Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative hosts 'Philly Girls Got Game' for second year
Hundreds of teen girls enjoyed a basketball clinic on Saturday, all thanks to the Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative.
The second annual Philly Girls Got Game is all about inspiration and addressing the disparity in athletic opportunities.
"Today I feel like it's a great opportunity to be here. We're balling out, we're hooping today. Great experience, very grateful," said Amia Etreie.
Players from Big 5 women's basketball teams take time to spend with younger players.
"It feels good because I look up to them. Like, I pray to be like them so it's great," said Etreie.
Etreie is 14 years old. The Women's Sports Foundation says that's the age when girls are twice as likely as boys to drop out of sports.
Philly Girls Got Game Day is trying to combat that statistic with this clinic, particularly in underserved communities.
"It makes me sad because you shouldn't give up," Etreie.
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PYSC Partners with Parks and Rec for Citywide Swimwear Drive
Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative are leading a citywide campaign to collect and distribute new swimwear and swim accessories for Philly’s youth. Our public pools will open soon, and we want to ensure our kids are suited up for the summer.
This summer, Parks & Rec, in partnership with Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative is collecting new swimwear and swim accessories at six sites. All donated bathing suits and accessories will be distributed to children at the City’s outdoor pools.
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Women & Girls Summit Panels Address Support in Sport, Sports Psychology and Music
The second annual Women and Girls Summit took place April 20 at the Arlen Specter US Squash Center in Philadelphia, and brought together a diverse group of players, coaches, leaders and parents together from around the country. Footage of the Summit’s expert panels and seminars is now available on the US Squash Youtube Channel and below.
US Squash thanks all of the sponsors and partners for their support of the Women & Girls Summit including the Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative, Girls Inc., Under the Sister Hood, Greenepsych, Top Seedz and Maspeth Welding.
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Prioritizing the well-being of Philadelphia’s youth: Investing in youth sports infrastructure
As leaders of the Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative, we are deeply invested in the well-being and development of our city’s young people. With a membership of over 85 nonprofit organizations dedicated to using sports as a tool for connection and growth, we commend Mayor Parker for acknowledging a fundamental truth: that sport and play are not just recreational activities, but fundamental rights that must be adequately supported for our children.
Over the past eight years, PYSC has been at the forefront of supporting the youth sports community while studying the state of youth sports in our city. Through our efforts, we have seen firsthand the incredible work of hundreds of providers who tirelessly deliver sports programs to over 100,000 children. However, as we engage with these providers, we consistently hear about their challenges, namely, the lack of space and resources.
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Build More Sports Fields for Kids
In Philadelphia, space is a precious commodity. Specifically, quality playing fields are in short supply in neighborhoods across the city.
We see it every day: Maura, as CEO of Fairmount Park Conservancy, and Dontae, as director of community engagement for Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative. Below South Street, where 21,000 kids ages 5 to 18 live, learn and play, there is just one regulation-size turf field in the Philadelphia Parks and Recreation system.
That shortage is a direct threat to a cleaner, greener, safer Philadelphia. Our kids need more fields — now.
Traditional neighborhood grass fields get easily worn out, quickly becoming unplayable dirt bowls that take copious amounts of water, herbicides and pesticides to maintain. Those fields suffer tremendous stress when they face the constant use that Philly’s youth teams demand.