Everything Under The Sun: Enriching The Lives Of Young Girls

Some of the coaches and role models of Girls Leading Girls.

Girls and soccer. Soccer has been becoming more popular among girls and young adult women with the success of the US women's soccer team. Brianna Russell, a soccer player and now soccer coach, has taken her love of the game and combined it with her passion to empower girls into the organization, GIRLS LEADING GIRLS, based in San Francisco.

The programming within Girls Leading Girls is based on seeing girls as different, in the way they have been encouraged, in the way they learn, and in how they communicate. The group also makes sure that there are many female role models, since girls learn best from girls and want to have contact with others who have gone through what they have gone through. And throughout the program, girls are valued for being girls. They receive respect, their opinions are valued, and they engage in effective leadership.

The three main areas addresses in the program are learning soccer, leadership, and community service. In soccer, the girls learn the game and to value their competitiveness; leadership has opportunities for girls as junior coaches and provides mentoring; while in community service, compassion and life skills are learned.

Ms. Russell explained her involvement, "Women's empowerment is one piece to the greater picture of making a positive impact in the world that will change our disparities. My hope is that more women will become athletes, will stay in the game, will build confidence and self-esteem, will have better relationships with their peers, and will eventually see themselves as coaches and mentors for other girls. Regardless of race, class, or religion, we want every girl to have the chance to succeed on and off the soccer field."

One of the young girls who has benefited from this organization is Sofia, who is in 4th grade. She had never participated in organized sports when she attended the winter soccer clinic last year. But she quickly became an enthusiast. She took advantage of the offer at the end of ten weeks to sign up for summer soccer camp for free and she was the first to return her application.

Then, on the first day of soccer camp, she showed up 20 minutes early with brand new cleats and shin guards. And she really enjoyed the one week of camp activities with 46 other campers from around the area. Over that week, she became used to wearing the shin guards and didn't have to take them off every half hour.

Clarissa, another one of the girls who has benefited from Girls Leading Girls.

A wonderful addition to her camp experience was the many friends she made, some from her school and some from throughout the city. In fact, she was so enthusiastic about her camp experience that she was going to go back and try out for her school's soccer team. Her experience was just one of those at the camp and clinics run by Girls Leading Girls. She was transformed from an ordinary student to being able to see herself as an athlete and team player. That made her experience well worth it!