 "Photo: Submitted photo")
Young Mankato girls will be getting active and building self-esteem when the third season of the YWCA program "Girls on the Run" begins in February.
"Girls on the Run" is an international program brought to Mankato during the spring of 2009 to help 3rd to 5th grade girls learn about healthy lifestyles. According to the Girls on the Run International Web site, the program intends to help preteen girls develop self-respect and prevent at-risk activities such as substance abuse, eating disorders and early sexual activity. It is not a sports program, but it does have a curriculum that gets the girls moving.
"Sports are great for some girls, but they're not great for everyone, and this is just a great place for girls to come and be and feel good about themselves," said Sheri Sander, youth director of the Mankato YWCA.
The 12-week program is split into three sections before ending with a 5K run/walk. The first four weeks focus on the emotional health of each girl, which is followed by four weeks and teamwork and relationship building. The program then wraps up with four weeks of community involvement, in which the girls participate in a community service project. In the past, girls have collected food for organizations like the ECHO Food Shelf.
Brittney Cook, an assistant coach and social work major at Minnesota State, said the curriculum teaches the girls a concept and then allows them to apply it through a fun activity to further understand it.
"It's a really empowering thing for the girls," said Cook.
The program is entirely volunteer-based and has had participants that range from college students to retirees. The Mankato YWCA is currently looking for head and assistant coaches. Head coaches need to be female and attend the program both days each week. Assistant coaches can be male or female and must attend a minimum of once per week. Sander said the YWCA would be excited to have more men involved in the program.
"It's a great way to make a connection in the community and be a positive role model to these young girls that really need that in their lives," Sander said.
Time spent on activities with the girls can range from about one to three hours depending on the day. The program runs in the fall and spring.
Cook said that in the beginning, many of the girls in her group did not get along and had formed cliques. However, the program brought them together into a large group and, during the 5K run/walk, all of them cheered each other on.
"The girls are able to feed off each other and really learn a lot," Cook said.
Only nine girls were enrolled in the program last spring, but the number grew to 50 girls in the fall. This spring the YWCA hopes to have 100-120 girls involved in the program.
The season starts at multiple elementary schools Feb. 8 and all schools will begin by Feb. 17. The program closes May 1 with a non-competitive 5k run/walk. Coaches and parents can run with the girls to encourage and help them during the event.
This spring is also the first season of "Girls on Track", which is a similar program for 6th to 8th grade girls. Both programs start in February.
"It's a good learning experience. You really are able to see a lot of difference in the girls," Cook said.
Interested volunteers can apply online at www.mankatoywca.com. All materials and the curriculum are provided by the YWCA. Spring training for new coaches starts Feb. 1 at the YWCA.
Elena Shufelt is a Reporter staff writer
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