, including soccer, lacrosse, tennis, softball, volleyball, and cheerleading — led by 120 women collegiate student-athletes who volunteered as mentors and role models.
United Way Director of Advancement Katie Castro said, “Research shows that girls drop out of sports at twice the rate of boys by adolescence, often due to confidence gaps, limited exposure, and the absence of relatable role models. By pairing young participants with college athletes and giving them the opportunity to try multiple sports in a single morning, Girls in Sports works to interrupt that trend.”
Ninety-nine percent of participants surveyed rated the event as excellent or good, and 99 percent said they would recommend Girls in Sports to a friend. The same percentage reported that the experience inspired them to want to play a sport at school or in their community. Additionally, 17 of the collegiate athletes expressed interest in continuing their involvement as future mentors.
For many of the 124 participants, the event marked their first time stepping onto a collegiate athletic facility.
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