BAWSI programs build resilience, enabling participants to bounce back from adversity. BAWSI focuses on two populations who have the least access, but stand to gain the most from physical activity: underserved girls and children with disabilities.

BAWSI Girls is a free, after-school fitness and confidence building program where female athletes inspire young girls to get active, believe in themselves, and improve their attitudes and behaviors about physical activity. The program serves 2nd through 5th grade girls at schools where approximately 70% of students receive free/reduced lunch.

BAWSI Rollers was developed in 2006 by two-time wheelchair tennis Paralympian, Sharon Kelleher. The BAWSI Rollers program introduces students with disabilities to physical activity and sports in a non-threatening and accessible way as part of a team environment. The BAWSI Rollers program serves girls and boys with physical, cognitive and hearing disabilities. 

Despite shelter-in-place orders, BAWSI remained committed to maintaining the strong connection to participants that is the hallmark of its programming. Daily BAWSI Girls videos and weekly BAWSI Rollers videos were created and distributed through the new BAWSI YouTube channel.

An additional 850 phone calls to the homes of BAWSI participants let parents and children know that BAWSI was there for any extra encouragement or listening needed from our families. 750 handwritten letters were delivered to our BAWSI Girls through the U.S .Postal Service, encouraging the girls to stay active, engaged at school and focused on their strong character. BAWSI even included stamped, self-addressed envelopes to encourage a Pen Pal activity.

As students head back to online learning this fall, BAWSI will be there once again with a new menu of options to keep the BAWSI children physically active, engaged with their peers and family members, and emotionally whole.

BAWSI is hosting a virtual 5K to keep their programming free to families and free to schools. Join them for a run, walk, or roll the weekend of October 24th-25th. 

If you’re not able to join the BAWSI Moves 5K, you can always help BAWSI bring the power of sports to the children they serve by donating. No amount is too small, or too large to keep these award-winning programs going. Many thanks to our BAWSI Moves sponsors: Stanford Children’s Health, Agile Physical Therapy, TeamSnap, and our in-kind sponsor Sports Basement.