(Riverton, WY) – Fremont County’s young female athletes are invited to register early and gather to celebrate National Girls & Women in Sports Day in a special event hosted by R-Recreation in the Riverton Middle School gymnasium on Saturday, March 16, 2024.
the special annual event is open to all 1st through 8th-grade girls in Fremont County. Early registration is $15 with a deadline of Friday, March 15, or $25 at the door on the day of the event. Doors open at 8:30 a.m. for check-in; the event runs from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Registration is open on the R-recreation website.
R Recreation also has a process to request scholarship aid for up to half of a program cost (contact R Rec at 307-855-2015 or 307-855-2190 for more information).
This year, there will be 11 different sports for girls to choose from. R-Recreation relies heavily upon the resources and partnerships they have, including CWC Rustler Volleyball, Soccer, & Basketball athletes, RHS Golf Coach Ciera Roberts and Wolverine Golfers, RHS Cheerleading Coaches Meloni Walker and Chantel Menzies and the Wolverine Cheerleaders.
Local businesses also share their expertise and talent, including Motion Bliss (Hip Hop), Room to Dance (Gymnastics), Fremont Therapy Group (Athletic Agility), Riverton Girls Fastpitch Softball (Softball), Progressive TaeKwonDo (TaeKwonDo).
The only Wyoming city celebrating NGWSD
R-Recreation hosted its first National Girls & Women in Sports Day in 2010, designing the event off of a model from Idaho State University’s Athletic Department “to create a high-energy, empowering event that celebrates the young ladies in our county,” said R-Recreation Director Mary Axthelm.
“This is the only National Girls & Women in Sports Day event in our state,” she said. “We always include a motivational speaker, a woman who has accomplished lofty sports goals or whose profession resulted from their love of sport and activity.”
This year’s speaker will be Stephanie Gallagher, CWC’s Athletic Trainer.
“There is no limit as to how many can participate, but each sports session has a maximum number of participants, so getting into your top three choices might not be possible based on the time of enrollment,” Axthelm said. “We encourage the ladies to register early…we will take registration on the day of the event, but the price does increase for that registration.”
‘Unlocking limitless potential.’
National Girls & Women in Sports Day is celebrated annually on February 7th and is a vibrant movement to honor the achievements of girls and women in sports by acknowledging the power of sports to unlock limitless potential.
“We are extremely proud to be the only event currently in the state of Wyoming honoring equal opportunity for girls in sports,” said Axthelm.
According to their website, the Women’s Sports Foundation was established in 1974 “to advance the lives of women and girls through sports and physical activity. Our mission is to enable all girls and women to reach their potential in sports and life…” The organization helps communities get girls active, and also helps in financing aspiring athletes, funds groundbreaking research, and educates and advocates aspiring champion athletes
“Girls being involved in sports is so incredibly important for many reasons including increasing their confidence, promoting a healthy lifestyle, and teaching them valuable life skills such as discipline, perseverance, and teamwork,” said Recreation Activities Director Ady Thomas, “Getting to be a part of an event that encourages that by introducing young girls to sports they may have never tried otherwise with strong women from our community leading the sessions is amazing.”
“The opportunity to empower and encourage the young ladies in our community to live fearlessly through the National Girls & Women in Sports Day event is really something spectacular,” Axthelm added. “It is one of my most favorite events of the year. To see the sport leaders and athletes mentoring our future is a really neat sight.”
R-Recreation would like to thank and recognize the following:
Central Wyoming College Rustler Athletics: Volleyball, soccer, basketball.
RHS Wolverine Coaches and athletes: golf and cheerleading.
Room to Dance
Motion Bliss Academy
Progressive TaeKwonDo
Riverton Girls Fastpitch Softball
Fremont Therapy Group
Riverton Middle School
For more information about R-Recreation and updates on their events and activities, visit their website or Facebook page.