While the WNBA was counting down to tipoff for its annual midseason exhibition game, all-stars of a different caliber were being celebrated at Notre Dame Prep on Saturday, July 20.

With over 100 young female athletes in attendance, the school played host to the HERGame Empowerment Summit, presented by Gatorade – an event centered around inspiring and fueling athletic and personal growth to Valley middle and high schoolers.

According to Arizona Gatorade representative Stephanie Mitchell, “We’re big into our Equity in Sports initiative, which we launched in 2022 to bring new opportunities to young athletes and break down those barriers and help them play and stay in sports. That’s our goal today.

“We hope they see how sports can be an outlet for them to have fun with friends, be leaders and build confidence in themselves. Sports can have an impact on lives, both on and off the field. We want them to take the characteristics of sports and translate them into their everyday life.”

In addition to learning about the importance of athletic nutrition and hydration, attendees took advantage of numerous drill stations to focus on exercises covering everything from speed, core work and agility to strength, warm up and cool downs. The youngsters also got to speak with various members of the Gatorade women’s advisory board that represented sports journalism, coaching and assorted women’s business leaders who not only spoke from personal experience but also fielded questions from the young audience.

One of the NDP student-athletes at the event was rising senior and 2024 state soccer champ Whitney Reinhardt who topped all competitors with 34 push-ups in 60 seconds.

“Having this be a competitive environment was really fun and super positive,” said Reinhardt. “It was really cool to have former college athletes here giving tips and advice for us thinking about going into college athletics down the road. To be able to soak in all the information was really nice.”

Pentathlete, heptathlete, and 100-meter hurdler Breanna Leslie, who served as the Summit’s athletic development lead, considers it an honor to be a part of an event designed to encourage female athletes – a burgeoning demographic that continues to expand exponentially.

“It’s great to see more and more female faces that can serve as role models,” she said. “We are talking more about female athletes now than we ever have before. We have Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark and Sha’Carri Richardson – names that people recognize and that feels great.

“We are making steps. Sports is more than just entertainment. It builds character. A female athlete will be able to take criticism. They will be coachable. They’ll have good days and bad days but know how to regulate and keep pushing toward a common goal. They will have teamwork, discipline, a drive… it sets them up for success in all areas of life.”

Photo by Jason Morrow