SWARTHMORE, Pa. – The Swarthmore College Athletics Department administered activities for girls in kindergarten through third grade as part of National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) on Sunday, March 1.
 
Members of Swarthmore's women's basketball, women's lacrosse, field hockey, softball and volleyball programs oversaw five stations in Tarble Pavilion and the Lamb-Miller Field House as a way to introduce young girls to a wide range of sports. The participants had the opportunity to engage with Swarthmore's female student-athletes at each station before receiving a free t-shirt and certificate.
 
The event was a rousing success, and the student-athletes from five of Swarthmore's women's sports programs found the experience to be just as rewarding as it was for the young girls in attendance.
 
"It was rewarding to see how the younger girls looked up to us as athletes, especially when I remember participating in clinics as a young athlete and how inspiring they were to me," said senior softball captain Emma Madarasz, who is also a Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) officer. "I am so proud of Swarthmore for participating in such an important initiative and giving us the opportunity to inspire girls to play sports."
 
Hayley Raymond, a freshman on the women's basketball team, echoed Madarasz's thoughts.
 
"It was rewarding to work with the kids because I remember going to camps and clinics like this that inspired me to play basketball when I was younger," added Raymond, who was also a rower on the scholastic level. "Hopefully this event inspired them to want to continue playing sports as well."
 
NGWSD is celebrated in all 50 states with community-based events, award ceremonies, and activities honoring the achievements and encouraging participation of girls and women in sports. NGWSD began in 1987 as a day to remember Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman for her athletic achievements and her work to assure equality for women's sports. Hyman died of Marfan's Syndrome in 1986 while competing in a volleyball tournament in Japan.
 
Since that time, NGWSD has evolved into a day to acknowledge the past and recognize current sports achievements, the positive influence of sports participation, and the continuing struggle for equality and access for women in sports.