PROVO, Utah -- Girls and women from across the state will participate in this year's Utah celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day on Saturday from 10 a.m.- 1 p.m. inside BYU's new Indoor Practice Facility.
This free event, sponsored by BYU Athletics, is one of more than 1,000 events taking place nationwide to honor female athletic achievement and recognize the importance of sports and fitness participation for girls and women.
"Hosting a celebration for the National Girls and Women in Sports Day is a perfect fit for the community and for BYU Women's Athletics," said Elaine Michaelis, director of BYU women's intercollegiate athletics. "We are excited that girls and women will get to spend one-on-one time with our student-athletes."
Saturday's celebration will include free posters to be autographed by BYU female athletes; interactive booths from athletic, health and educational organizations, including the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, Remedez Hair Spa and IHC Utah Valley Sports Medicine; and live entertainment from local performing groups.
Those attending this year's NGWSD celebration in BYU's new 422-foot-wide, state-of-the-art Indoor Practice Facility will meet athletes from all of the Cougar women's programs.
"Players from all 11 of our women's teams will be on hand teaching the basics of their sport," said Janie Penfield, assistant to the women's athletics director. "Gymnastic beams, soccer goals, starting blocks, hurdles, putting greens and batting cages will be set up for use at the event."
After the fall 2003 season, BYU Athletics received a No. 5 national ranking ahead of 153 other Division I institutions by the National Association of Collegiate Director's of Athletics. In women's programs only, BYU is ranked No. 4 nationally.
In the NACDA Director's Cup standings, BYU men's and women's teams received a composite score of 248 points. Nearly 86 percent of those points were from three BYU women's teams that advanced to the NCAA tournament in the fall.
The women's cross country team nearly clinched another national title after losing a close team race to Stanford University by only four seconds. This year's second-place trophy will rest alongside five other first- or-second-place trophies the team has earned at nationals in the last six years.
The women's soccer team made it to the elite eight of the NCAA tournament, finishing tied for fifth in the country, and the women's volleyball team tied for 17th after advancing to the second round.
BYU soccer player and four-time All-American, Aleisha Cramer Rose, will be at Saturday's event and will autograph copies of the November 2003 New Era issue of which she is featured on the cover. More than 300 free copies of the magazine will be available at the event for Rose to sign.
Other scheduled guests include the entire General Young Women's Presidency from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Orem High and BYU cheer squads, National Champion BYU Cougarettes, All-American Gymnastics teams, and other local dance groups will provide live entertainment.
Winners from this year's local NGSWD student art and essay contests will be announced during the event. Students in grades K-12 from Provo, Alpine and Nebo school districts are participating in the contests. Entries will be displayed at Saturday's event.
The U.S. Congress chartered the National Girls and Women in Sports Day in 1986 to encouraged participation of girls and women in sports.
NGSWD 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, NGSWD has evolved into a day to acknowledge the past and present sports achievements, the positive influence of sports participation and the continuing struggle for equality and access for women in sports.
"Play Fair" is the theme for the 18th Annual NGSWD celebrated February 4, 2004, at other locations across the country.
NGSWD is jointly organized by the National Girls and Women in Sport Coalition and combines the experience and resources of five premiere girls' and women's organizations: Girls Scouts, Girls Incorporated, the National Association for Girls and Women in Sport, the Women's Sports Foundation, and the YMCA.
Saturday's event at BYU is sponsored by the Deseret Morning News and has been organized by members of the 12th Team, a group of women volunteers who support BYU women's athletics.