Posted: November 6, 2004

Health and Fitness: Prominent Female Athletes Urge a Call to Action

Symposium Addresses Critical Steps Needed to Increase Activity Levels in Girls

NEW YORK, October 29, 2004 - Although more opportunities for girls to participate in organized sports and physical activities have opened up in the past 30 years since Title IX, girls are more inactive now than ever. Bridging the gap between apathy and opportunity was the topic of "The Motivation Factor: A Game Plan for Girls 2004," a symposium held last week featuring prominent female athletes and sponsored by Moving Comfort and The Women's Sports Foundation.

World-renowned gymnast and Olympic medalist Dominique Dawes moderated an adult panel discussion that included WNBA national champion and Olympic medalist Jennifer Azzi, international track and field star Aimee Mullins, distinguished sport psychology consultant and author Dr. Doreen Greenberg and veteran marathon runner Gillian Horovitz. World-record speed climber Tori Allen led a teen panel discussion with Myia Jones and Elizabeth Ruiz, who were honored by the Women's Sports Foundation for their proactive efforts to encourage girls to get physically active. The symposium was part of a series of events celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Women's Sports Foundation.

Participants outlined key actions for girls, adults and communities to motivate girls to start and maintain a regular routine of physical activity.

"Knowledge, a supportive environment and a fun experience are powerful motivators," said Donna Lopiano, CEO of the Women's Sports Foundation, a national charitable educational organization founded by Billie Jean King to advance the lives of girls and women through sports and physical activity. "Girls who are not active are at greater risks than boys to experience adverse conditions including obesity, depression and eating disorders."

What Girls Can Do

Up-and-coming girl athletes discussed what girls can do to motivate and encourage themselves and others to start getting active. Tori Allen, 16, a national champion rock climber, pole vaulter and author, discussed the power of peers and the importance of sportsmanship in encouraging girls to try new activities. Allen explained that sports have increased her self confidence. She urges other girls to keep trying. "It can be hard to stay with something you don't think you're good at," she said. "I've found that the longer I stick with a sport, the more I enjoy it. You can't be perfect at everything you try, but you can have a good time with it."

Myia Jones,12, started her own organization - Multicultural Youth In Action - at the age of 10 to help youth learn personal accountability and responsibility within their communities. Jones, who plays basketball in addition to her charitable work, encourages young people to learn about the benefits of getting physically active and to seek role models within their communities by attending nearby sporting events and following news about local heroes.

Elizabeth Ruiz, 14, has received state recognition for her soccer and golf skills and collects used sports equipment to send to underprivileged children. Ruiz noted that girls can get their peers involved by inviting them to practices and participating in fitness activities together - whether it's playing an organized sport or just walking around the block.

Other tips discussed included:

Finding the right activity based on interests, body type and ability to regularly participate
Being direct about asking for support from adults and peers
Keeping physical activity fun, focusing on personal achievement rather than competitive goals

How Adults Can Help

Adult panel members discussed the epidemic of inactivity among children and how adults - particularly women - can help engage girls to take a more active role in their health.

In opening remarks, Ellen Wessel, founder of event sponsor Moving Comfort, the first company to make athletic apparel exclusively for women, discussed the importance of women in enabling and influencing girls' health, noting that:

Women lead decisions on diet, healthcare and family activities in their households
Women make up the majority of caregivers and teachers for children outside of their homes
Women greatly influence the behavior and habits of the girls in their lives

Aimee Mullins believes parents should make physical activity part of a girl's daily routine. "We make children brush their teeth, take baths and eat certain foods to keep them healthy. Isn't physical activity equally important," she asked. Mullins described her personal experience as part of a large family where fitness was an expected part of daily life. "I'm a double amputee but I never saw that as a restriction because I was part of a family that was extremely active." Mullins, a record-holding track and field athlete, has also entered the fields of acting and modeling to demonstrate to girls that there is nothing that should hold them back from pursuing their interests and dreams.

Dr. Doreen Greenberg, a sports psychology consultant to professional and Olympic athletes talked about ways women can support and motivate girls. She suggested giving positive feedback and even becoming an exercise buddy; expressing pride and support from cheering her on to leaving notes in her lunchbag. Greenberg also discussed the importance of noting the benefits of exercise such as increased energy level and good mood. "You should focus on the positive changes you are seeing," Greenberg said. "Talk about how she is sleeping and eating better and seems happier. Attribute that to her being active."

WNBA champion Jennifer Azzi discussed introducing girls to female role models in the community and on national women's sports teams. Now retired from the WNBA, Azzi runs fitness and wellness programs for kids and adults and gives motivational speeches. In her current role, she has found that girls who follow sports are more likely to be active themselves.

Gillian Horovitz, who has completed 93 marathons in her career, recommended parents not be too pushy. "I exposed my children to a variety of activities and let them make their own decisions," Horovitz said. "I would make suggestions that reflected their personality and interests, but never forced them into a sport." She explained that girls are more likely to follow through on a commitment when they have made their own decisions.

The Importance of Community

The liveliest portion of the conference surrounded the issue of continued inequality among sports programs for girls and boys in schools and communities. Participants and audience members noted insufficient funding for girls' uniforms, equipment and team travel.

Azzi challenged the education system to make strides toward implementing more sport programs in schools and to equally fund and promote programs for both genders. "My college basketball coach said he would provide us all of the things the men's teams had because he wanted to win a national championship. We drew tremendous crowds to our games and we did win the championship all because we were given a fair level of support."

Three-time Olympic medalist Dominique Dawes concluded the symposium by noting the importance of men and women making a commitment to promote physical activity in girls. She advocates adults getting involved in local or national programs that promote physical activity, such as GoGirlGo!, an initiative by the Women's Sports Foundation to get 1 million girls active over the next three years.

"We were proud to be part of such a worthwhile event," Wessel said. "It's so inspiring to be in a room with influential female athletes dedicated to not only improving girls' health, but also expanding the opportunities available to girls nationwide."

About Moving Comfort

Since 1977, Moving Comfort has been a leader in developing technically superior athletic wear for women, including performance sport underwear, shorts, pants, tops and outerwear. Led by founders Ellen Wessel and Elizabeth Goeke, the Chantilly, Virginia-based company believes that "a fit woman is a powerful woman®," and designs every piece of clothing especially to fit a woman's active body. The brand is distributed nationwide through sporting goods, outdoor, travel and running specialty stores. In 2002 Moving Comfort was acquired by the Russell Corporation.

About the Women's Sports Foundation

Founded in 1974 by Billie Jean King, the Women's Sports Foundation is a national charitable educational organization seeking to advance the lives of girls and women through sports and physical activity. The Foundation's Participation, Education, Advocacy, Research and Leadership programs are made possible by gifts from individuals, foundations and corporations. The foundation is located in Nassau County, N.Y. For more information, please call the Foundation at 800-227-3988, or visit www.womenssportsfoundation.org/www.WomensSportsFoundation.org or AOL Keyword: WSF. For more information about GoGirlGo!, visit GoGirlGo.com.

Editors Note: For more statistics regarding girls health risks and the benefits of physical activity, please visit the Womens Sports Foundation.