|
CELEBRATES NATIONAL GIRLS AND WOMEN IN SPORTS DAY WITH COMMUNITY EVENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY NEW YORK, JAN. 25, 2012 – The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and its teams will celebrate the 26th annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) on Feb. 1. Through WNBA Cares, the League’s global social responsibility program, the WNBA family will conduct fitness clinics, speaking engagements and workshops in markets across the country to help lead, inspire, and create positive change in the lives of women and young girls. NGWSD will be one of the many highlights of a year long celebration for the 40th anniversary of the landmark legislation Title IX, which bans sex discrimination for academics and athletics in schools.
NGWSD – first chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1986 – honors female athletic achievement and recognizes the positive influence of sports participation for girls and women.
Events taking place in WNBA cities across the nation in support of NGWSD include:
Atlanta: Atlanta Dream guard Lindsey Harding will serve as the keynote speaker at Kennesaw State University’s 21st annual Bobbie Bailey Awards. The Bobbie Bailey Awards recognize local top female high school student-athletes from each metro Atlanta high school for their athletic achievements. Harding will share the positive impact of participation in sports on her life with the award recipients and their guests.
Chicago: The Chicago Sky will hold a press conference at Young Women’s Leadership Charter School to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Title IX and how it has affected women today. Speakers will include Chicago Sky Chairman and Minority Owner Margret Stender, President and CEO of Girls in the Game Amy Skeen and former University of Illinois basketball player Melissa Parker.
Minnesota To tip off the season-long celebration of Title IX 40th anniversary the WNBA champion Minnesota Lynx in conjunction with Minnesota's National Girls and Women in Sports Day on Feb. 1, will be at the State Capitol participating in a ceremony honoring recipients who have broken barriers and made an impact for female athletes in Minnesota.
Phoenix: The Mercury will launch a campaign to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Title IX and honor all women who have benefited by the passing of the law. Women with a story of how the law impacted their lives are encouraged to submit it on phoenixmercury.com and be part of the celebration taking place at the team’s Women of Inspiration game.
Seattle: The Seattle Storm will tip off a season-long celebration of Title IX and women in sports with a website devoted to the topic, and give WNBA players and fans the opportunity to share their stories about what sports have meant in their lives. Seattle Storm assistant coach Jenny Boucek will begin a series of inspirational community speaking events, sharing her message about the importance of sports in the lives of girls and women, at Holy Names, Seattle’s all-girl high school. Boucek will also lead a GoGirlGo! Session for middle school girls at Denny International Middle School in Seattle.
About the WNBA
The WNBA – which features 12 teams and is the most successful women’s professional team sports league in the world – is a unique global sports property combining competition, sportsmanship, and entertainment value with its status as an icon for social change, achievement, and diversity. A fifth consecutive year of attendance growth, the highest ESPN2 viewership since 2005, increased viewership during the WNBA Finals, and the signing of a landmark multiyear deal with Boost Mobile as the first leaguewide marquee partner highlighted the WNBA’s 2011 regular season.
Through WNBA Cares, the WNBA is deeply committed to creating programs that improve the quality of life for all people, with a special emphasis on programs that promote a healthy lifestyle and positive body image, increase breast and women’s health awareness, support youth and family development, and focus on education. For more information on the WNBA, log on to www.wnba.com. |
