Stuart hosts over 100 middle school athletes for leadership conference

Nearly 100 middle school athletes from Stuart, Sacred Heart Greenwich, Sacred Heart Academy Bryn Mawr, and schools across Central New Jersey gathered on October 5 for the Girls Athletics & Leadership Conference, a day of sport, connection, and leadership development designed to empower girls both on and off the field. Hosted in partnership with LetHerPlay, founded by Stuart alumna Gia Fruscione ’96; and LaunchBreak, a professional community that supports athletes who play or have played women’s sports, the event brought together young athletes to learn from female leaders and explore the lifelong benefits of sports participation.

Throughout the day, girls participated in clinics led by Stuart coaches and Upper School athletes in field hockey, volleyball, basketball, cross country, tennis, and lacrosse, and heard from guest speakers including Chidinma Coleman, Maryam Hassan, Rachel Mullooly, Nicole Rolek, and Emerlee Simons ’20. In her keynote, Fruscione encouraged girls to recognize the confidence, perseverance, and teamwork that sports instill. The conference underscored the importance of providing girls with early exposure to the benefits of athletic participation and mentorship from women who credit their own success to the lessons learned through sport. Click here for photos.