Press Releases

Giants Host Team Up for Girls!
SAN JOSE, Calif. (June 13, 2010) - Today, the San Francisco Giants, along with the Bay Area Women's Sports Initiative (BAWSI) and Team-Up for Youth, have partnered to Team Up for Girls!

BAWSI, which was founded by US and Olympic World Cup soccer star Brandi Chastain, is devoted to creating avenues for strong, talented and accomplished women athletes and coaches to inspire girls, women and families with their leadership skills and community service.

Team-Up for Youth believes sports taps into a child's best, but often unrecognized, qualities and helps children find the champion within. Team-Up for Youth has pioneered innovative strategies to strengthen and expand after-school sports and physical activity programs.

Team-Up for Youth's Team-Up for Girls initiative is focused on engaging 12,000 more girls in sports by 2012 by improving existing sports programs for girls, creating new ones and eliminating barriers to girls' participation in sports.

The Giants salute BAWSI, Team-Up for Youth and some of the Bay Area's most talented and accomplished women athletes and coaches who are gathered here today to inspire young girls and women to pursue their goals.

Honored at the pre-game home plate ceremony was Stephanie Wilson from Santa Clara University Cross Country, San Jose State University's Women's Golf Team, Stanford Women's Gymnastics Team, Sarah Huarte-Glynn, the women's golf coach at the University of San Francisco, and Cal Women's Crew.

Earlier today, fans were treated to a panel discussion with celebrity dads, including Dave Righetti and his daughter Natalee Righetti, Mike Krukow and his daughter Tess Krukow, Duane Kuiper and his daughter Dannon Kuiper, and Brent Jones and his daughter Courtney Jones. The panel focused on how each of these high profile and accomplished fathers encouraged their daughters to pursue their individual dreams.

Former 49er Brent Jones, one of the Bay Area's most accomplished athletes and humanitarians, 3-time Super Bowl Champion, four-year Pro Bowl and All-Pro player and one of the greatest Tight Ends to ever wear the red and gold, was also honored at home plate.

Brent is a spokesperson for BAWSI's Dads and Daughters initiative and is a strong believer that dads play a vital role in their daughter's development. By taking their daughters to women's sporting events, it exposes them to sports and strong women role models while showing them the possibilities and opportunities that come with women's sports.

Also recognized were special individuals who have had a significant impact in advancing sports opportunities for girls -- Marlene Bjornsrud, Co-Founder and CEO of BAWSI, Anne Warner Cribbs, one of the most respected women in sports and the matriarch of Bay Area women's sports, Janet Carter, Executive Director of Team-Up for Youth and Wally Haas, the founder and Board Chair of Team-Up for Youth.

These individuals are truly an inspiration for all of us and remind us of what we are all capable of achieving if we choose to pursue our passions.

Throwing out the first pitch was beloved Peanuts character Lucy van Pelt.

CONTACT: Marlene Bjornsrud
BAY AREA WOMEN'S SPORTS INITIATIVE
(408) 247-2544