25th Annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day Brings Champion Women Athletes to Capitol Hill
Donna de Varona, Lillian Greene-Chamberlain, Nancy Hogshead-Makar, Jessica Mendoza and Heather O'Reilly among athletes scheduled to appear, support achievements and participation of female athletes
WASHINGTON, DC, February 04, 2011
In celebration of the 25th annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD), organizations and leaders from the National Girls and Women in Sport coalition, including two-time Olympic soccer gold medalist and Women's Sports Foundation spokeswoman Heather O'Reilly and Olympic and champion athletes Donna de Varona (swimming), Lillian Greene-Chamberlain (track & field), Nancy Hogshead-Makar (swimming) and Jessica Mendoza (softball), will join together in the nation's capital to honor the achievements of and encourage continued support for female athletes.A briefing on Capitol Hill today will commemorate NGWSD by recognizing girls' and women's participation and excellence in sports and highlighting the need for continued expansion of opportunities for girls and women to play sports and lead physically active lives.Despite the stunning advances made since Title IX was enacted in 1972, high school girls still receive 1.3 million fewer participation opportunities than boys, and evidence suggests that the money spent on girls' sports programs lags significantly behind the money spent on boys' programs.
"As we celebrate the 25th annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day, we are struck not only by the incredible advancements in girls' participation in sports over the past quarter century, but by the opportunities athletics have offered women in the United States and around the world," said Women's Sports Foundation Founder Billie Jean King. "Now, more than ever, sports, health and education programs are needed to lay the foundation to empower active, healthy and confident young women for generations to come."
Please visit http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/Content/Press-Releases/2011/25th-Annual-National-Girls-and-Women-in-Sports-Day-Brings-Champion-Women-Athletes-to-Capitol-Hill.aspx to view the full release.