Girls take steps toward confidence, fitness at running clubsDate: 2/28/2023 WESTERN MASS. — Arielle Perry loves the mission of Girls on the Run, a physical activity-based positive youth development program for third- to eighth-grade girls.
Perry has been involved since Girls on the Run was introduced in the area seven years ago. It’s designed to enhance girls’ social, psychological and physical skills and behaviors to successfully navigate life experiences through running.
Alison Berman brought the national and international program to this region in 2015.
“I loved the social-emotional curriculum and realized it could reach so many youths in Western Massachusetts,” recalled Berman, the director for Girls on the Run Western Massachusetts, which oversees and provides support for local programs.
Meeting two times a week for 10 weeks in spring and fall, Girls on the Run started with 90 girls. Since then, more than 8,000 girls have participated in activities led by volunteer coaches at nearly 80 locations. Coaches include teachers, school staff, parents and community members.
According to Berman, the program’s curriculum is tailored to girls in third to eighth grade.
“Many studies show that by early adolescence, girls begin to experience faster rates of decline in physical activity levels, lower levels of confidence and positive perception of their academic abilities, and higher rates of anxiety and depression as compared to their male peers,” she explained.
The program helps prevent these adverse outcomes by empowering girls to know and activate their limitless potential, added Berman.
“The program accomplishes this mission through an intentional and evidence-based curriculum that promotes social-emotional learning, critical life skills and healthy attitudes and behaviors among adolescent girls,” Berman said.
Additionally, she said schools that have programs continue to have them each year because they witness the benefits of the social-emotional curriculum and see how kids use their Girls on the Run lessons in their communities.
Alyse Roy, who coaches a team of third and fourth graders at James Clark School in Agawam, said she always feels proud when seeing girls use social-emotional strategies they learned at practice in a different setting.
“I love watching girls carry over skills they learn at practice into the classroom,” she said, adding that the Girls on the Run program has created a positive culture for girls at her school. “I’ve seen girls with different ethnic backgrounds want to learn about the differences in other girls’ lives and their abilities to accept those differences. I’ve also seen girls want to help the community and understand what it looks like to serve the community they live in and make it a better place.”
Berman said Girls on the Run also has an impact on parents of girls who participate.
“Schools report that parents are more involved in schools where the program is offered,” she explained. “At our final 5K at the end of the season, families come out to support their kids and many family members walk/run together for the first time.”
Although the program emphasizes physical activity, coaches aren’t required to be runners. To find coaches, Girls on the Run reaches out to schools, local communities, PTOs and other organizations. Berman said the organization provides support, program materials, training, scholarships, snacks, shoes and shirts for the girls.
“They provide amazing support to us,” said Roy, who has been a coach since 2018. “All the resources we need, from flyers to materials, are only a phone call or an email away.”
She added that leaders at Girls on the Run are passionate about the program and about meeting the needs of coaches and girls. “Their leadership is one reason why I want to keep coming back season after season.”
Roy said the biggest reward she gets from the program is building relationships with students that she otherwise wouldn’t have met.
“They teach me so much about how to love myself, accept and improve parts of me that are hard to love, and how to activate other people’s star power,” Roy said.
Janet Bogacz, who coaches third to fifth graders at Frederick Harris Elementary School in Springfield, said most of the girls she works with come from low-income families.
“This program shows girls they have everything they need inside themselves, and we just help them with self-awareness, selecting and keeping healthy relationships and let their star shine.”
Bogacz, who has been a coach since 2018, added that she loves watching girls grow during each season: “When they put into practice the lessons we learn and come back and share, it makes me beam with pride. The smiles on their faces are priceless when they make lap goals and then do more laps than they thought they could.”
Perry, who has coached girls at the third to fifth grade level as well as the sixth to eighth grade level, coaches at General John J. Stefanik School in Chicopee. She said one of the most important roles of coaches is to create a safe, welcoming space for girls to take risks, learn and grow.
Perry recalled one girl from last season who was hesitant to join Girls on the Run. She was shy and quiet, and had a history of struggling socially. Some fifth graders on the team took leadership roles, ran with her when doing their laps and tried to get her input when working on lessons.
“By the end of the season, she was more open and interactive – and even made paper fans for each of her teammates after a particularly warm practice. Her teacher also reported progress in the classroom,” said Perry.
Girls on the Run is near and dear to Kristen Eklund, who coaches third to fifth graders at Mountain View School in Easthampton. She said the curriculum is “awesome” for young girls.
“It helps them find connections and common ground with each other and helps to dissipate any issues over the course of the season,” Eklund said. “I love the idea of providing support and motivation to young girls so they can begin to feel empowered and confident as well as develop many important life skills.”
She said seeing girls who are hesitant or quiet at first come out of their shell over the course of the season is one of her favorite things to witness as a coach.
“It definitely can be hard at the start of each season to bring the girls together as a cohesive team. Some of the dynamics can be tricky,” explained Eklund.
“The program is so much more than running,” she added. “We work so hard to encourage the girls to develop healthy physical habits as well as emotional and social strategies.”
The spring session of Girls on the Run will begin this month at several schools and community organizations around Hampden and Hampshire counties. Participating schools include:
Agawam: Agawam Junior High School, Clark School, Doering School, Granger School, Phelps School, Robinson Park School.
Amherst: Crocker Farm School, Wildwood Elementary School.
Chicopee: Anna E. Barry School, Gen. John J. Stefanik Elementary School, Patrick E. Bowe Elementary School.
Easthampton: Hilltown Cooperative Public Charter School, Mountain View School.
East Longmeadow: Mapleshade Elementary School, Mountain View School.
Granby: East Meadow School.
Holland: Holland Elementary School.
Holyoke: Girls of the Valley Inc., Holyoke Middle School, Kelly Full-Service Community School, Lt. Elmer J. McMahon School.
Longmeadow: Blueberry Hill School, Longmeadow Center School, St. Mary’s Academy.
Monson: Granite Valley School.
Northampton: Campus School of Smith College, Egremont Elementary School, Hampshire Regional YMCA, Leeds Elementary School, Robert K. Finn Ryan Road School, Smith College Community Team.
Otis: Farmington River Elementary School.
Southampton: William E. Norris Elementary School.
Southwick: Powder Mill School.
Springfield: Bolland Elementary School, Brightwood Elementary School, Brookings Elementary School, Brunton Elementary School, Alice B. Beal Elementary School, Alfred Zanetti Montessori Magnet School, Dorman Elementary School, Dryden Memorial School, Frederick Harris School, Homer Street Elementary School, Indian Orchard Elementary School, Kensington International Elementary School, Kiley Middle School, Liberty Elementary School, Springfield Prep Charter School, Springfield Renaissance School, Sumner Avenue Elementary School, Warner School, White Street School, William N. DeBerry Elementary School.
Westfield: Abner Gibbs Elementary School, Franklin Avenue Elementary School, Munger Hill Elementary School, Southampton Road School, St. Mary’s Parish School, Westfield Intermediate School.
Westhampton: Westhampton Elementary School.
West Springfield: Coburn School, Tatham School, West Springfield Middle School.
Williamsburg: Williamsburg Elementary School.
The program is also offered in the Berkshire County and Franklin County communities of Clarksburg, Dalton, Deerfield, Great Barrington, Lenox, Pittsfield and Richmond.
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