Leading the Way with Books that Let Readers Know, “That could be me!”

I was watching an espnW video on Impact25 that highlights 25 women who led the way and had the greatest impact on women’s sports this past year. I clicked the pause button when it showed little girls straining over the barricades at the U.S. Women’s World Cup champions ticker tape parade to catch a glimpse of their heroes. The newscaster observed they no doubt thought to themselves, “That could be me…that will be me!”

It was another reminder of how important for girls of all abilities and diversity to see themselves in all media formats that show sports like movies, news outlets and, yes, books. Which leads to an important date coming up: February 3. This year marks the 30th anniversary of National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD), a national observance celebrating the achievements of women and girls in sports. Across the nation, communities and organizations will be hosting events to highlight their female athletes.

This year’s NGWSD theme is Leading the Way. I thought how could we help our blog readers get involved? Many of you are not only fans of sporty girl books but are already leading the way as authors, coaches, educators, and parents who support and encourage girls and women in sports. My hope is to increase awareness of this annual celebration.

Get started at the official website: NGWSD.ORG

* Click on Resources to find a link to their free Event Action Kit with activity ideas like the Book Club (below), a sample media alert and press release (note: helpful sample formats!), poster and logos, plus information on Title IX.

* Click on Events and see if there are any events in your region. Many of those listed are sports clinics and several are basketball-related. If you are an author of a book for sporty girls, email the contact person and offer to read a chapter or provide a copy as a raffle prize. Another idea, do a write-up for your local newspaper and be sure to include a high-resolution image of your book and your website in your byline. If you have a social media platform, share the celebration and promote the event with the hashtag #NGWSD.

Several of the NGWSD events are clinics with collegiate women athletes sharing their time and talent with younger girls, something I always like to see since it binds the local community and has a positive impact. These two events listed below in Minnesota and New York immediately stood out because they involve books and writing.

Minnesota - Free activities for children in grades K-6 includes a mini basketball camp and a book reading by author Shelly Boyum-Breen (Shelly Bean the Sports Queen series) is scheduled for Saturday, February 6 at the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, MN.

For more information: www.csbblazers.com

New York - Calling all young writers! The Department of Sport Studies at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, NY is sponsoring their 7th annual NGWSD Essay Contest for children in these divisions: K-2; Grades 3-5, Grades 6-8, Grades 9-12, and Team. The contest format includes a suggested theme and word count.

For more information: http://sportforeverygirl.com/essay-contest-guidelines

Were you aware of National Girls and Women in Sports Day? Are you participating in an activity to promote and celebrate NGWSD? Share in the comments section below!