Pittsburgh Review

Today marks National Girls & Women in Sports Day (NGWSD), a day dedicated to celebrating the contributions of women in sports. Established in 1987 by President Ronald Reagan, NGWSD initially honored Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman and has since expanded to recognize all girls and women involved in sports.

In Pittsburgh, the Steelers joined forces with Operation Warm to distribute over 500 sports bras to female athletes from Pittsburgh Public Schools as part of the Fly:FWD program. "We are excited to serve and provide equipment to the girls in the Pittsburgh community," said Lindsay Grassia, Director of Partnerships for Operation Warm. The initiative aims to address barriers faced by young female athletes, particularly access to essential equipment like sports bras.

Blayre Holmes-Davis, Steelers Director of Community Relations, emphasized the importance of such initiatives: "One of the biggest things that we found out was a barrier to young women participating in sports is having access to equipment that includes sports bras." She added that collaborating with Operation Warm provides an opportunity "to really get our hands and create something that's really going to be able to help further female athletes."

Representatives from local teams including the Pirates, Penguins, Riverhounds, and Riveters gathered at Acrisure Stadium for this event. Holmes-Davis noted the significance of working together: "All of the sports teams have a way of recognizing the day... it's a really exciting day."

Karen Arnold, Director of Interscholastic Athletics for Pittsburgh Public Schools, expressed her gratitude for this collaborative effort: "To come together as one full group to support our kids... is awesome."

The Steelers' efforts extend beyond this event; they have collaborated with the Philadelphia Eagles over recent years to promote girls flag football across Pennsylvania. This collaboration led to its sanctioning as a high school sport by PIAA starting in 2025-26.

Holmes-Davis highlighted their continued commitment: "We want to make sure we are supporting the programs... We realize this is just something small, but it can go a long way."

The team's initiatives have significantly increased participation rates in girls flag football within Pittsburgh and statewide. Through various events like jamborees and championships held at Acrisure Stadium alongside sponsorships from Nike and others, awareness and involvement have grown.

"We just want to show support," Holmes-Davis concluded. "It's something small but lets them know keep going; we're proud of you."