“You bet,” the girls answered enthusiastically during the near one-hour presentation at both schools on June 3.
The women’s sports group will be coming to Coastside four weeks this summer to inspire girls and women to participate in sports.
 Marlene Bjornsrud, CEO of the Bay Area Women's Sports Initiative, high fives girls leaving an assembly at Hatch Elementary School last week. |
The free program is limited to 90 girls; signups began Monday.
The nonprofit corporation was founded in 2005 in Santa Clara County. At first, the group stayed near home, attempting to combat obesity and low self-esteem among teenaged girls at area high schools.
The program quickly took off.
“We now go to the Peninsula, Santa Cruz and Gilroy,” said Donna Knowlton, program director of the group.
She along with Bjornsrud and program director Susan Armenta brought their passion for healthy girls to both schools. The three women all participated in demonstrations at the schools. They also got three girls at each assembly for girls in grades 3 through 5, involved in activities.
At Hatch, fifth-grader Ines Morales got the better of Armenta in a jump-rope competition.
“I thought coach Susan was going to beat me,” Morales said.
When not studying, Morales plays basketball. She can’t wait until the program starts at Moonridge next week.
Fourth-grader Junko Anderson was a little nervous when picked to participate in another activity.
“I’m looking forward to program,” Anderson said. “I’m looking forward to see what other activities they have for us. It looks like a lot of fun.”
The women don’t think there will be a problem in filling the 90 available spots. The students gave high-fives to the women as they got the information sheets and permission slips to give to their parents on the way out of the assemblies.
Some of the students received autographs from the coaches.
“There is a general level of excitement for the program,” Knowlton said. “The kids are excited to see which athletes they will meet.”
w