National Girls and Women in Sports Day for 2026 was observed Feb. 4, promoting the accomplishments of female athletes and advocating for gender equality in sports.
The observance took place a day earlier at Bethel Park High School, as the Bethel Park Girls Basketball Boosters held a grandiose event at the Black Hawks’ home gym prior to a girls varsity basketball game.
What is hoped to be an annual celebration at Bethel Park took place in front of a largely female crowd including athletic director Laura Grimm, who was on hand to oversee the activities.
“The event was absolutely fantastic,” Grimm said the day after the ceremony. “All the credit goes to our girls booster club, who planned, organized and managed everything. I have been a part of a lot of wonderful experiences in my time as an AD, but I’d be hard-pressed to find a time where I was more proud.”
Grimm is assisted by Tom Howell, who was instrumental in the planning process for the event, which was held before the Baldwin-Bethel Park girls basketball game.
“I was honestly speechless,” Howell said. “It was one of those moments where you just sit back and realize how much support surrounds you. I’m sure it was a feeling like that for all the phenomenal players, coaches and parents that made this possible.
“I was incredibly proud to be at Bethel Park and to witness an event like this with such overwhelming support taking place. All the credit goes to booster parent Katie Hogue and everyone else who helped organize the event. We are so thankful. What an unforgettable night it was.”
White T-shirts with the message “Everyone Watches Lady Hawks Sports” flooded the gymnasium as students and parents alike wore them throughout the night.
“The amount of people in the stands speaks for itself,” Howell said. “It felt like a packed-house playoff game, and it was awesome to see women supporting women and girls supporting girls.
“I feel like it will open up a lot of eyes to the importance of showing up for others. Definitely something we would like to be a part of every year.”
The festive event was billed as “a gathering and celebration of all women in sports — alumni, athletes, sports professionals and more.”
Grimm said, “Katie Hogue was both the brains and the workhorse for the event. I am appreciative for all the planning and hard work that went into making it successful and proud to see our female athlete population so well represented and applauded.”
Hogue said the booster group began planning for the celebration at the start of the 2025-26 basketball season.
“We have the most amazing, beautiful gym, and it’s always my mission to fill it with people,” she said. “I work for Dick’s Sporting Goods, so I’ve always been familiar with National Women and Girls in Sports Day being in February. Myself and two other basketball booster moms, Lisa Turner and Michelle O’Neill, led the planning. But we had much help along the way from both high school booster parents and Bethel Park travel basketball association parents as well.
“We like to do a lot to include our youth basketball programs in our season events, and they in turn are always eager to help, which we appreciate. Tom Howell was also instrumental in helping us plan and execute the event. And donations from community businesses funded the T-shirts and refreshments, so we were very grateful for that support.”
Bethel Park girls sports teams were lauded before the opening tip of the basketball game, including cheerleading, cross country, golf, tennis, track and field, volleyball, wrestling, rifle, softball, swimming and diving, indoor track and field, bocce, soccer, lacrosse, flag football and basketball.
Several sports — basketball, cheerleading, cross country, track and field, softball and swimming and diving — are offered for girls at both the middle and high school.
“We had such a positive response from our Bethel Park athletic community,” Hogue said. “They really showed up in huge numbers. We had around 300 athletes in attendance and 20 student-athletes from Duquesne University, including the entire women’s basketball team.
“The ceremony was really beautiful, a mix of inspirational words about women in sports and then my favorite part — the Bethel Park girls teams all cheering for each other as each sport was announced and recognized. Seeing the middle and high school girls supporting each other was really very powerful. Some of the marching band students organized a pep band for the night, and the Bethettes were in attendance for a halftime show.”
Sophomore Sydney Kellander kicked things off by playing an outstanding trumpet solo of the national anthem.
“Our boosters and members of the youth travel program did a fantastic job planning and executing this event,” said Steve Norman, Bethel Park’s girls basketball coach. “Katie Hogue in particular came up with and championed the night, and I can’t thank her and her husband Rob enough for the work they put into the event.
“It was a fantastic and supportive event for our team and something unlike anything I’ve experienced in my eight years coaching high school basketball.”
Special recognition went to the girls tennis team for its banner 2025 season as Bethel Park finished as the WPIAL runner-up in Class 3A.
The Black Hawks were led by juniors Cami Fisher, Mackenzie Smock and freshman Hadley Murello in singles, along with senior Keira Ross/junior Cassie Sierka and freshman Julia Ross/sophomore Mia Hogue in doubles.
Seniors Elliett Briggs, Laura Casaldi, Samira Gorman, Madeline Masztak and Grace Perdziola also helped out in complementary roles.
“I thought it was a great event that showcased all of the amazing women athletes that have gone and are going through Bethel Park,” Fisher said. “It was a very positive experience for the girls tennis team because we were able to look up to the alumni and college athletes that have been in our shoes but also be role models for the younger generation of girls who will be in our shoes soon.”
Fisher successfully defended her Section 4-3A singles title last season. She is the fifth girl in school history to win a singles championship in section play, joining Nicole Reynolds (1999), Kellie Schmitt (2001-02), Lizzy Yetiskul (2005-08) and Mia Gorman (2020-21).
And as a freshman, Fisher combined with Lily Sierka to win the WPIAL Class 3A doubles championship.
WPXI’s Shelby Cassesse and Jenna Harner, plus Bethel Park athletic hall of famers Rachel Wojdowski, Missy (Shields) Dalbon and Laurel Heilman were among the special contributors for the celebration.
“I’m proud of all of our girls, coaches and everyone else who made this night possible,” Howell said. “I went back and watched Hudl to feel what an amazing moment it was to see. We’re excited for next year’s event and hopefully a trend that starts around the WPIAL.”
Katie Hogue was overwhelmed, and like Howell, she looks forward to repeating things in 2027.
“The community feedback has been overwhelmingly positive,” Hogue said, “and I am just blown away by the response. The event reminded me of why I’m so proud to be from Bethel Park, seeing the way the community rallied around our girls to make the night special for them.
“The connections and memories that these girls made will hopefully last them a lifetime. I hope they felt recognized, supported and inspired to never lose their passion for sports. We can’t wait to do it again next year — even bigger and better.”
Added Fisher: “The event was very full circle with all the different generations of women athletes, and I hope to have it again next year.”