The 1975 Girls' Basketball team photo from the 1975 Witt. (Brian McKnight/ Witt '75).
National Girls and Women in Sports Day will be celebrated at Wittenberg University on February fourth from 12-2 p.m. in the Old Gym. This SAAC sponsored event features informational booths from all varsity women’s sports as well as women’s club sports, and is open to girls and women of the Springfield Community.
Sarah Jurewicz, known as Coach J, is the Varsity Women’s Head Basketball Coach, and when she arrived at Wittenberg five years ago she brought with her the plans to observe this day. Her hope was to show the girls of Springfield that sports and recreation are important aspects of an active and healthy lifestyle and anyone, no matter their skill level, can participate.
“For those young girls it’s an empowering experience to meet these collegiate athletes, it’s meant to create a fun environment to learn how recreation and sports can impact our lives,” said Coach J.
National Girls and Women in Sports Day was first celebrated in 1987 to honor Flo Hyman. She was an Olympic volleyball player who died of Marfan’s Syndrome in 1986 while competing in a volleyball tournament in Japan. This day is to remember all the work she accomplished in assuring equality for women’s sports and her athletic achievements.
The booths will have tri-fold poster boards with information and pictures pertaining to each sport, as well as highlight videos, and promotions for their respectable summer camps. The aspiring women athletes will have the ability to test out equipment, such as golf clubs and field hockey sticks, and speak with the students-athletes and learn about sportsmanship and why exercise is important.
SAAC, Student Athlete Advisory Committee, is run by student-athletes and hosts many community service events on campus such as Toys for Tots, and the Witt-Wooster Blood Battle which will be on February seventh.
“SAAC is a great opportunity for our student-athletes to be leaders on campus,” said Ali Teopas, the Assistant Director of Athletics for the Tiger GAME Plan.
The girls are also given a free ticket to the Varsity Women’s Basketball game that afternoon versus Alleghany at 3 p.m. as well as an autograph board to collect as many student-athlete signatures as they desire.
“Especially in this calendar year of the 40th anniversary of Title IX, this makes it that much more important that we honor that piece of legislation that promotes equal access to athletics for girls and women of any age,” said Coach J.
(Meagan Steed / s13.msteed@wittenberg.edu)
