On Saturday (Feb. 23), UC Irvine will celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day. UCI will host a free clinic from 2:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m. for youth 5-12 years old, featuring instructional clinics in basketball, volleyball, track, tennis, and cheer taught by UC Irvine's own Division I student-athletes and coaches.

All participants will receive a UC Irvine Sports Camp T-Shirt and cinch bag filled with goodies (sunglasses from UC Irvine Health, keychain, Adidas sweatbands, etc.) plus a ball of their choice from Grab A Ball and Play. Participants will also receive complimentary admission to the women's basketball game which begins at 7:00 p.m. at the Bren Events Center. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. and families can take part in poster making, games, and dinner on the Berry Terrace.  Participants will also receive a voucher for a hotdog, chips, and fountain drink from concessions. 

TCS is donating a bus to bring in students from La Semilla Learning Center in Santa Ana, while Triple Threat Mentoring in Santa Ana will also be in attendance.

Registration is open to any and all participants, but spaces will be filled on a first-come first-served basis. Contact the camps office to register at camps@uci.edu
 
National Girls and Women in Sports Day is an annual celebration of the achievements of female athletes. NGWSD began in 1987 in dedication of Flo Hyman, an Olympic volleyball player, known for promoting equality for women's sports. NGWSD is annually celebrated across the country with community events and award ceremonies that honor female athletes. In addition to recognition of current achievements in women's sports, NGWSD also strives to instill a passion for sports in youth that will last a lifetime.

Former UC Irvine distance runner Kelli (Vanderburg) Smith was the epitome of an Anteater student-athlete. Smith was a member of the UCI cross country and track teams, graduating with degrees in Psychology & Social Behavior and Criminology and
earning All-Big West Conference honors in 2005. She was a three-time Big West Scholar-Athlete and All-Academic selection in both fall and spring. The Clovis native was a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and earned the UCI Leadership Award as a senior. Smith, who is in her 11th year coaching at Vanguard, is married to former UCI men's volleyball All-American and Olympian David Smith and is a proud mother of two.

Smith reflected on how UC Irvine and athletics shaped her life and how she continues to lead female athletes forward.

Having the opportunity to participate in sports, specifically running, has contributed greatly to who I am today. When I first started running in high school, my coaches encouraged my newfound love of the sport and planted the seed that I could potentially run in college one day. I never really believed I would be able to attend a school like UC Irvine. I simply do not think the financial means would have been there to go that far away from home to attend a UC school. Had I not been given the opportunity to run cross country and track on an athletic scholarship, it may never have happened at all.  Athletics, and the coaches who supported me through my years of running, made that dream a reality and contributed to my growing love of a sport that I continue to participate in, both as an athlete and as a college-level coach.
 
When I think back to my experiences as a student-athlete at UCI, I remember the highs and lows of athletic performances, but also all the moments off the track that built the foundation of who I am now as an athlete and as a coach. My coaches and the athletic department staff made clear to me my value as not just as athlete, but as a whole person. I was given many opportunities to grow as a person, in ways that later helped me in my adult professional life. From volunteering in the community, to being a student-worker in the athletic department, to serving as a leader on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, and even co-coordinating a National Girls and Women in Sports Clinic, my time at UCI fostered skills that I now use on a daily basis as a coach and also in other professional pursuits.
 
I know that there are many female athletes, coaches, and athletic staff who paved the way before me, opening doors and creating the chance for women like me to pursue my passion and dreams. Sports participation is about more than just winning or losing, it's about being a part of something bigger than yourself. It is about learning life lessons, creating friendships, and developing skills that can be used beyond the competitive arenas. 
 
Thank you to everyone who has encouraged me along my journey from a high school athlete, to my days at UC Irvine, and beyond. This year's theme for National Girls and Women in Sports Day is "Lead Her Forward," to honor the many ways that sports push girls and women to achieve excellence and realize their boundless potential! I am grateful for all of those who have led me forward, and I hope to do the same for the next generation of female athletes!