hawks-partners-w/-nike-to-grow-sport-for-girls

Hawks partners w/ Nike to grow sport for girls

Lifestyle

By The Atlanta Voice | on October 26, 2020

By Marshall A. Latimore | The Atlanta Voice

The Atlanta Hawks take sport for girls seriously and are proud to announce a partnership with Nike, the WNBA and NBA for Season Two of Game Growers, a unique and empowering opportunity for girls 13 years or older in seventh or eighth grade to share their ideas on how to encourage more girls to play sports.

The Atlanta Hawks are one of 38 teams participating in the second season of the program. Applications will be accepted from Oct. 11 through Dec. 4 for two co-captains, who will lead the development of an idea to grow sports for girls.

“Nike believes that girls who move, move the world. And we know that 13 is a critical age to keep girls engaged in sport so they can reap the benefits of being active,” said Caitlin Morris, the general manager of social & community impact at NIKE Inc. “This is the age when girls are likely to drop out of sport – a lack of supportive coaches or access to the right product to play with confidence are two of many reasons why.

She added, “Inclusive, community-based programs like Game Growers connect girls to play and sport and provide them with the opportunity to shape the future of the game for other girls, too.”

The Hawks’ Game Growers team will develop and test their idea, creating a Game Plan to grow sports participation for girls right here in Atlanta. New this season will be the addition of Game Growers Teammates, who are girls 13 years or older in seventh or eighth grade who support co-captains on their journey.

“We are excited to partner with Nike through our Lady Ballers Program to continue the work we have been doing for girls across Georgia,” said Melissa Proctor, the chief marketing officer for the Hawks and State Farm Arena. “Game Growers is about inspiring and empowering thousands of girls to dream big and experience the power of sport. We strongly believe that participation in sport for any young woman will provide lessons and skills that will help her throughout her life.”

By age 14, girls are dropping out of sport at twice the rate of boys. According to a 2018 study from the Women’s Sports Foundation, nearly 40 percent of girls don’t participate in sport, versus 25 percent of boys. Game Growers girls are already playing sports.

By participating in the program, they not only have the potential for their ideas to get more girls playing, but they also have the chance to grow their own leadership potential by developing ideas that make a difference in their community and having their voice heard.

Game Growers Timeline

  • Girls can join the Game Growers
  • Season Two Launch virtual event on Oct. 11 at 12 p.m. PST. The experience will feature trainers and Nike athletes who are encouraging even more girls to join this year to help increase girls’ sport participation.
  • After the virtual launch event, girls can visit GameGrowers.com to sign-up. Applications for both Co-Captains and Teammates will be open from Oct. 11 until Dec. 4 at 11:59 p.m. PST at www.gamegrowers.com.
  • Game Growers participants will be notified by Jan. 15, 2021, and will earn a chance to develop their ideas to get more girls playing sports.
  • These ideas – known as the Game Growers Game Plans – will be shared on the website in Spring 2021.