Our Journey
Providing girls access to mentorship and sport through track and field empowerment programs.
TrackGirlz is a nonprofit organization founded by Olympian & Olympic Coach Mechelle Lewis Freeman with a mission to equip girls with health, academic, and social tools through track and field. Participation in track and field has been found to lead to higher education at four-year colleges and positively impact behaviors, self-esteem, and overall health for teen girls. As the highest participatory sport for middle and high school girls in the United States, track and field is one of the most diverse and inclusive sports for girls, appealing to various ethnicities, body types, and athletic abilities, helping girls build a strong foundation of hard work, determination, and leadership skills that last a lifetime.
TrackGirlz wants all girls to have equal access to safe, fun, enriching physical activity for their minds and bodies to flourish. According to research conducted by the Women’s Sports Foundation, by the age of 14, girls drop out of sports twice as often as boys for factors such as social stigma, lack of access, safety and transportation issues, costs, and lack of positive role models. Among all 20 sports studied among teen youth, track and field stood out as having the highest percentages of youth who excelled academically.
In the U.S., participating in sports is a major access point to daily physical activity. In 2019, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services set a long-term objective: Get 63.3% of students playing sports by 2030. Those with the lowest rates of physical activity and sports participation include children from underserved families, youth who are racial and ethnic minorities, girls, and children with physical or developmental disabilities. We aim to bridge this gap with our programs.
TrackGirlz is a 501c3 girls empowerment nonprofit organization.
We help girls reach their full potential through track and field. Our programs include sport performance workshopz, grants, and a youth development curriculum that enables participation in track and field, and direct mentorship from world-class women from the TrackGirlz community, including Olympians, elite coaches, and industry leaders.
By the Numbers
Each year, we empower over 200 girls through our performance workshopz.
We have awarded $65,000 through our grant program providing access to new uniforms, travel costs, track and field club membership fees, and training equipment, such as racing wheelchairs.
We have provided over 50 direct mentorship opportunities with Olympians, world-class women track and field athletes and coaches, and trailblazers from the TrackGirlz community.
We have grown our community to 38K Instagram followers and added over 20 brand ambassadors across the globe.
We received donations and foundation grants, including the Women’s Sports Foundation, Finish Line Foundation, and Dicks Sports Foundation totaling over $100,000.
14
By the age of 14, girls drop out of sports twice as often as boys.
63.3%
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services set a long-term objective: Get 63.3% of students playing sports by 2030.
4-year colleges
Track and field girls also held high aspirations and expectations of graduating from a four-year college and attaining additional education post-graduation than all other sport studied.
70+% BIPOC
Over 70% of the girls in our programs are BIPOC.
Our Team
We are a team of empowered women passionate about the future of girls in track and field.
Our goal is to provide access to track and field through our grants, personal development curriculum, and sport performance workshopz. We are grateful for your support in helping us achieve this mission.
