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For a good portion of Beth Savidge’s life, she has had the chance to be around sports.
“When your parents are avid sports fans and there are only girls in your family, you are bound to be immersed in all types of athletic activities,” said Savidge, the assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction in the Independence School District. “While I don’t know that as a young person I could have articulated the influence of sports on my own life, I can clearly see the impact of athletics on young women as an adult.”
Savidge will receive the Sprint Spirit Award during the WIN for KC Women’s Sports Awards tonight at the Sheraton Crown Center. The award is presented to a local girl or woman who demonstrates the “true spirit” of sport not as a participant, but as a supporter, promoter or advocate of girls and women’s sports and fitness.
“I was shocked and completely humbled when I got the call that I was the recipient of the Sprint Spirit Award. In fact, I felt quite certain that the people from WIN for KC must have called the wrong person,” Savidge said. “There are so many wonderful people in our community who are tremendous advocates for women’s athletics, and I am honored to simply be in their company.”
Potential winners are nominated through the WIN (Women’s Intersports Network) for KC website. Those who nominate someone are asked to answer three to four questions describing why the nominee deserves the award. A subcommittee of the WIN for KC Board of Advisors reviews all the nominations and chooses a winner.
“Beth is a good recipient of this award because she exemplifies a true supporter of girls sports,” said Jane Wilson, coordinator of WIN for KC. “She has used her time as a teacher, coach and school administrator to encourage and enable girls to get involved in sports. Not only does she encourage girls to reap the physical benefits of sports, but she stresses the leadership, self worth and teamwork to be learned as well.”
Savidge said athletics create a natural environment for development of collaborative leadership skills. She said it is the ability to work effectively with others that is “paramount in every person’s life.”
“Participating in athletics allows young people to develop a sense of self, establish the ability to influence others and participate in the give-and-take of effective teamwork,” she said.
For a good portion of Beth Savidge’s life, she has had the chance to be around sports.
“When your parents are avid sports fans and there are only girls in your family, you are bound to be immersed in all types of athletic activities,” said Savidge, the assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction in the Independence School District. “While I don’t know that as a young person I could have articulated the influence of sports on my own life, I can clearly see the impact of athletics on young women as an adult.”
Savidge will receive the Sprint Spirit Award during the WIN for KC Women’s Sports Awards tonight at the Sheraton Crown Center. The award is presented to a local girl or woman who demonstrates the “true spirit” of sport not as a participant, but as a supporter, promoter or advocate of girls and women’s sports and fitness.
“I was shocked and completely humbled when I got the call that I was the recipient of the Sprint Spirit Award. In fact, I felt quite certain that the people from WIN for KC must have called the wrong person,” Savidge said. “There are so many wonderful people in our community who are tremendous advocates for women’s athletics, and I am honored to simply be in their company.”
Potential winners are nominated through the WIN (Women’s Intersports Network) for KC website. Those who nominate someone are asked to answer three to four questions describing why the nominee deserves the award. A subcommittee of the WIN for KC Board of Advisors reviews all the nominations and chooses a winner.
“Beth is a good recipient of this award because she exemplifies a true supporter of girls sports,” said Jane Wilson, coordinator of WIN for KC. “She has used her time as a teacher, coach and school administrator to encourage and enable girls to get involved in sports. Not only does she encourage girls to reap the physical benefits of sports, but she stresses the leadership, self worth and teamwork to be learned as well.”
Savidge said athletics create a natural environment for development of collaborative leadership skills. She said it is the ability to work effectively with others that is “paramount in every person’s life.”
“Participating in athletics allows young people to develop a sense of self, establish the ability to influence others and participate in the give-and-take of effective teamwork,” she said.
“Partnership skills are essential for every young woman as they move forward in their personal and professional lives. Participating in athletics allows girls to hone these skills throughout their formative year and better prepares them for real life experiences as they enter adulthood. It is imperative that as the world becomes increasingly complex, young women feel confident in making constructive decisions based on their own experiences and careful analysis of the situation at hand. My hope is that every female athlete confidently uses her problem-solving skills and determination to make positive decisions that will make a difference in her own life as well as in the lives of those around her.”
The WIN for KC Women’s Sports Awards is sponsored by Bank of America and is the largest event in the United States that celebrates National Girls and Women in Sports Day. WIN for KC recognizes local girls and women for their contributions and achievements in sports.
Savidge said that her 27 years in education has given her a “unique opportunity” to teach, coach, mentor and cheer for hundreds of young women as they improved their minds and bodies in a wide variety of athletic endeavors. She said she has come to realize that no matter the talent of the child involved, participating in organized athletics provides young women with life skills that will serve them well.
“The world sends such mixed messages to young women. Television, advertising, even music often ask our daughters, granddaughters, sisters, nieces and friends to compromise who they are and what they should be,” she said. “Participating in athletics provides an alternative trend, one that encourages women to think for themselves, to give of themselves for the sake of something beneficial and honorable. While very few athletes reach ‘elite’ status in their sport, most athletes can reach their ‘best life’ status by applying the skills they’ve garnered on the course, court, pool or field. As long as we are working to help our kids achieve their ‘best life’, I will be a advocate and voice for women’s athletics.”
