Piedmont Recreation’s popular Play Like a Girl+ returns this weekend for another free, action-packed day of hands-on activities, live demonstrations, inspiring role models, and good vibes — all designed to get girls pumped about playing sports.
Play Like a Girl+ Piedmont
Sunday, May 5, 10 a.m.- 1 p.m.
Witter Field @ Piedmont High School, 800 Magnolia Avenue
Free to all – advance registration encouraged
Now in its third year, Play Like a Girl+ Piedmont invites girls from 2-18 throughout the Bay Area to try their hand at sports from fencing to flag football to roller derby at 25 interactive demo stations, with supportive guidance from skilled athletes and coaches. The 2023 event drew over 700 girls from across the region.
Highlights and new features for 2024 include:
— Q&A and photo ops: 5-time Olympic gold medalist Dana Vollmer-Grant (swimming), 2-time Paralympic gold medalist Bethany Zummo (sitting volleyball), professional boxer Dalia “La Pantera” Gomez, and professional baseball player Tamara Holmes
–Sports Equipment Swap: Bring gently used sports equipment your child is no longer using and swap it out for something new to you! Each child that donates will be entered into a special raffle. Hosted by event sponsor Dress Best for Less.
–Firefighting Fitness station: Learn what it takes to be a firefighter with the women of Piedmont Fire and Tamara Holmes of the Oakland Fire Department!
With this summer’s Paris Olympics poised to make history as the first Games to feature equal numbers of male and female competitors, viewership of women’s sports on the rise nationwide, and a growing number of women athletes becoming household names, there’s never been a better time for girls to get excited about athletics. By showcasing a broad spectrum of activities, Play Like a Girl+ aims to prove that there’s a sport out there for every girl.
Playing sports provides lifelong benefits to girls
Play Like a Girl+ Piedmont is just one of the Piedmont Recreation Department’s initiatives to empower young women through athletics.
Participation in sports builds skills that support girls throughout their lives, teaching leadership, discipline, and teamwork. Girls who participate in sports experience lower rates of depression and higher self-esteem than their non-athlete peers.
Research has shown a direct link between participation in sports and better educational opportunities, positive health outcomes, and improved career outcomes for girls:
— Girls who participate in sports are significantly more likely to graduate high school compared to non-athletes.
–Overall, young girls who play sports have higher grades and score higher on standardized tests than non-athletes.
–Girls who participate in high school sports have higher rates of labor force participation and earn 7% higher wages than non-athlete peers.
–In a 2013 study of 821 senior managers and executives, 94% of female executives reported playing organized sports after primary school.
Play Like a Girl+ Piedmont is made possible by the support of title sponsor Dress Best for Less and many Piedmont athletic organizations hosting stations, including the PHS women’s basketball team, PRD fencing, PHS flag football team, Piedmont DEVO mountain biking team, Piedmont pickleball, Piedmont junior running club, Piedmont Baseball & Softball Foundation, Piedmont soccer, PMS Sports, Piedmont swim club, and the PHS track & field team.
Play Like a Girl+ Piedmont is an inclusive event open to all female-identifying, non-binary, gender nonconforming, and gender queer youth. Visit piedmont.ca.gov/PlayLikeAGirl for details, to register, or to sign up to volunteer.