CINCINNATI — Wednesday was National Girls and Women in Sports day, and one Ohio professional team celebrated their women on staff as well as gave back to local girls in the community.
What You Need To Know
National Girls and Women in Sports day is Feb. 4
The Cincinnati Reds organized a night of leadership and fun for local softball players in Reds Youth Academy
The players had a chance to connect with women who work with the Reds
It was a night full of laughs and mentorship as the Cincinnati Reds hosted a Girls and Women in Sports night with 30 of its softball players from the P&G MLB Cincinnati Reds Youth Academy. Including Senior Da’Nyiah Shamel who says the program has given her confidence as she prepares to leave home for college.
Da’Nyiah Shamel smiles while learning some new stretches at the girls and women in sports event. (Spectrum News 1/Katie Kapusta)
“I have more friends and it’s very helpful,” Shamel said. “Like, I don’t really talk that much to people, but softball helps me make friends.”
The event aimed to not only give the girls some new stretches, but also connect with some of the nearly 100 women Reds staff members.
About 30 girls from the Reds Youth Academy participated. (Spectrum News 1/Katie Kapusta)
“It’s a great opportunity for them to kind of see where there can be in ten, 15, 20 years,” Sara Scharff, the outreach and education manger for the Reds, said. “And it’s so important to give them these opportunities that they might not have if they weren’t in the RBI program.”
Shamel says that’s key as she is leaving the program for her next adventure- something that wouldn’t have been possible without a scholarship from the Reds.
The Reds Youth Academy provides scholarships for many of its players. (Spectrum News 1/Katie Kapusta)
“More connections, especially now than I’m going to college and out of state,” Shamel said. “I want to have people that I can stay in contact with, and then I can they can help me to reach services and scholarships and help me develop in college.”
Organizers like Scharff say it’s all a part of the team’s mission, to create ‘major league’ citizens and continue to show girls what they can do in sports.
“This means the world to me,” Scharff said. “It is phenomenal. Growing up in Cincinnati, there’s been a hometown team working for that team and obviously playing sports growing up, being able to continue to give back to the community, give back to girls that I was in their shoes not too long ago. And be able to continue to grow myself as well as a leader in sports.”