Girl Scouts Hoops! New GS BASKETBALL TEAM takes the court

Girls Scouts who want to get in shape and improve their basketball skills are now in a “league of their own”. The Girl Scouts of Central & Southern NJ (GSCSNJ) has created a new basketball team comprised of Girl Scouts in grades 7-8. Over the past two months, the GS Celtics team won their first three games against Highland Park and two South River teams. “Girl Scouts of Central & Southern NJ believes that girls can lead anywhere – on the basketball court, in school, and in life. That’s why we are happy to offer Girl Scouts and their families this chance to experience Girl Scouting in a new way – through basketball,” said Andrea Miller, Director of Membership for Girl Scouts Central & Southern NJ.

The desire to start the GS Celtics team was conceived by Tannya Hemingway, Leadership Development Specialist for GSCSNJ. Faced with a decline in girl membership, and a rise in the number of girls who are interested in playing team sports, Ms. Hemingway realized that basketball could be a great way to keep girls interested in the values of Girl Scouting. “I hope that this can be the beginning of many other Girl Scout teams such as soccer, tennis softball and bowling,” said Ms. Hemingway.

The more physically active girls are, the greater their self-esteem and the more satisfied they are with their weight, regardless of how much they weigh. Eighty-three percent of very active girls say that physical activity makes them feel good about themselves. (The Girl Scout Research Institute, The New Normal? What Girls Say About Healthy Living (2006)).

Although sports and physical activity are a part of girls' and boys' lives in and out of school at varying levels, girls tend to be less active than boys. Sports/education and youth development programs can provide opportunity for girls to engage in positive, healthy physical activity.

For more information about the Girl Scout basketball team; to see the game schedule to join, volunteer, reconnect or donate to Girl Scouts of Central & Southern NJ, call (800) 582-7692 or visit www.gscsnj.org.