Canton, NY – The National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) is an annual day of observance held during the first week of February to acknowledge the accomplishments of female athletes, recognize the influence of sports participation for women and girls, and honor the progress and continuing struggle for equality for women in sports.

February 3, 2021, marks the 35th annual NGWSD. This year SUNY Canton Athletics has chosen to feature several of its female coaches and athletics staff members to celebrate NGWSD.
 
Question & Answer
Q: When did you first start playing sports? What was the first sport you ever played?
A: My mom was determined to make sure her three daughters had every opportunity to play any sport they wanted as she had not been allowed to herself growing up in the 60s & 70s. I'm pretty sure the first sport I was put in was t-ball, but that just blossomed into more options, basketball, soccer, and gymnastics, anything to keep me active, engaged, and busy.
 
Q: How many sports and what sports did you play in high school and/or college?
A: In high school I played varsity soccer all four years, varsity basketball three years, varsity softball freshman year, varsity track & field three years. In college I played both soccer and basketball.
 
Q: What has playing sports taught you in life?
A: Being a part of a team enables so many skills, not just from a physical development standpoint, but mentally too. So much has been taught to me through sports, from communication and mental toughness to learning how to be a leader, to understanding accountability and respect for others. The transition for me from playing sports to competing with myself during workouts was kind of seamless in a way. I love the quote "Your mind will quit 100 times before your body ever will" and it definitely rings true. When the workout is grueling and you are arguing with yourself about wanting it to end, fighting through it and finishing is so much more rewarding. That is something I try to reiterate over and over to our athletes, because it is always tough in the moment, but if you dig deep and push yourself, once you realize you just completed something that your mind kept telling you that you couldn't, it's an amazing feeling and you should be incredibly proud of yourself.
 

Q: What are some of the youth sports organizations you were involved in either growing up or that you have worked with during your time coaching? (Ex: midgets' hockey, soccer clinics, youth basketball, etc.)
A: I grew up in the small town of North Canaan, CT, population of around 3,000. There were various youth sports organizations from t-ball/softball teams, to the Canaan Youth Basketball program. When I was in 8^th grade I was able to play for the Connecticut Starters Basketball Program, something I wished I could have done for longer, it was just tough to travel so far and unfortunately at that time there was nothing for my age group closer to home for practicing and/or tournaments. But it was a great experience nonetheless (and I got to meet Geno Auriemma once too!)
My husband Chris and I started the Tucson Rattlers travel basketball team in Tucson Arizona back in 2011. We saw a need for a more structured and developmentally sound program for young women in Southern Arizona. The program has been unbelievably successful in helping girls in that area advance to the next level in their basketball and academic careers, helping to send 56 young women to college so far. The program has continued to be successful. 
 
Q: Who is a role model for you either now or when you were growing up?
A: My older sister. As much as I was her annoying little sister, she just always seemed to be good at anything she tried so I wanted to be right alongside her. Even when I was getting ready to decide on a college, my college of choice was where she was too.
 
Q: Who is your favorite coach or a person in the sports field and why?
A:  My favorite coach of all time is Geno Auriemma. UConn Women's Basketball was a staple of my childhood. When I was growing up was the time when they began to shine and take over the ranks of women's college basketball. My love for the game of basketball stemmed from watching the way his teams played and loved the game. My understanding of how the game should be coached and how the relationships should be began with watching how he ran his program.
 
Q: Why did you get into coaching/a sports and athletics related field?
A: As I have always been active in sports, it was not an original thought of mine to become a coach. I loved playing the game, but did not have a great understanding of how I would go about coaching others. Growing up I was not taught how to lift weights. The weight room in my high school seemed more geared toward the football players and girls were just an afterthought, we had to be in the class to make things "fair". So it was later in life when I found a love for weightlifting and an understanding of how important it is to teach early on that gaining strength will benefit an athlete immensely. It is so important to have a strength and conditioning program available to not only assist with fitness, but injury prevention. Teaching athletes the correct movements and body mechanics can help them in their sport of choice as well as with their overall health. I try to bring out my love of working out in the programming I have for any athlete I work with. 
 

Q: What are some of your hobbies you enjoy outside of sports and work?
A: Well obviously I love to workout. Any chance I get I am going to get in the weight room and get a good workout in. I love to lift heavy! Besides that, spending time with my family; my husband Chris, our daughter Calie, and our son Trey. We have gotten to have a lot more at home time lately. The pandemic has definitely forced us to stay inside and at home more! When I get the chance, I love to travel, usually my number one choice is to a beach somewhere. And when times are normal, watching both of my kids play sports. They have incredible potential to be awesome at anything they do!

About National Girls & Women in Sports Day
National Girls & Women in Sports Day began in 1987 as a special day in our nation's Capital to recognize women's sports. The day united premiere organizations and elite female athletes to bring national attention to the promise of girls and women in sports. In 1987, NGWSD also served as a remembrance of Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman for her athletic achievements and dedication to promoting equality for women's sports; Hyman died of Marfan's Syndrome in 1986. It has since evolved into an event to acknowledge the accomplishments of female athletes, the positive influence of sports participation and the continuing struggle for equality for women in sports. NGWSD is powered by the Women's Sports Foundation, supported by its team of champion athletes and celebrated throughout the year by schools and community-serving organizations across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. NGWSD 2021 Girls Fest is supported by WSF National Partners Athleta, espnW, Gatorade, NBC Sports Groups and Yahoo Sports, and produced in collaboration with signature partners Dick's Sporting Goods and Girl Up.
 
 

About SUNY Canton
SUNY Canton is Northern New York's premier college for career-driven bachelor's degrees, associate degrees and professional certificate programs. The college delivers quality hands-on programs in digital design, engineering technology, health, management and public service. Faculty members are noted for their professional real-world experience in addition to outstanding academic credentials. As SUNY's leader in online education, SUNY Canton OnLine offers hundreds of flexible and convenient courses as well as 21 online degree programs. The college placed first in 14 categories in a SUNY-Wide Student Opinion Survey, most notably in career services, tutoring, library resources, and classroom facilities. The college's 15 traditional athletic teams compete at the NCAA Division III level as part of the North Atlantic Conference. SUNY Canton also features varsity eSports and cheerleading. For more information, visit www.canton.edu.