SBU to Celebrate Annual Girls and Women in Sports Day

Female high school athletes from across the region will have the opportunity to hone their skills as the St. Bonaventure University Department of Athletics, Department of Physical Education and School of Education sponsors its annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day celebration Friday, May 1.

The high school students will also have the opportunity to hear from freestyle wrestler and 2012 Olympic hopeful Leigh Jaynes. Jaynes, who competes for the New York Athletic Club, is a 1st Lt. in the U.S. Army Reserves. She is training at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., as she competes for a spot on the 2012 Olympic Freestyle Wrestling Team.

Jaynes began wrestling as a senior at a south New Jersey high school. After being named All-American, she was recruited by Missouri Valley College. There she wrestled for four years, rising through the ranks to be the No. 1 contender among those in her weight class on the college level. She now participates in the Army’s World Class Athlete Program, where she trains for national and international competitions while maintaining a professional military career.

Throughout the Sports Day Celebration, members and coaches from St. Bonaventure’s varsity athletic teams, women’s rugby team and ROTC program will conduct clinics for the female students from 13 area high schools. From 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., athletes and coaches will teach skills from their respective sports as well as give high school students and coaches the opportunity to talk with them.

Participants can choose from softball, basketball, soccer, lacrosse, rugby, tennis, swimming or an Army fitness challenge. Most of the clinics will be held outside the Reilly Center, weather permitting.

The Army is also supporting the event by providing rock climbing walls and Army Humvees that will be on site.

Students from the following area high schools will be attending this year’s program: Allegany-Limestone, Southwestern, Bradford, Cuba-Rushford, Genesee Valley, Hinsdale, Portville, Olean, Ellicottville, Silver Creek, Salamanca, Scio and Bolivar-Richburg.

National Girls and Women in Sports Day participants are encouraged to attend the St. Bonaventure women’s softball game against Saint Joseph’s University at 3 p.m., after the conclusion of the event.

The National Girls and Women in Sports Coalition was started in 1987 to remember Flo Hyman, an Olympic volleyball player. Before Hyman’s death, she worked to promote equality for women’s sports. Since then, the day has been celebrated to acknowledge past and present women’s sports achievements, the positive influence of sports participation, and the continued promotion of equality and access for women in sports.

For more information, contact Dr. Paula Scraba in the Department of Physical Education at pscraba@sbu.edu or (716) 375-2444.

Read more about Leigh Jaynes (pictured in red) at http://web.me.com/ljaynes.

(Photo courtesy of St. Bonaventure University)