“Everything got started with a parent,” says Kate Lynch, Council Director of Girls on the Run/STRIDE of Greater Detroit. The parent was interested in bringing Girls on the Run, a nonprofit organization dedicated to building both life skills and physical fitness in girls, to Roosevelt Elementary in West Bloomfield. “She spoke with some teachers at the school who were also interested,” continues Kate, “and we had great support from the administration to get the program started. Parents and teachers volunteered to coach. The team had 25 girls in their first season last spring, and we had a team of 22 girls this fall. That is very impressive participation for a brand-new team!”
Girls on the Run started in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1996, and spread to the Detroit area in 2009 with the partnership of the YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit. Since then, says Kate, “we have served tens of thousands of girls in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties. We are considered among the largest Girls on the Run Councils in the United States. We are proud to say that over 2000 girls have participated in our programs this year, and we are excited to announce that we will be unveiling a new, enhanced curriculum for our Girls on the Run teams in 2024!”
Girls on the Run programs are offered for 3rd to 5th graders, and the Heart and Sole program continues the experience through the middle school years. Both programs use a research-based curriculum and a coach training program to bring positive results. According to their website, “an independent study showed that Girls on the Run participants were significantly more likely than girls in organized sports to learn and use life skills such as managing emotions, resolving conflict, helping others, and making intentional decisions.”
Locally, you can help by volunteering as a coach, or to help with the end-of-season 5K celebration, says Kate. For the girls, registration for the Spring season is underway and the season begins in March. “If you don’t see a team at your daughter’s school, we can help you get one started!”
For more information on starting a team or volunteering, visit gotrdetroit.org.
