A Year That Moved Girls Forward

As 2025 comes to a close, it is hard not to think about how many moments this year reminded us why TrackGirlz exists. It was a year filled with new partnerships, powerful mentorship, long training days, joyful breakthroughs, and girls discovering pieces of themselves they had not seen before. Nothing happened in isolation. Every program and every connection fed into a larger story about representation, access, and the impact of showing up for young women.

GROWING TOGETHER THROUGH MENTORSHIP

One of the brightest parts of the year was watching our DreamBuildHER program continue to grow at KIPP Bridge Academy through our partnership with Cal Berkeley Athletics. Under the leadership of three Cal Berkeley Track and Field Athletes, including Nairobi Smith, who brought her own family legacy into the room with a calm sense of purpose, the girls explored what it means to carry confidence with them, even on the days when it feels hard. Nairobi shared pieces of her journey as a third-generation Cal student-athlete and being the granddaughter of Dr. Tommie Smith, 1968 Olympic Gold medalist and civil rights activist. The girls listened closely every time. They understood they were learning from someone who knew what it meant to stand for something bigger than herself. Each session became an invitation for them to see their own potential with a little more clarity.

Mentorship also played a meaningful role throughout the year. Our TrackGirlz Talk sessions with Claire Bryant and Alexis Holmes created small but powerful spaces for connection. There was something special about watching middle and high school girls ask questions and receive honest answers from two women who have competed at the highest level. These conversations were not about perfection or pretending everything comes easily. They were about real experiences, real doubt, and real determination.

This same spirit carried into our scholarship program. Awarding a TrackGirlz Scholarship to Diamond Bossier felt like celebrating the type of student-athlete we hope to uplift more often. Diamond is committed to her community, to her academics, and to her growth as an athlete. Supporting her reminded us that investment in one girl can ripple outward in ways that are not always immediately visible but always meaningful.

PARTNERSHIPS THAT PUSH PURPOSE FORWARD

The NYC Marathon brought another kind of energy to the year. Our 2025 team brought their own stories, motivations, and reasons for showing up. Maddie Alm, Delaney Swift, Alex Morris, Taylor Hanes, Collier Lawrence, and Yurii Bondarchuk trained with intention and carried TrackGirlz with them on every long run. For many of them, the marathon was not just a race. It was a way to raise awareness and support for girls who are discovering sport for the first time. Watching them cross the finish line, knowing who they were running for, made the achievement feel even more significant.

This year also deepened our relationship with Hetta’s, a brand creating performance-focused inclusive footwear for women. Their belief in representation aligned perfectly with our mission. They highlighted the importance of girls seeing role models who look like them and understand their experiences. When Maddie ran the NYC Marathon in Hetta’s to raise funds for TrackGirlz, it was more than a campaign. It was a reminder that visibility matters. Hetta’s supported that effort with a donation-based giveaway that helped bring new attention to our work and opened doors for more girls to participate.

Speaking of women supporting women, we were back at Athlos, the female-only track and field series, now in its second year. By showcasing what women can achieve at the highest levels of the sport, Athlos reminds girls that their potential is limitless and that with dedication and support, they too can step onto the biggest stages.

PROGRAMS THAT BUILT CONFIDENCE AND COMMUNITY

On the athletic development side, our FAST clinic continued to show its value. With leadership from Scottish Rite and guidance from our founder, Mechelle Lewis Freeman, the clinic provided personalized assessments and training that helped girls understand their bodies in new ways. Many came in unsure of themselves and left with a renewed sense of capability. We also saw 9 fierce elementary and middle school girls from the Bay Area hit the track at the Brutus Hamilton Invitational at Cal Berkeley. Mechelle led warm-ups and shared her energy and encouragement before the race. This special event celebrated their growth, on and off the track, and gave them space to dream big, run fast, and build confidence. 

Throughout the entire year, our workshops and community events helped girls build resilience, reflect on their journey, and find support in one another. What made these gatherings meaningful was not the size of the room but the feeling inside it. Girls came in with questions, hopes, and sometimes uncertainty. They left with clarity, encouragement, and a sense of belonging.

Looking back, 2025 was not defined by a single program or milestone. It was defined by the way everything connected.

THE YEAR THAT REMINDED US WHY THIS WORK MATTERS

Together, these moments created a year that felt honest, grounding, and full of purpose. They also reminded us that when girls have support, guidance, and community, they find ways to rise. We are grateful for every coach, partner, athlete, ambassador, family, and supporter who helped bring this year to life. Your belief in girls made all of this possible. Here is to closing out the year with gratitude and stepping into the next year with hope, intention, and excitement for what is still ahead.