National Girls and Women in Sports Day is Wednesday, Feb. 1, and the St. Lawrence County Branch of the American Association of University Women invites schools and colleges to help commemorate it by encouraging girls and young women to wear a T-shirt or jersey from participation or support for sports.

“Title IX at 40 – In it for the Long Run” is the theme of the 26th annual commemoration, a special day for girls and women to celebrate their participation in athletics.

When the federal law Title IX was enacted in 1971, one in 27 girls in high school participated in athletics. Now, one in three girls participates in athletics and all women and girls have greater opportunities in athletics.

One fun way to mark the day is to “Take A Girl to a Game” at a local high school or events at three of the four local colleges who have home women’s games during the week.

At St. Lawrence University, the women’s home basketball game against RIT on Feb. 4 will feature a halftime “Lose Your Shoes” 3-point shooting contest, and an autograph session after the game with a photo of the team. There will also be light refreshments provided for the students in attendance.

And if you have access to the Internet, you can visit the Women in Sports Timeline that was created and is maintained by the St. Lawrence County Branch. It contains hundreds of milestones in women’s sports history stretching from ancient Greece right through the early days of 2012. The address is https://writix.co.uk/blog/history-of-women-in-sports-timeline

For more information about more ways you can celebrate NGWSD, contact branch member Donna Seymour at 265-6985 or onthego@northnet.org.