Dear Readers,

I live in a house full of sports fans. Some of us play sports, some of us love to watch them. Anyone who knows me knows that I bleed Phillie red. As a lifetime Buffalo Bills fan, my husband has permanent scars from the early ‘90s when “his” team lost four Super Bowls… in a row. And, I, now a Bills fan, have never seen my team win a playoff game.

We live and die by our teams, and believe me – through the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat – it hasn’t always been easy. What has been easy though, is passing on our love of sports to our children. I’m especially thankful my daughter, and not just my son, has caught sports fever, too.

She has played organized sports for the past several years, and I don’t see it ending anytime soon. She tried several, but really has fun playing soccer and basketball. Beyond the fact that my daughter loves her sports and teams, I have my own reasons for wanting her to be in organized athletics. I watch her on the field or the court, and I see her confidence growing more each season.

I’ve never been a star athlete, but I have always considered sports to be integral to the development of leadership, teamwork and organizational skills. Based on the research I’ve read, I also believe athletics can enhance a girl’s mental, psychological and spiritual health. Countless studies have shown the important role that sports can play in a girl’s life. They can help her perform better in school, teach commitment, show her how to take responsibility and accept failure. Sports put the focus on what girls can do, rather than how they look.

But don’t just take my word on the subject. Turn to page 16, where Kathryn D’Imperio gives us the lowdown on how playing sports can serve as an essential tool for girls’ growth, development and success.

It’s much too early to know if my daughter will stick with sports, but I hope she does. I’m convinced she will grow up better for it.

Amy Hines, Editor
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