For the second consecutive year, the Pittsburgh Steelers have participated in National Girls & Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) by supporting young female athletes in the community. NGWSD, first declared in 1987 by President Ronald Reagan, was created to honor Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman and now recognizes girls and women involved in sports at all levels.
The Steelers partnered with Operation Warm to distribute over 1,000 sports bras to female athletes from Pittsburgh Public Schools who participate in various sports including flag football, soccer, volleyball, and basketball. Through the Fly:FWD program, each of the 500 student athletes will receive two sports bras aimed at empowering them to continue participating confidently.
Blayre Holmes-Davis, senior director of community relations for the Steelers, said: “It means a lot to everyone in the organization to be able to do this. As an organization, especially the women who work here, are thrilled to be able to take a day to celebrate one another in the work that we do not only during the season, but throughout the entire year.
“But to be able to invest in the next generation of female athletes and let them see us as a representation of what they can do is special. We can show them you can be successful in this field. We can let them know there’s a space for you in sports if you want there to be.
“It also is about helping the young female athletes to be able to have the equipment to play their sport and be successful. When they’re talking about making sure that there’s funding for athletes from the equipment, what doesn’t get talked about is that sports bras. But it’s a necessity for young female athletes to have.
“For us to be intentional about celebrating that day, but also making sure that we’re doing an act of service to let the girls know we know this is a big issue because we’re also here to help fulfill that need.”
Representatives from other local teams—the Pirates, Penguins, Passion, Riverhounds, Riveters—and members of Pittsburgh Women + Sports Collective joined Steelers staff at Acrisure Stadium for packaging and distribution efforts. The event included opportunities for networking among women working across different organizations within Pittsburgh’s sports industry.
Mercedes Williams, director of communications and stakeholder engagement for Pittsburgh Public Schools commented: “The day is very important. You’re talking about an opportunity for women, in particular women who are not always connected when you think about sports. You automatically think of a male-dominated field. And the interesting part of this is that working with the Pittsburgh Steelers and other professional organizations, we’ve actually been able to elevate female participation in sports specifically with our flag football.
“So when we talk about this day in particular, while it’s recognized on a national level, here in Pittsburgh we see the amazing contributions that our student female athletes have made not only to the game but the overall student athlete experience, sportsmanship and collaboration that comes along with it.
“This is a wonderful experience. This is our second consecutive year doing this. And when you see all of the sports teams come together it says that not only are we on the same page about uplifting and empowering our student female athletes but we’re here to support them…We never think about young lady and her necessary undergarments…We are just so happy that we’re able provide them with an additional layer of support whenever they’re playing their sports…”
Last year’s effort provided 500 bras; doubling this number highlights growing support for these students’ needs.
Williams added: “When we think about undergarments and essentials they need…sports bra specifically are expensive…So even smallest incidental like a sports bra can not only help them get coverage and support they need…There’s always lens we try think about when it comes community support…”
Holmes-Davis emphasized: “I think women’s sports is so important…It’s been great see it surge over past couple years…This day has been existence long time but it’s good see so many organizations highlight it and support others…”
This initiative reflects broader community engagement by organizations like the Steelers, who are known both for their historic achievements—including six Super Bowl championships as noted on their official website—and ongoing involvement beyond football through programs supporting local youth.
