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Watch: Girls get active at Go Girl in Red Deer

15th annual event to promote physical activity and confidence
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A baseball instructor teaches Grade 5 student Hailey Stratichuk from École Mother Teresa School how to hit a baseball at the 15th annual Go Girl event being held Wednesday at Collicutt Centre. (Photo by SUSAN ZIELINSKI/Advocate staff)

About 800 Grade 5 girls from Red Deer public and Catholic schools tried out a variety of sports at the 15th annual Go Girl event at Collicutt Centre on Wednesday.

The five-and-a-half-hour event encourages girls to get active and promotes health and confidence, and gives them the chance to meet new friends.

It’s the 15th year for Go Girl and this year girls tried activities like tumbling, softball, triathlon, zumba, drumming, lacrosse, soccer, taekwondo, and participated in sessions fosused on nutrition and mental health.

Kelly Roslinsky, physical education specialist at Don Campbell Elementary School, said the program is working based on the girls’ reaction and feedback from instructors.

“We’ve had letters back from girls who are now in high school or college that found a sport here that they pursued and had either a lot of fun doing, or experienced a lot of success playing at fairly competitive levels. That’s the reason we keep on doing it,” said Roslinsky who is also a member of the Go Girl committee.

She said fewer children are involved in organized sport these days. They are suppose to have 90 minutes of physical activity a day and a very small percentage get that much exercise.

“We’re finding as video games and devices are becoming more popular the kids are a lot more sedentary at this age, especially girls,” said Roslinsky who is also a member of the Go Girl committee.

“Hopefully they can find something that’s interesting, a new sport or new activity, they can pursue. Then it keeps them active and healthy.”

She said there’s a lot of team sports they can get join.

“There’s also individual sports they can do, tennis or track. You’re still part of a team, but you compete individually.”

Roslinsky said unfortunately for some it’s just easier to sit at home instead of getting out there and taking a chance. If the cost of sports is a deterrent, sports organizations do have resources available for families who need it.

Go Girl is sponsored by NorthStar Sports, Servus Credit Union, InMotion, City of Red Deer, Red Deer Public School Foundation, Red Deer Catholic Schools Foundation, Government of Alberta, Booster Juice, Kinnetts and Be Fit for Life Centre at Red Deer College.



szielinski@reddeeradvocate.com

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