BOS Nation FC Participates in National Girls and Women in Sports Day Celebration

“Women have this unique ability to bring humanity to the game"

Photo By Jackie Contreras

A crowd of young girls streamed into West End House Saturday and excitedly browsed through a clothes rack of free athletic wear before inspecting the row of basketball shoes and soccer cleats that were also up for grabs.

The West End House Boys and Girls Club in Allston hosted a National Girls and Women in Sports Day celebration last weekend, partnering with many local organizations, including BOS Nation FC, to bring the gathering to life.

TOGETHXR, a sponsor and media company focused on uplifting women in sports, felt it was only right to play a part in the event.

“The city has become a true epicenter for the growth of the women’s sports movement,” said a TOGETHXR spokesperson. “It only made sense for [us] to celebrate that momentum… in a place where the energy around women’s sports is undeniable.”

The get-together kicked off with providing girls with free clothes, equipment such as balls and shin guards, and footwear. Everyone gathered in the pavilion an hour later to listen to women discuss their experience working in the sports industry.

The speakers shared early memories of falling in love with athletics and moments of feeling belonging, as well as obstacles they encounter in their current positions.

One of the panelists, BNFC’s Fan Experience Manager Jammy Torres Millet, spoke about the recent growth of women’s sports and the importance of visibility.

“Women have this unique ability to bring humanity to the game,” she said. “It’s just really dope and very inspiring to see that we can handle being the best of the best athletes in the entire world and still honor [our needs.]”

Torres Millet continued on to emphasize the value of creating and cultivating environments that nurture women in the field.

Recent research and surveys show girls’ participation in sports greatly declines during adolescence due to a host of reasons including access and gender stereotypes. Year-round programming at the West End House aims to target the dropout rate by engaging young girls in the community.

Whitney Edwards, the sports and fitness director at West End House, acknowledged the higher rate of boys than girls in the club’s fitness spaces, but said programming is being expanded to include more young women. She believes encouragement and inclusivity is paramount to prolonging participation.

“Once we get them there, it's all about what kind of opportunity we're providing,” she said. “If they have that positive experience, I think they're more likely to come back.”

Aside from being able to take part in football and basketball clinics at the event, girls were also taught about other career paths in the sports world. Several attendees, parents and young girls alike, recognized the significance of these types of activities in motivating the youth to stay in athletics.

As BOS Nation continues to establish itself in the city, the team is looking for ways to exemplify its values through action in the community. BNFC expects to contribute to similar events in the future and use its platform to call attention to initiatives already taking place in Boston.

Though the team is currently in its beginning stages, club ownership has previously said they’d eventually like to explore options for its own youth development.

“I think that what we are focusing on right now is amplifying what already exists in the landscape of youth soccer, especially girls in soccer, and then we can leverage those authentic relationships that we build in that space to figure out what an academy or what next steps would look like for us to have our own thing,” Torres Millet told the Blazing Musket.