During a recent visit to Leftwich Tennis Center on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, I was greeted by a group of young ladies enthusiastically headed outside to do their laps. I followed them outside where they chose stretching exercises before starting the day’s goal, set by each participant, of walking or running laps behind Leftwich.
Afterward, I joined the girls inside their classroom and saw their pride as they logged their laps in the course workbook while sharing their accomplishments with each other. Celebratory popsicles were passed around before the girls began working on the lessons of the day: “Stick with It” and “Self Talk.” I had heard many uplifting things about the Girls on the Run program; however, seeing their enthusiasm firsthand was a joy.
Girls on the Run - founded by Molly Barker, a triathlete and teacher who struggled with her mental health when she was young - began thirty years ago in Charlotte, North Carolina. At the time, Molly was a fourth grade teacher and found few outlets for young people, particularly girls, to learn how to manage the myriad emotions that are part of pre-adolescence. She noticed that activity and athletics were helpful in the moment but believed that a curriculum focused on social and emotional development combined with athletics would have a greater long-term impact. Molly partnered with developmental experts at the University of North Carolina to create what would become Girls on the Run.
Since its inception, Girls on the Run has focused on young girls in grades three through five, a critical stage for the development of communication skills, empathy, resiliency and managing emotions. The curriculum is consistent across the 160 councils/cities in the United States and Canada.
The programs are primarily held at schools, as well as community centers and parks. A team of facilitators, community volunteers, school volunteers and coaches come together for each session. Each site must have a safe space for the girls to meet inside and outside.
The program meets for 90 minutes twice per week. During the eight to ten week season, participants learn to navigate conflict, the value of being a good friend, empathy and resiliency. Running is also incorporated into each lesson. The running is interwoven as a framework for goal setting, understanding the importance of team and dealing with hard things. While the hard things are different for each girl, each participant sets a walking or running goal and tracks this every session. The season culminates with a 5K where participants across all sites in a council/city come together and celebrate each other. The event is an explosion of positivity. There are no completion times, simply completion. Girls finish supported and accomplished.
Joanna Lipman, Executive Director of Girls on the Run Memphis, has been motivated to provide opportunities for young girls to build confidence and success since helping to found the Memphis Council in 2018. Joanna noted, "when my daughter was eight years old, I observed that there were many pre-professional opportunities for young people outside of school but little focus on teaching kindness, empathy, navigating complex emotions or simply having fun. At the same time, there was a gap in available activities for young people based on where they lived in Memphis, primarily due to funding disparities."
This realization spurred Joanna to research potential solutions and found Girls on the Run. She met with three Memphis business leaders who were also champions of the organization, and together they launched Girls on the Run Memphis. Since 2018, the flourishing program has supported over 2,700 girls across 28 sites. Approximately 16 Memphis sites actively participate in each of the fall, spring and summer seasons. Some of these sites have been running the program for more than five years with teams composed of as many as 25 girls. Overall, there is also a ratio of one coach for every three girls. Once girls complete the program, many transition from participant to team helper to junior coach and even become coaches themselves.
The Girls on the Run curriculum is designed to create a culture of kindness. Participants also leave the program with the ability to talk through challenging topics both at school and with their families. In addition, most school sites see a tangible improvement in attendance and participation in school, a direct result of the program. The majority of the Memphis participants stay in Memphis, and Joanna strongly believes they are well-equipped to be future leaders of the city.
In addition to the many volunteers who ensure that Girls on the Run Memphis runs smoothly each week, the corporate community shows up for each season and consistently demonstrates their care and support for young girls through sponsorships of the program and the 5K run. Memphis is fortunate; through this program, our community comes together to care for each other and our girls season after season.
"When my daughter was eight years old, I observed that there were many pre-professional opportunities for young people outside of school but little focus on teaching kindness, empathy, navigating complex emotions or simply having fun."
Become a part of the Girls on the Run Memphis team!
Start here, https://www.gotrmemphis.org/, to support the future of Memphis.
- Coach:
- You must be 18 or older;
- Junior coaches are between 16 and 18 years old.
- Volunteer for the upcoming 5K, November 15, 2026:
- Pre-Race Fun Zone Activity Stations;
- Course Cheerleaders/Spirit Squad;
- Course Volunteers;
- Water Stations; and
- Greeters and Crowd Control.
- Adopt a team:
- Nearly 70% of participants benefit from financial assistance; subsidies are vital to the program.
- Start a site, commencing February 2027:
- There may already be a site near you - check the site finder!