“Each year as we celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day, we are reminded of the importance of maintaining a focus on, and creating an awareness of, the important issues facing women and girls in this country an
d beyond.The powerful combination of sports, health and education found in programs administered by organizations like the Women’s Sports Foundation not only directly benefits women and girls today, it lays a foundation for growth for generations to come.” -- Women's Sports Foundation Founder Billie Jean King
"National Girls & Women in Sports Day is a time for us all to commemorate the participation of women and girls in sports and athletics and celebrate their achievements. Women compete at all levels today, in large part due to the foundation laid by Title IX, which has done much to advance the number of women taking part in collegiate athletic programs and has increased access to the classroom. Today, as we celebrate, we must also recognize that more needs to be done and we should recommit ourselves to achieving true equality for all."-- President Barack Obama
"I feel honored to represent the Women's Sports Foundation and Coalition on February 2 and 3 in Washington, DC. We will be there to not only celebrate the progress made by girls and women in sports, but to also help advance the passage of the High School Data Bill which will require schools to disclose data that would be helpful in further advancing girls' participation in sports." -- Women's Sports Foundation President Jessica Mendoza
As thousands across the country celebrated the special occasion, on Wednesday, February 3, 2010, Women's Sports Foundation representatives and staff members, including Foundation President Jessica Mendoza, Olympic gold medalist and Board of Trustees member Benita Fitzgerald Mosley, former Trustee Lillian Greene-Chamberlain, Ph.D., and five-time Winter X Games medalist Grete Eliassen, headed to Capitol Hill in honor of National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD). Meeting with dozens of Senators and Representatives, the
group’s goal was to encourage the continuation of the enforcement of Title IX and other governmental legislation designed to aid in the progress toward gender equity in sport.
Foundation representatives were a part of a six smaller lobbying groups that also included members of the NGWSD coalition: Girls’ Incorporated (GI), Girls Scouts of America (GSA), National Association for Girls and Women in Sport (NAGWS), and the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC).
On February 3, 2010, ESPN columnist Mechelle Voepel wrote a special piece dedicated to Billie Jean King, focusing on her life-long commitment to the empowerment of woman through sport. Read it here.
On February 2, 2010, National Girls and Women in Sports Days coalition members, including Foundation President Jessica Mendoza, gathered at Senate Russell Building 485 in Washington, D.C., for a briefing on the Senate’s High School Sports Collection Act (S-471) and the House of Representatives’ High School Athletics Accountability Act of 2009 (HR-282). The purpose of the briefing, to encourage the passing of both bills that are designed to compel the collection and examination of high school athletic participation statistics, is essential to the development and enhancement of athletic opportunity for high school girls across the country.
National Women’s Law Center Senior Counsel Neena Chaudhry began the briefing with opening remarks, reminding the standing-room only crowd of both the progress made toward gender equity in sport and also, the importance to the continuance of that progress in the passing of both bills.
“While we have made significant strides towards equity in athletics, we have a long way to go. Women and girls still do not receive equal opportunities to play sports, and they are not treated equally when they do play. While federal law requires colleges to make gender equity in sports information publicly available each year, high schools are not required to disclose these data, making it difficult to ensure fairness at the secondary school level,” said Chaudhry.
For perspective from a high school student-athlete whose experience would be directly impacted by the passing of the bills, high school basketball player Kendra Johnson then spoke. Speaking to the power of sports her life, Johnson said that although she began to play sports because her “mother made her,” she now understands the positive, almost unmatched influence her involvement has had.
Next to speak was Foundation President Mendoza, whose turn focused on her personal experiences in sport. As an Olympic gold medalist in softball and Stanford University graduate, Mendoza’s access to sports as a high school player immensely impacted her life. While speaking, she stressed the importance of the bills, and emphasized that every girl should have the same opportunity as she, saying “we can’t help the programs if we don’t know where the need is.”
Closing the briefing was Peg Pennepacker, Assistant Principal & Athletic Director and Susquehanna Township School District (Penn.) She spoke in summation of those before her, yet, at the same time, conveyed a common misconception about girls’ interest in sports.
“Interest does not develop in a vacuum. It is a function of opportunity and experience,” she said.
Introduced to the House in 2009 by Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) and Sen. Shelly Moore Capito (R-WV), the bi-partisan High School Athletics Accountability Act of 2009 had, as of one week ago, 67 co-sponsors. Brought before the Senate in 2009 by Sen. Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) and Sen. Patty Murray (D- Wash.), the also-bi-partisan High School Sports Collection Act had eight cosponsors of the bill. It is the hope of the NGWSD coalition that those who acted as co-sponsors in 2009 will do the same in 2010’s government session, and those we had not yet done so, will co-sponsor for the first time in 2010.
NGWSD events continue on Wednesday, February 3, as groups comprised of representatives from coalition organizations will visit over thirty members of Congress. Champion female athletes secured by the Women’s Sports Foundation will be present in each meeting. Confirmed athletes for this year include Jessica Mendoza (softball), Grete Eliassen (skiing), Lillian Greene-Chamberlain (Track &Field) and Donna de Varona (swimming).
Since its inception in 1987, National Girls and Women in Sports Day has become the premiere occasion to celebrate the participation, success and accomplishments of girls and women athletes. What started in 1987 as a single event in Washington, D.C. to honor Olympic volleyball star Flo Hyman has grown into a nationwide celebration across all 50 states. On February 3, 2010, thousands will gather to celebrate NGWSD 2010 and "Stay Strong, Play On." Athletes like Martina Navratilova, Candace Parker or Jessica Mendoza who played or are still playing are making a difference, overcoming difficult circumstances, breaking records and making things possible. Despite the stunning advances made in the 38 years since Title IX was enacted, high school girls still receive 1.3 million fewer participation opportunities than do boys, and evidence suggests that the money spent on girls' sports programs lags significantly behind the money spent on boys' programs.
The Women’s Sports Foundation is a member of the National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) coalition. Other members include: Girls’ Incorporated, Girls Scouts of America, National Association for Girls and Women in Sport, and the National Women’s Law Center.
NGWSD is marked annually with events around the country and on Capitol Hill to commemorate the achievements of girls and women in athletics. It is also an important day to promote the continued expansion of opportunities for girls and women to play sports and live physically active lives.
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