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Students in the Girls on the Run program
at Pine Valley Elementary practice after
school as coaches provide encouragement
and lessons in self esteem along the way.
www.wrightsvillebeachmagazine.com WBM
Sports
Run, girls, run!
IStride, boys, stride! t started in Charlotte, North
Carolina, with 13 girls. Molly
Barker created Girls on the Run
in 1996. Her 10-week, nonprofit,
after-school program teaches and
inspires girls to be healthy and confident
through running. Now, 16 years later,
GOTR has expanded its reach to more
than 174 locations in the U.S.
and Canada.
This month, girls, and
boys, will be running and
striding through midtown
Wilmington during the annual
OrthoWilmington 5k on
Saturday, May 19.
Coastal Carolina GOTR was
established in 2003 and was initially
funded by a grant through 2007. The
Wilmington Family YMCA stepped in
as an affiliate program partner in 2008
under the direction of Margie Butts, who now serves as race day director.
When the Y first became an affiliate, Butts says there were only three schools involved.
This year, the Coastal Carolina GOTR includes 14 counties within the Wilmington Family
YMCA, Harrison Family YMCA, Goldsboro YMCA and YMCA of the Sandhills. Director Amber
Rogers says program participation has doubled since last year. Now 128 teams strong, with
15 girls each, the program reaches 1,920 girls.
GOTR’s brother program, STRIDE, enables young boys to build character through a similar
10-week running program. Last spring, STRIDE of Coastal Carolina sponsored five teams.
Today STRIDE boasts 29 regional school programs.
If your child’s school does not have GOTR or STRIDE programs contact council
director Amber Rogers by calling 910-251-9622 ext. 224 or emailing amber.rogers@
Wilmingtonfamilyymca.org. Parents, teachers and fellow runners who would like to learn
about coaching, donating or competing in the races should visit www.nckidsrun.org.
Allison potter