University Southern California Trojans
Kids Play Holiday
December 25, 2018 | Trojan Outreach, Features
USC's Trojan Outreach program recently hosted two Holiday events to enrich the lives of local young Angelenos: A Girls' Play Holiday Party and A Boys' Holiday Leadership Summit.
On Dec. 16, In collaboration with Girls Play Los Angeles (GPLA), more than 700 girls from Los Angeles communities participated in the event. The GPLA program is focused on girls sports throughout the department's underserved communities. The program strives to get and keep girls involved in sports and living a healthy lifestyle, while making friends, building self-esteem and having fun. By providing a low and affordable $11 registration fee, girls from all communities are able to participate in the programs that Girls Play LA has to offer. Under Mayor Eric Garcetti's Gender and Equity Initiative, Girls Play LA has dramatically increased girls' participation in sports and fitness programs, expanding such programs to 100 parks.
USC's Director of Trojan Outreach McCall Hall welcomed all of those in attendance and introduced Nita Watson, Director of the Self-Care Lab, to lead the warmups and present the Self-Care group coaches. The Self-Care Lab is a full-service, U.S.A. certified boxing and fitness club that tackles anxiety, depression and problematic behavior from trauma through use of physical exercise.
According to the City of Los Angeles Report on the Status of Women and Girls, a compilation of current research focusing on the issues and trends affecting the women and girls who call Los Angeles home, domestic violence, spousal abuse, rape, sexual assault and human trafficking are the top crimes that females are victims to in Los Angeles today. In an effort to prevent these sorts of crimes, Trojan Outreach partnered with the Self-Care Lab to provide a self-defense course for the 700+ girls in attendance and better prepare them to defend themselves if they were to encounter any such violent situations.
"It's extremely important that we provide the opportunity to our youth, especially girls, to learn how to defend themselves and become more disciplined students," Watson said. "All of the skills these girls will learn should be used strictly for self-defense, and that is a strong message that we would like to share."
Following the self-defense lesson, everyone was treated to nutritional lunches and surprised with free tickets to witness the undefeated USC women's basketball team compete against CSUN. The majority of the game's attendees were all girls from the Girls Play Holiday Party and were the loudest fans the game had that night.
Following a spectacular win and a perfect way to end the Girls Play Holiday Party, the women's basketball team surprised the young girls and personally handed out holiday bags filled with toys. The toys were generously donated by Grant & Bowman, Inc. Founded in 2006, Grant & Bowman, Inc. has made differences in the lives of families by providing wholesale distribution of games, toys, hobby goods, and supplies. After all the toys were handed out, the young girls had the opportunity to take photographs with their new toys alongside Santa Claus and their favorite USC women's basketball players.
Five days later, USC's Trojan Outreach program welcomed local boys to a similar event. The boys learned simple boxing techniques in order to help with their self-confidence. USC football alum and former NFL linebacker Keith Rivers helped pass out gift bags to those in attendance after they watched the USC men's basketball team earn a big win over Southern Utah.
On Dec. 16, In collaboration with Girls Play Los Angeles (GPLA), more than 700 girls from Los Angeles communities participated in the event. The GPLA program is focused on girls sports throughout the department's underserved communities. The program strives to get and keep girls involved in sports and living a healthy lifestyle, while making friends, building self-esteem and having fun. By providing a low and affordable $11 registration fee, girls from all communities are able to participate in the programs that Girls Play LA has to offer. Under Mayor Eric Garcetti's Gender and Equity Initiative, Girls Play LA has dramatically increased girls' participation in sports and fitness programs, expanding such programs to 100 parks.
USC's Director of Trojan Outreach McCall Hall welcomed all of those in attendance and introduced Nita Watson, Director of the Self-Care Lab, to lead the warmups and present the Self-Care group coaches. The Self-Care Lab is a full-service, U.S.A. certified boxing and fitness club that tackles anxiety, depression and problematic behavior from trauma through use of physical exercise.
According to the City of Los Angeles Report on the Status of Women and Girls, a compilation of current research focusing on the issues and trends affecting the women and girls who call Los Angeles home, domestic violence, spousal abuse, rape, sexual assault and human trafficking are the top crimes that females are victims to in Los Angeles today. In an effort to prevent these sorts of crimes, Trojan Outreach partnered with the Self-Care Lab to provide a self-defense course for the 700+ girls in attendance and better prepare them to defend themselves if they were to encounter any such violent situations.
"It's extremely important that we provide the opportunity to our youth, especially girls, to learn how to defend themselves and become more disciplined students," Watson said. "All of the skills these girls will learn should be used strictly for self-defense, and that is a strong message that we would like to share."
Following the self-defense lesson, everyone was treated to nutritional lunches and surprised with free tickets to witness the undefeated USC women's basketball team compete against CSUN. The majority of the game's attendees were all girls from the Girls Play Holiday Party and were the loudest fans the game had that night.
Following a spectacular win and a perfect way to end the Girls Play Holiday Party, the women's basketball team surprised the young girls and personally handed out holiday bags filled with toys. The toys were generously donated by Grant & Bowman, Inc. Founded in 2006, Grant & Bowman, Inc. has made differences in the lives of families by providing wholesale distribution of games, toys, hobby goods, and supplies. After all the toys were handed out, the young girls had the opportunity to take photographs with their new toys alongside Santa Claus and their favorite USC women's basketball players.
Five days later, USC's Trojan Outreach program welcomed local boys to a similar event. The boys learned simple boxing techniques in order to help with their self-confidence. USC football alum and former NFL linebacker Keith Rivers helped pass out gift bags to those in attendance after they watched the USC men's basketball team earn a big win over Southern Utah.
USC Men's Basketball vs. Boise State Post Game Press Conference
Monday, November 24
USC Men's Basketball vs Boise State Highlights | Trojans win 70-67
Monday, November 24
USC Football vs. Oregon Post Game Press Conference
Saturday, November 22
USC Football vs Oregon Highlights | Trojans lose 42-27
Saturday, November 22
