OPINION
GIRLS IN ATHLETICS BY K a l a n i Va K a
G
Lattin Farms 1955 McLean Rd., Fallon • (775) 867-3750 www.lattinfarms.com Kylie, Age 7
ToytopiaD.– May January MuseuM 21 - April 16, 2017 Wilbur Wilbur D. May Museum Rancho San Rafael Regional Park Rancho San Rafael Regional Park (775) 785–5961 • www.maycenter.com (775) 785–5961 • www.maycenter.com
Adrian Kelly, Age 9 8 kn&r
DECEMBER 14, 2017
irls often need encouragement to take that first big step to give sports a try, but what they get from sports will last a lifetime. The Boys & Girls Club of Truckee Meadows (BGCTM) strives to incorporate girls into our Sports, Fitness, and Recreation (SFR) programming. We offer comprehensive health and wellness initiatives specifically for females, and make it a priority to improve the overall health of all members, by increasing their daily physical activity, teaching them good nutrition and helping them develop healthy lifestyles. Sports have many health benefits and girls who play sports are more likely to be healthy throughout their lifetime. At the Club, our kids engage in our Triple Play program daily. Through the Triple Play experience, we challenge members to become healthy and active by learning new ways to eat nutritionally, manage stress, maintain physical fitness and form positive relationships with peers. Triple Play has three components: Mind, Body and Soul. The MIND component is based on our Healthy Habits program and is designed to incorporate healthy living and active learning in every part of the Club. The central themes are good nutrition, regular physical activity and improving overall well-being. The second component, BODY, boosts club members’ physical activities by providing sports
and fitness programs, including activities and sports competitions for all members. Club youth of every age have the chance to have fun playing longer and harder at a variety of games. The third and final component, SOUL, allows members to participate in a comprehensive social recreation program. Club youth are able to develop and sustain positive relationships with others, acquire a healthy selfconcept, a strong belief in their selfworth and cope well with positive and adverse situations through the skills learned in the games room. More than half of girls quit playing sports and being active by the time they reach age 13. The Boys & Girls Club of Truckee Meadows will continue to affect this and encourage females to be active throughout their life. We serve girls, ages 6 to 18 years old, and have an opportunity to influence our female members with a wide variety of SFR programs. Our goal is to continue encouraging females to participate in programs that allow them to live a happy, healthy life! For more information about our Sports, Fitness & Recreation programs, please contact our Triple Play Coordinator, Kalani Vaka, at (775) 360-2457 or kvaka@ bgctm.org.
