The Women's Sports Foundation has announced the launch of a new $1 million educational grant program. The GoGirlGo Project is dedicated to the development and funding of girls' sports programs that combine athletic skill instruction and programming with the delivery of educational information aimed at reducing risk behaviors that threaten the health and social advancement of girls aged 10 to 14.

"Girls deal with a unique set of pressures and obstacles in their early teen years," said Women's Sports Foundation President Julie Foudy. "Drugs, sex, depression and alcohol are just a few of the issues junior high and high school girls have to face. This program has been created to teach girls how to tackle these unique challenges and to guide them to make winning decisions."

GoGirlGo Kits are available now at no charge to any girls' sports programs that are interested in educating girls about health risk behaviors. This fun turnkey educational program is designed to be delivered by adult leaders, coaches or athletic administrators in the sport environment. The curriculum requires coaches to spend 20-30 minutes per day with their student-athletes over an 8-to 12-week period. Girls and program leaders receive free 1-year memberships to the Women's Sports Foundation. GoGirlGo Kits contain instructional guides for coaches or program leaders, peer leader guides, the GoGirls Guide to Life, journals, membership materials and a grant application.

The program targets the economically disadvantaged and/or girl populations identified to have high health risks or who are typically under-served by school and community sports programs and wellness initiatives. This program was developed based on The Women's Sports Foundation Report: Health Risks and the Teen Athlete. GoGirlGo will provide over $250,000 to girls sports programs. Grant applications are due January 31, 2002.

For more information or to obtain a GoGirlGo Kit please call the Foundation at 1-800-227-3988 or visitwww.WomensSportsFoundation.org.