A Bold Idea
The Her Next Play Junior Varsity Board won the Edina Community Foundation Bold Idea Contest to partially fund their idea of an annual Edina Girls’ Sports Summit. The goal of the Edina Girls’ Sports Summit was to celebrate girl athletes, inspire girls to stay in sports and develop as leaders, and promote a positive sports culture.
98% of the participants said they learned skills that they can use in sports & life.
The first annual Her Next Play Edina Girls’ Sports Summit was held on September 30th, 2019 (a non-school day for Edina Public Schools) at the Life Time Sport Facility. The event featured powerful women role models in sport and experts in mental toughness, leadership, teamwork, risk-taking and confidence to teach and train Edina girls.
97% reported feeling more confident about taking risks and playing bold.
The HNP JV Board set out to help their peers recognize the life skills learned through athletics and inspire girls to stay in sports. 130 middle school girls participated in a day full of yoga, mental skills training, soccer, nutrition advice, photo booth fun, and learnings from an Elite Athlete Panel.
99% said they felt inspired to stay in sports.
Summit Recap
Play Bold: Ellie Smart
Ellie Smart is a professional cliff diver and bronze medalist of the 2018 FINA High Diving World Cup. She dove competitively growing up and qualified for both Junior and Senior Nationals on springboard and platform. Smart went on to dive collegiately at the University of California, Berkeley, where she qualified for NCAA’s and won a National Championship in 2015.
Agility Games: Molly King, Inspired Athletx
Molly King, DPT, ATC is a doctor of physical therapy and certified athletic trainer at Inspired Athletx. She earned a doctorate of physical therapy degree from The University of Iowa and an undergraduate degree in Athletic Training from Gustavus Adolphus College. She also minored in coaching at Gustavus and is an American Sport Education Program certified coach.
The Power of Mindset: Erin Ayala, Premier Sports Psychologists
Erin Ayala, PhD, LP, is a Licensed Psychologist who specializes in health and sport psychology. Dr. Ayala works with many adolescent athletes at Premier Sport Psychology (based in Edina) to help them identify goals, increase motivation, and overcome barriers to peak performance.
Breakout Sessions
Fueling Performance: Kaela Colvard, Twin Cities Orthopedics
Kaela Colvard is a registered dietitian with a background in sports nutrition and specialization in eating disorders. Kaela has experience working with youth, collegiate and professional athletes to optimize their athletic potential, energy availability, muscle recovery and injury prevention in relation to nutrition.
Photo Booth & Game Time: Cori Kennedy, Social Media Sensation
Cori Kennedy is a National Pro Fastpitch softball analyst. She is known for her softball tutorial videos that have gone viral on social media with over 2 million views. She played softball at Minnesota State University in Mankato, MN where her team won the 2017 NCAA National Championship.
Distressing with Yoga: Theresa Tuma, Physical Culture
Theresa Tuma is a certified Yoga Calm instructor. Theresa helps youth connect their mind, bodies and heart through yoga. Her format builds self-esteem, community and self-regulation through breathe and movement.
Pick up Soccer
Elite Athlete Panel
Moderated by Kyndra de St. Aubin, MN UFC
Kyndra de St. Aubin is currently the only full time female TV analyst in Major League Soccer (MLS), commentating for Minnesota United FC. MNUFC joined MLS in 2017 after being a part of NASL for several years.
Lee Stecklein, Olympic and Pro Hockey Player
Lee Stecklein plays for the United States national women's ice hockey team, and won a gold medal in her second Winter Olympics in 2018. A former Golden Gopher, Stecklein captained the Minnesota Whitecaps to an Isobel Cup championship in 2019. An advocate for girls in sports, Stecklein encourages girls to stay in sports for as long as they can and learn as much as they can from their sports experience.
Carrie Tollefson, Olympic Runner
Carrie Tollefson attended Villanova University, where she was a 5-time NCAA Champion and the 1998 NCAA Indoor Track Athlete of the year. She was also the first person in NCAA history to win both the 3K and 5K titles. In her post collegiate career, she was a three time national champion and after winning the 1500m trials in 2004, she represented the US in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.
Coley Ries, Professional Softball Player
Ries is a professional softball player in the National Professional Fastpitch League. She was the 2017 DII National Player of the Year and National Champion. She graduated from Minnesota State with a degree in Mass Media and is currently enrolled in the educational leadership graduate program.
Marissa Brandt, Olympic Hockey Player
Ries is a professional softball player in the National Professional Fastpitch League. She was the 2017 DII National Player of the Year and National Champion. She graduated from Minnesota State with a degree in Mass Media and is currently enrolled in the educational leadership graduate program.
This event was made possible by our generous Sponsors: Edina Community Foundation, Edina Girls Athletic Association, Twin Cities Orthopedics and University of Minnesota Physicians. As well as our wonderful Partners: Inspired Athletx, Premier Sports Psychology, Life Time Sport, Positive Coaching Alliance, Rethink the Win, Braemar, Physical Culture, Barilla, Stephanie May Potter, and Edina Soccer Association.