University News

WIU National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) Planning Committee members who joined WIU President Jack Thomas and Macomb Mayor Mike Inman as they signed the NGWSD 2016 proclamation, from left, are Janine Cavicchia, Women's Center director; Emily Henkelman, Women's Center graduate assistant; Shana "Shay" Kessler, graduate assistant in Campus Recreation; Judy Yeast, associate director of Campus Recreation; Janet Wigglesworth, kinesiology department chair and Kelsey Moore, student assistant in Campus Recreation.
[Download Print-Quality Image]

NGWSD Celebrated at Western

January 15, 2016

Share |
Printer friendly version

MACOMB, IL - Western Illinois University will commemorate the 30th annual celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) Wednesday, Feb. 3, and will hold activities Saturday, Jan. 30. The theme for NGWSD 2016 is "Leading the Way."

NGWSD is held annually on the first Wednesday in February to celebrate female athletes and empower girls to be active and participate in sports and lifelong fitness activities. Established in 1986 to celebrate the achievements of girls and women in sports and to honor Flo Hyman, a member of the 1984 Olympic silver medal volleyball team who died suddenly while competing in Japan in 1986, the day also serves to recognize the positive influence of sports participation and the continuing struggle for equality and access for women in sports.

WIU President Jack Thomas and Macomb Mayor Mike Inman signed a proclamation declaring Wednesday, Feb. 3 as National Girls and Women in Sports Day at Western and in Macomb. The proclamation calls for the recognition of the role athletics play in the development of young women throughout the country.

A variety of activities for NGWSD are planned on the WIU campus Saturday, Jan. 30, prior to and during the WIU Women's basketball game, and on Wednesday, Feb. 3, when information and resources will be available in the University Union Concourse from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and in the Donald S. Spencer Student Recreation Center Concourse.

Girls ages 9-14, including Girl Scouts from the Girl Scouts of Central Illinois Council, are invited to register and attend the NGWSD activities Saturday, Jan. 30 in Brophy Hall to learn about a variety of sports from college student-athletes and kinesiology and recreation, park and tourism administration (RPTA) students. Volunteers from Campus Recreation, the WIU Women's Center, Campus Girl Scouts and the kinesiology and RPTA departments and affiliated student organizations will provide activities, resources and information about the importance of fitness, exercise and sports. Participants will then head to Western Hall to watch the WIU women's basketball team play Omaha. All participants and WIU women's teams be recognized on the court at the game.

The cost to participate is $10 per person. Participants will receive a t-shirt, goodie bag, admission to the game and pizza. General admission tickets to the game may be purchased in Western Hall by parents, troop leaders and others who would like to attend the game.

Advance registration is required, and the deadline for forms and payment to be received has been extended to Thursday, Jan. 21. Girls whose registrations were received after Friday, Jan. 15 will get a shirt at a later date, if not available at the event. A waiver signed by a parent/guardian of each girl participating must accompany the registration form. Registration forms and waivers are available at wiu.edu/wc.

Western's NGWSD celebration is sponsored by the Women's Center, Campus Girl Scouts, Campus Recreation, Intercollegiate Athletics, Student Athlete Advisory Committee and the kinesiology and RPTA departments, in collaboration with the Girl Scouts of Central Illinois.

NGWSD is jointly organized by the National Girls and Women in Sports Day Coalition. The coalition combines the experience and resources of organizations such as Girls Incorporated, the National Women's Law Center, the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition and the Women's Sports Foundation.

For more information, contact the Women's Center at (309) 298-2242 or visit wiu.edu/wc.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing