Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State celebrates ninth annual NGWSD
1/28/2017 7:20:00 PM | General
FRESNO, Calif. – Current and former Bulldog student-athletes volunteered their Saturday morning with the local area youth, hosting a kid's clinic on the campus of Fresno State in honor of National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD).
Saturday marked the ninth year that the Fresno State athletics department has hosted a NGWSD event.
"The opportunity for Fresno State to put on a day like this is so special," said Fresno State Senior Associate Athletics Director and Senior Woman Administrator, Carrie Coll. "It's a way for us to give back to the community and to young girls especially. They get to learn new sports and meet these amazing student-athletes we have at Fresno State that have accomplished so much during their time here. These kids met a lot of role models today that they can look up to and aspire to be like. It feels so good to give back to this community and see our student-athletes showing off the sports that they love."
Sixty-two Fresno State female student-athletes from basketball, equestrian, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball and volleyball joined forces to make this event possible for the youth in the community.
The student-athletes and kids were broken up into groups so they could instill knowledge and appreciation of their respective sports.
"I had so much fun today with all the kids from our community," said Fresno State lacrosse captain Alex White. "It's great to teach young girls about the sport of lacrosse and share my passion for the sport with them. It warmed my heart to see all the smiles on their faces and to see them really having fun at the clinic."
Nearly 100 kids from the Fresno area, age's kindergarten to eighth grade, participated in the clinic this morning.
The kids spent two hours at the clinic immersed in gaining knowledge about Fresno State sports and learning fundamental athletic skills, followed by lunch where the kids could get their autograph cards signed by their favorite student-athletes. Each participant in today's clinic also received a free t-shirt as a keepsake for this special day in sports.
After the clinic, the participating kids were invited to attend the Fresno State women's swimming and diving meet against San Jose State, so they could cheer on the Bulldogs to victory. The kids were also invited to the Fresno State women's basketball game vs. Utah State, for a full day of Bulldog fun.
On Saturday afternoon, former Fresno State female athletes were honored at the Smittcamp Alumni House to reminisce on their athletic experiences at their Alma Mater and catch up with college friends and teammates.
The group of Fresno State alumni were honored on the court during halftime of the women's basketball game to be recognized for everything they have done to carve the path for current Fresno State female student-athletes and future Fresno State female student-athletes.
National Girls and Women in Sports Day remains a special day for Fresno State every single year. It is a day where the university can remember past student-athletes, allow current student-athletes to give back to the community and create an environment where future student-athletes can gain the confidence and knowledge to pursue their dreams. Saturday's festivities were memorable for all that were involved.
"Just the Ticket to Build Our Community" – The Bulldog Scholarship Fund gives Bulldog alumni, fans and friends the opportunity to support Fresno State Athletics and the student-athletes who inspire them. For information about how you can support the Bulldog Scholarship Fund, please visit www.bulldogscholarshipfund.com or call 559-278-7160.
