Kent Place Celebrates National Girls and Women in Sports Day

“As the athletic director of an all-girls school, I want to take a moment to talk about the benefits that sports offer our young people here at Kent Place,” said Bobbi Moran, the school’s Director of Athletics. “The mission of our Athletics Department is to build strong, confident, self-assured young people through interscholastic and physical education programs. Our talented and passionate coaches see sports as an outdoor classroom and an extension of the learning space. At KPS, sports are co-curricular, not extra-curricular.”

As part of NGWSD, Moran spoke to women at KPS whose athletics experiences have had an impact on their lives and who now serve as role models.

“Many of the most important lessons of success in my career and personal life have come from my involvement in athletics as a child and as an adult,” said Jennifer Galambos, Kent Place Head of School. “Through competitive sports, I learned how to persevere, to visualize my success, to negotiate, and most importantly, how to collaborate and rely on teammates in order to achieve a common goal. Whether it’s winning a game or executing a new work strategy, the skills are the same.”

“Participating in sports, especially in middle and high school, during what’s typically a difficult time in the life of an adolescent, can be a critical component of a young girl’s physical and emotional well-being,” said Meagan O’Connor, KPS varsity soccer coach. “Sports build confidence and self-esteem; participating in a sport also helps to develop strong and positive relationships, helps to build grit and the ability to navigate challenges, and offers the opportunity to feel pride and satisfaction in achieving goals.”

Ashley Quinn, varsity lacrosse coach, said, “Lessons learned in sports parallel the real world, managing relationships, motherhood, the corporate world. Sports teaches us how to embrace failure and move forward from mistakes. Sports are about knowing your team is a safe and supportive space, collectively working towards a common goal. They’re a celebration of success, recognition of defeat, and the identification of how we respond in these situations.”

“Sports at an early age for girls creates a sense of self-worth and self-confidence, said Sue Murray, varsity basketball coach. “They provide a place where ‘we’ belong, an opportunity to stand in our own powerful skin. Sports lend themselves to leadership, both on and off the court or field.”

This year’s NGWSD theme is Lead Her Forward, “to honor the many ways that sports push girls and young women to achieve excellence and realize their potential. The Women’s Sports Foundation applauds the vital role played by the individuals and organizations championing girls and women in sports: advocates seeking to protect Title IX and advance gender equity, athletes using their powerful platform to inspire greatness, and coaches working daily to unlock girls’ limitless capabilities. This year, NGWSD celebrates all the girls and women across the nation leading us forward into a bright future.”