University Southern California Trojans
Girls PLAY Completes a Successful Rookie Season
April 09, 2014 | Trojan Outreach
April 9, 2014
Last Sunday around 3:00 PM, the emphatic cheers of 400 middle school girls floated over the pool at the newly renovated Uytengsu Aquatic Center. Chants of "We are SC! We are SC!" echoed as the official dropped a game ball into the pool to kick off the Women of Troy's water polo contest against UC Irvine. The ecstatic fans proved a force to be reckoned with, as noted by commentators on the PAC-12 Network's telecast, especially since none of them had seen a water polo game before, and less than half had stepped foot on a college campus prior to that morning.
The day marked the fifth and final Girls PLAY event this season. As USC Athletics' new initiative to inspire young women, the program has become immensely successful in its first six months.
That morning, the group attended an educational session where female student-athletes from the track and field team spoke on issues of body image, college expectations, and goal setting. Among those who spoke were senior Jackie Dion, junior Charity Bruce, and sophomore Erika Peyton.
Dion explained how she maintains a healthy self-image, while Bruce shared helpful tips on how to set and achieve goals. Peyton shared stories of teammate support, explaining that encouragement helps her to excel in all areas of her life.
The girls were then led around campus on tours that highlighted where the athletes study and train. "They were so excited to learn all about USC Athletics, professors, majors, and just college life in general. Their curiosity soon turned into ambition," said Dion.
The stream of excited questions gave the student-athlete tour guides the opportunity to encourage budding college aspirations. "Yes, you can attend USC! You can do anything you put your mind to," encouraged Bruce during her tour.
The visitors ate lunch in the heart of campus with their collegiate companions. "I believe this day was a turning point in the lives of these girls. They now realize that their dreams of attending college are not that far out of reach," said Dion.
The day concluded with the guests cheering the Women of Troy to a decisive water polo victory. Before the game, members of the team made a surprise visit up to the viewing deck to teach their newest fans some spirited cheers. And as television viewers could hear on the broadcast, these new Trojans fans had plenty of spirit.
