The PCA Blog - Sacramento

Olympians Summer Sanders and Heather Moody Make ‘Girls in the Game’ a Success

by Zach Streight

03.29.2017

At the first annual Girls in the Game event on March 2, 2017, female student-athletes were treated to an event that was focused on educating and empowering them to be the voices and leaders of the future. Olympic gold medal swimming champion, Summer Sanders, Olympic silver medal winner in Water Polo, Heather Moody, national championship winning tennis coach Kathy Toon, and Stanford All-American and PCA Chief Impact Officer Tina Syer led an incredible event that was motivating, inspiring, and educational.

The evening began with an entertaining and inspiring keynote speech from Summer, where she shared how sports have shaped her life, and instilled a drive in her to be successful in all of her pursuits. It isn’t everyday that you get a chance to hear from individuals who have reached the highest pinnacles of success in their chosen fields! “It is a passion of mine to ensure all young girls are given equal opportunity and provided the tools necessary to succeed in sports and into adulthood,” Sanders said. “Events such as ‘Girls in the Game’ provide the outlet to ensure we are helping these young athletes become great leaders of tomorrow. I’m honored to be able to share the experiences and knowledge I have gained throughout my sports career.”

Summer was joined by Heather, Kathy and Tina for a panel discussion where each were able to share their thoughts on specific questions and topics that were submitted by the audience. The student-athletes enjoyed the opportunity to learn from these incredible leaders, and the questions posed were both informative and engaging. The focus on this years event was Title IX, and for many in attendance, it was eye-opening to learn about the law that was passed 40 years ago, which still needs to be a focus of opportunity equality today. Each of the panelists shared their stories of overcoming adversity, focusing on being their best, and providing advice and encouragement for the young ladies in attendance.

“As the first-of-it-kind event in Sacramento, ‘Girls in the Game’ aims to educate and empower young female athletes,” said Zach Streight, Executive Director – Positive Coaching Alliance, Sacramento Chapter. “It was such an honor to have this group of inspiring women who have achieved success at the highest level and who have done so in a way that their friends, family and community can be proud of.”

A special thanks goes to PCA-Sacramento Board Member Jen Enos, who worked tirelessly to make the event a reality, as well as our event sponsors MaxPreps and Teichert. “Jen was amazing, she worked incredibly hard to make this event happen, and I am so thankful for all of her help. Without her, this event would not have happened,” said Streight. “I would also like to appreciate both MaxPreps and Teichert and their generosity for the event. As a result of their support, we were able to sponsor the attendance of many student-athletes who otherwise wouldn’t have been able to come. We wanted to share this event with as many as possible, and their generous support helped make that a reality.”

Zach joined PCA in December 2014 to serve as the Executive Director of the PCA-Sacramento Chapter. 

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