VIEW GALLERY: National Girls and Women in Sports Day
Wednesday, Feb. 5 was National Girls and Women in Sports Day which honors the achievements of women athletes, coaches and leaders and continues to Lead Her Forward by acknowledging the power of sports to unlock her limitless potential.
On Wednesday, student-athletes from each of Salem High School’s women’s teams visited four elementary schools — Saltonstall School, Bates Elementary School, Horace Mann Laboratory School and Witchcraft Heights Elementary School — to engage young students on the many benefits of playing a sport, and to read excerpts from the book “She Persisted,” which details the struggles and hurdles 13 of the world’s best female athletes.
NGWSD began in 1987 in Washington, D.C., to recognize women’s sports. The day united premiere organizations and elite women athletes to bring national attention to the promise of girls and women in sports. In the beginning, NGWSD served as a remembrance of Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman for her athletic achievements and dedication to promoting equality for women’s sports (Hyman died of Marfan syndrome in 1986).
It has since evolved into an event to acknowledge the accomplishments of women athletes, the positive influence of sports participation and the continuing struggle for equality for women in sports.
