BELMONT, Calif. - The Notre Dame de Namur softball team continued its outstanding interaction with the Bay Area Women’s Sports Initiative (BAWSI) during the Fall 2012 semester by spending 10 weeks working to help underprivileged girls become active in sports.

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BAWSI is a public benefit, nonprofit corporation with the mission of creating programs and partnerships through which women athletes bring health, hope, and wholeness to the community.

Members of the NDNU softball team spent the last three months working with girls from John Gill Elementary School in an after school program designed to encourage healthy lifestyles through various productive, physical activities.

Each week, six athletes went to John Gill to engage underprivileged girls (ages 7-9) in team-based learning activities in 90-minute sessions.

“We were considered their coaches and led them through different games which all included physical exercise,” NDNU sophomore Amanda Wallach said.

At each session the girls would participate in different games and sports such as sharks and minnows, hula hooping, jumping games, yoga, land/sea/air, kickball and much more.

Along with the games, the coaches promoted team-based learning and positive attitudes.

The girls also kept journals recording Words of the Week with their definitions and sentences entries on how they have each individually put the word into action. Words of the Week include cooperation, strength, team and honor.

“We also sung the BAWSI song every week before everyone left for the day.” Wallach added. “The girls all loved it.”