St. Bonaventure University will host 500 middle and high school female student-athletes from 21 area school districts for this year’s Girls & Women in Sports Day April 13. This year’s program will focus on a healthy athlete.

Throughout the day, participants will choose to attend three sports and health clinics from a dozen being offered, including those on Mind-Body Awareness in Sports, softball, basketball, soccer, lacrosse, rugby, tennis, swimming, cross country/track and volleyball. A panel discussion and question-and-answer session with St. Bonaventure student-athletes is also planned.

Thanks to a Fraser Grant from the United Way of Cattaraugus County, the university’s Student Government Association, the Student Athletes Fellowship & Wellness Club and the Physical Activity Club are teaming up to offer the Mind-Body Awareness sessions, which will provide the use of interactive educational tools and displays to raise the awareness of middle and high school female athletes about the need to improve and maintain an enhanced level of nutritional wellness and mental health during competition.

“The Mind-Body Awareness in Sports program was designed to offer fun, interactive, positive and engaging activities,” said Dr. Paula Scraba, associate professor of physical education, who spearheads the annual sports day celebration at the university. “In this environment, we help athletes learn how small changes in their nutrition and mental health behavior can help them improve and maintain good mental health and performance in sports and academics.”

Programs and clinics for the day will be coordinated by mental health counselor Hailey Gattuso; Dr. Claire Watson, director of the public health, health science and master of public health programs; and St. Bonaventure’s women’s Division I and club sports coaches and athletes. The university’s ROTC program will also host a fitness challenge. 

Allegany-Limestone, Andover, Austin, Belfast, Cattaraugus-Little Valley, Chautauqua Lake, Cuba-Rushford, Ellicottville, Falconer, Fillmore, Franklinville, Frewsburg, Genesee Valley, Hinsdale, Olean, Pioneer, Salamanca, Scio, Southwestern and Wellsville school districts and BOCES will be attending the day, which marks the 37th year St. Bonaventure has hosted the event.

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About the University: The nation’s first Franciscan university, St. Bonaventure University is a community committed to transforming the lives of our students inside and outside the classroom, inspiring in them a lifelong commitment to service and citizenship. St. Bonaventure was named the #5 regional university value in the North in U.S. News and World Report’s 2022 college rankings edition.