Deep green illuminated every corner of the room. The signature color of Loyola was proudly embedded on shirts, banners, and push pins scattered across the white circular tables. It floated around on young girls’ cheeks, their face paint mixing with their blushes as they posed for pictures, tumbled over in cartwheels, and dodged between parents’ legs, tables, and chairs. The newest Kidz Bop hits blared from the mounted black speakers as groups of college athletes served steaming Chick-Fil-A, huddled in for selfies, and lifted young girls into the green and white bouncy tent that swung from side to side as the little girls screamed in delight. There was a station to create novel “Tik Tok” videos, a station where athletes braided white and green hair ribbons, a station for face painting, and a station for balloon making, among a list of numerous activities.
Women in Sports Day, lovingly referred to by all female athletes at Loyola University Maryland as WISD, is an annual event where female athletes from every Division I sport at Loyola gather in McGuire Hall and Reitz Arena on campus to welcome hundreds of young girls from Kindergarten to 8th grade from the local Baltimore community. At this year’s event on Saturday, Jan. 25, two massive screens at the front of the room displayed different clips of female Loyola student-athletes competing in their respective sports on loop, their faces creased with determination and palpable grit that contrasted with the soft smiles that graced the room. Upstairs in Reitz arena, young girls shuffled up to the tables set up on the basketball court to receive autographs from athletes who saw themselves reflected in each twist of hair, each small giggle, each spark in their bright and bold eyes.
The day kicked off at 12 p.m. and ended with the women’s basketball game against Bucknell at 2 p.m. The admission to all activities and the basketball game was free. The mission of the day is to celebrate the accomplishments of all the current Loyola female athletes, as well as to inspire young girls to become more involved in sports. Ultimately, this event propagates an inclusive space where current collegiate competitors have the opportunity to engage, inspire, and have fun with the next generation of female athletes.
Mary Katherine Clark ‘21, a student on the swimming team, disclosed the importance of this day to herself, her team, and her confidence.
“It is important for girls to have role models in the community. From a young age, these girls can see that they should shoot high and they can achieve success in sports in the same way boys can,”she said. “When I was younger, I was self-conscious about being an athlete, so I think it’s really important to show young girls that it is cool to be an athlete.”
What’s different about Loyola female athletes is an atmosphere of trust and respect that inspires not only a multitude of girls but every competitor across all the different divisions of competitive Division I athletics.
Clark laughed, her eyes sparkling as she discussed empowerment. “The cool thing about the women’s athletic program at Loyola is that it encourages and empowers female athletes of all shapes and sizes. We all have a genuine respect for each other and the work that binds us all together.”
To learn more about Women in Sports Day, please visit https://www.loyola.edu/join-us/women-sports.
Featured Image Courtesy of Loyola Athletics.
