NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Play Like a Girl will host an Empowerment Forum on Confidence, Leadership and Playing Like a Girl on National Girls and Women in Sports Day, February 1. One of the event's highlights will be an armchair conversation featuring National ProFastpitch pitcher Monica Abbott at First Tennessee Park. Additionally, awards will be presented to three outstanding local women athletes and organizations expanding opportunity for girls in sports at the forum.

Abbott's conversation with Taylor Barnes, Director of Washington, D.C.-based The United State of Women, caps off the event. Abbott, a member of the Scrap Yard Dogs, signed the first million-dollar contract in the history of the NPF.

 

The Empowerment Forum is one of more than 1,000 events taking place across the country for National Girls and Women in Sports Day. Congress has proclaimed this national day each year since 1987. The Day is devoted to recognizing the progress of girls and women in sports, and the benefits that sports and physical activity can bring to the lives of all girls and women. The Forum is organized nationally by event co-host The United State of Women; to learn more, visit www.TheUnitedStateofWomen.org. 

Over 150 people are expected to attend the forum, which will also be livestreamed on Facebook.com/TheUnitedStateofWomen. “We’re very pleased by the early response for tickets,” noted Play Like a Girl President/CEO Dr. Kimberly S. Clay. “The forum has been a very special event on our calendar since The United State of Women convened its first Summit with First Lady Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey in Washington, D.C. last June.” 

Mary O’Connor, President/CEO of the WNBA’s newest team Dallas Wings, will be the keynote speaker. Other speakers include Olympic Gold Medalist Michelle Carter, Olympic Swimmer Kara Lynn Joyce (a member of Play Like a Girl’s National Board of Directors) and Kennetra Searcy, track and field athlete and wife of Tennessee Titans safety Da’Norris Searcy to name a few. 

Despite the extraordinary progress sparked by Title IX, only 40% of high school girls are currently playing sports, leaving three-in-five girls without the opportunity to play. Decades of research show that girls who play sports have better health, higher self-esteem, greater academic achievement, stronger leadership skills, greater economic opportunity and so much more. For the past 13 years, Play Like a Girl has been empowering girls globally and is now working in Nashville to get more girls in the game and expand their opportunities both in sports and in life. Find out more at www.IPLAYLIKEAGIRL.org. 

   

Tickets for the event are FREE online at http://bitly.com/PlayLikeAGirlForum. For more information on this event, please call 615-601-1864.

Also visit www.theunitedstateofwomen.org for more information and a livestream of the day's events. 

-- Courtesy of NPF