JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Sixteen women leaders in athletics from Duval County Public Schools were honored Tuesday afternoon with a shopping spree in honor of National Girls and Women in Sports Day.
The event was made possible by Academy Sports and Outdoors. Fifteen of the women were athletic directors in the district and received a $300 Academy gift card to shop the store for new equipment for their respective school programs.
Englewood High School coach Cynthia Bateh has guided student-athletes for 40 years. She’s watched the opportunities for young women grow in athletics and beyond, thanks to Title IX, the law leveling the playing field for women’s sports.
“Having families come through Englewood, so I’ve coached the mom, dad, the children, so it’s just exciting. It’s exciting that we are being put out there as women in sports,” Bateh said.
And one of her former students, Michelle Bourgholtzer, now the dean and athletic director at Landon Middle School, recognizes what tomorrow represents for women in sports.
“It is a really important day and for me especially, being someone that athletics impacted so much growing up, and it’s something that I work really hard to make sure that we keep our female students active and part of the athletics program,” Bourgholtzer said.
Additionally, a $500 gift card was awarded to Elizabeth Graham, the junior varsity football coach at Sandalwood High School and the Jaguars’ honorary flag football coach whose 14U team will compete at the NFL Flag Championships.