DURHAM, N.C. – North Carolina Central University celebrated National Girls & Women in Sports Day with a luncheon at McDougald-McLendon Arena on Wednesday, Feb. 5.

Over 130 NCCU female student-athletes attended the event, hosted by the NCCU Department of Athletics and Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina. The luncheon featured a panel discussion and a question-and-answer session.

Three of the four panelists were from North Carolina Central - Ariel Germain, Director of Marketing & Communication for the Division of Student Affairs; Dr. Sierra Hobbs, NCCU Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Medicine and Dr. Andrea Woodson-Smith, Interim Chair of the Department of Kinesiology & Recreation Administration.

In addition to the three NCCU panelists, the Eagles welcomed panelist Kaila'Shea Menendez, the Deputy Director of the Durham Sports Commission.

The luncheon touched on various topics including self-confidence, life after sports, health, dealing with stress, inspiring the next generation of athletes, work-life balance and role models.

"What resonated with me the most was listening to people who have been in our shoes," NCCU softball pitcher Jaden Davis said.

National Girls and Women in Sports Day highlights the accomplishments of females in addition to recognizing their contributions and advocating for equality in sports. It has been held annually during the first week of February, usually on Feb. 5., since its inception in 1987.

The annual day was a great time for the panelists to share wisdom with the student-athletes.

"We didn't have events like this when I was coming up playing sports," Menendez said. "I didn't know that you could be a president of a professional team. I didn't know that you could be an athletic director. All I knew was you could coach and you could be an athletic trainer because that's what I saw as a student-athlete. To see so many women value the conversations from the panelists, it means a lot because they are the future women leaders."

NCCU track student-athlete Laila Jackson, a two-time All-MEAC middle distance runner, listened intently to the panelists, especially Menendez.

"She was resilient in overcoming injuries and criticism from people," Jackson said of Menendez, who was a high school basketball star in the Triangle area. "She did what she felt was right for her. It definitely spoke to me because as a student-athlete I had to overcome battles."

NCCU has a history of highlighting women sports, according to Germain, who led the Eagles to back-to-back CIAA volleyball titles as a setter in the early 2000's. She is still the school's career leader in assists.

"Dr. Ingrid Wicker McCree [former NCCU head volleyball coach and athletic director] was really big about exposing us to all sorts of things," Germain said. "We read books. We did symposiums, all those types of things. I don't remember specifically a National Girls and Women in Sports Day but I do remember her making sure that we were knowledgeable. It prepared me for the future, it taught me how to make connections with people, it taught me to think about what my future would look like at a younger age."

With the explosion of women's sports in recent years, Wednesday was the perfect day for a celebratory luncheon.

"It is important to have a day to recognize us in sports," Davis said. "Women are playing a bigger role in sports and society today. If we didn't have this day, I would feel left out like we don't matter."

For more information on NCCU Athletics, visit NCCUEaglePride.com, or download the NCCU Eagles Athletics app.
 

-EAGLE PRIDE-

NCCU Athletics | Twitter/X | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube