Girls in Motion Sports Fair Set to Empower Young Girls Sept. 27

URGENT UPDATE: A transformative sports fair, Girls in Motion, is coming to Maple Ridge on Saturday, September 27, 2023, promising to empower girls aged 8 to 13 through sports and activities. Hosted by the Karina LeBlanc Foundation in collaboration with the Girls Forward Foundation and Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities, this free event is designed to inspire and engage young girls in a supportive environment.

The fair will take place at the Karina LeBlanc Synthetic Field from 9 a.m. to noon. Participants will have the opportunity to explore various sports, hear motivational talks from accomplished women, and connect with peers. Karina LeBlanc, a celebrated Olympic medallist and former world-class keeper for Team Canada, will be among the featured speakers, sharing her journey and insights.

Research highlights a troubling trend: girls drop out of sports at twice the rate of boys by age 14. Girls in Motion aims to reverse this statistic by providing a platform for girls to discover their strengths through sports. LeBlanc emphasizes the importance of this initiative, stating, “We’re so excited to host this event because it’s all about empowering the next generation.”

The event is spearheaded by the Femtees, a group of university students from UBC and SFU, who have been instrumental in planning and executing this project. Members include Hannah Bains, Dakota Beckett, Taiya Dennehy, Sophia Ferreira, and Ella Sunde from the UBC Varsity Soccer team, as well as Brooke Tarampi, who is studying kinesiology and psychology at SFU.

Keona Nordquist, a recent UBC graduate and former varsity softball player, expressed the team’s vision: “Our goal is to show girls that strength comes in many forms, and that movement, community, and confidence can carry them far beyond sport.”

The Karina LeBlanc Foundation, established in 2016, aims to support girls in sports and has a mission to cultivate confidence and community. LeBlanc remarked, “I’m so proud of our Femtees for the time, effort, and passion they have put into this project, and for the way they are inspiring future generations.”

Registration for the event is free and can be completed online at tinyurl.com/4vnweh5r.

Don’t miss this opportunity for young girls to engage in sports, meet role models, and build lifelong skills in a fun, inclusive setting. Join the movement to empower the next generation of female athletes!