Boys & Girls Clubs of America Teams Up With Several Partners to Announce 'Girls Day for Sports'

ATLANTA, Feb. 7, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Boys & Girls Clubs of America, in partnership with Buffalo Wild Wings and U.S. Soccer Foundation will announce a new initiative called 'Girls Takeover Thursday' today. This announcement aligns with Thursday's National Girls and Women in Sports Day.

According to the Women In Sports Foundation, girls around the age of 14 drop out of sports at a rate two times as fast as boys. The older they get, the less opportunities girls have to participate in organized sports. That's why Boys & Girls Clubs of America and its partners are encouraging more than 4,300 Boys & Girls Clubs nationwide to empower their girl Club members on 'Takeover Thursdays.' Clubs can create opportunities for girls to take over Thursdays in the gym and outdoor spaces and be more active.  Research shows that one of the most impactful strategies to increase physical activity in girls is to give them their own time, place and activities to play sports, away from the boys.

Boys & Girls Club of America understands the importance of girls participating in sports and has seen much success in getting girls excited about sports, thanks to Buffalo Wild Wings' support of the ALL STARS program, which promotes bonding, increases self-esteem, academic success and overall-being. In 2016, more than 11,000 Club girls participated in organized sports. In 2017, that number increased to 69,000 girls nationwide playing sports like basketball, soccer, dance, cheerleading, flag football and step. With Buffalo Wild Wings and U.S. Soccer Foundation supporting the new 'Takeover Thursdays'  initiative, Clubs can continue to remove barriers girls face when participating in sports all in a safe, fun environment.

"Girls Day for Sports is the perfect opportunity for our Clubs to encourage girls to own this day and get them involved in some kind of physical activity at their Club," said Jennifer Bateman, National Vice President, Youth Development Programs. "Thanks to the commitment of our partners, Clubs have the tools and resources to help boost girls' confidence and get them more excited about sports in 2018."

To learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs of America sports and recreation programs, visit https://www.bgca.org/programs/sports-recreation.

ABOUT BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA
For more than 150 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (GreatFutures.org) has enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, 4,300 Clubs serve four million young people annually through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. They provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun, friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Priority programs emphasize academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 54 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more at http://www.bgca.org/facebook and http://bgca.org/twitter.

SOURCE Boys & Girls Clubs of America

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