AVRIL KING
Social Media Asst.
For the seventh year in a row, Fredonia State Athletics recognized female athletes for their determination and commitment to sports. This past Saturday, Jan. 28, Fredonia hosted several sporting events to mark the athletic achievements of women worldwide.
National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) is a nationally recognized event, celebrated on the first Wednesday of February. It was originally created in 1987 to honor the Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman. Today, her accomplishments continue to be observed, as do the accomplishments of all women in sports, and the fight for equality in athletics.
Fredonia celebrated on Saturday by hosting Brockport and Allegheny College in the men’s and women’s swimming and diving competition, a double-header in men’s and women’s basketball against Buffalo State, as well as a scrimmage for the Westfield and Brocton basketball teams.
Behind these events is Fredonia Associate Director of Athletics and Recreation and Senior Woman Administrator Megan Valentine.
“This is … a cause that is near and dear to my heart,” said Valentine. “ I really do think that there’s a great power in the opportunity to participate in athletics.”
And power there is.
Research conducted by the Women’s Sports Foundation has proven that participation in athletics in middle and high school helps girls achieve higher self esteem, as well as improve their leadership skills.
However, equality in men’s and women’s sports has still not been established. Although many courageous women have worked to prove that they are just as worthy of recognition as men, many of these achievements are still lost to the general public. Anna Chiacchia, a freshman member of Fredonia’s women’s tennis and basketball teams, has personally faced adversity in athletics.
“You can really tell the difference between men’s and women’s [sports,] and men’s always seems to be more important,” said Chiacchia.
Still, this has not stopped women from pushing forward and trying to help the next generation of female athletes. Every year that Fredonia has celebrated NGWSD, they have provided local girls’ basketball teams with the chance to participate in a scrimmage during halftime of the women’s game.
“We’re showing young kids and providing them with an opportunity to see what it might be like to play on a college basketball court and get them excited,” said Valentine.
Judging by the excitement and enthusiasm exhibited by the Westfield and Brocton basketball teams on Saturday, it would seem that this event has been met with success.
When giving advice to any girls having difficulty with participation in sports, Chiacchia encouraged them to simply not be afraid. “That’s always been my problem,” she admitted. “It’s good to be confident in your abilities and to be constantly working hard.”
At the end of the day, the men’s swimming and diving team took first place in the 200-yard medley relay. Senior Aaron Carlson remained undefeated after winning the 1-meter and 3-meter boards. The men also took second place in the 100 free, 500 free, 1,000 free and the 200 free relay.
The women’s swimming and diving team was able to clinch first in the 200 breaststroke and 200 individual medley. Meghan Bartlett, another senior, took first in both boards as well.
The men’s basketball team was upset by the Buffalo State Bengals with a final score of 83-75. The women’s basketball team was able to pull out a win against Buffalo State, finishing the game 81-60. Fredonia is proud of the determination that the Westfield and Brocton basketball teams expressed and hopes to see them again in Steele Hall.