More than ever our communities need healing-centered spaces; especially our young people. As we’re becoming more honest about our past and more transparent about our systems, we’re coming face to face with the harm that’s been done to many young people out in the world and within the systems that are supposed to support them. At the Center for Healing and Justice Through Sport (CHJS) the mission is to make sport healing for all youth everywhere. We do that by partnering with amazing organizations to provide training, consulting and convening opportunities. The power of bringing more folks into the movement of creating healing-centered spaces, specifically through two of the most healing aspects of sport–relationships and movement–allows for more positive sporting experiences for young people.

Girls in the Game is one of the programs that is doing just that by helping every girl find her voice, discover her strength, and practice leading with confidence through fun, active sports and health and leadership programming. Girls in the Game has been around since 1995 and has created spaces for girls to come and play sports in a safe environment; but what they do uniquely is focus on the whole girl. Girls in the Game incorporates health and leadership curricula to help call out and build the skills naturally woven into the fabric of sport. Alecia Ivery has been a part of Girls in the Game since she was 14 years old and now gets a chance to ensure that more girls get to experience the benefits of the program like she did. She also gets to coach the coaches to ensure that there are more healing-centered sporting spaces for young people.