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#playlikeaLadyTiger campaign promotes female student leaders and athletes

By Tina Covington / For Gulf Coast Media
Posted 2/23/18

BAY MINETTE, Alabama — A casual discussion among two friends has resulted in a powerful campaign to highlight young ladies who are making waves on campuses in North Baldwin County schools.

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Hear Us Roar

#playlikeaLadyTiger campaign promotes female student leaders and athletes

Posted

BAY MINETTE, Alabama — A casual discussion among two friends has resulted in a powerful campaign to highlight young ladies who are making waves on campuses in North Baldwin County schools.

The #playlikeaLadyTiger campaign got its start last year when Tina Covington and Amanda Selph were discussing ways to promote and encourage young girls to pursue their best self, whether it was as an athlete, an academic or a student leader – or a combination of all these things.

Both graduates of Baldwin County High School, Covington and Selph set their sights on promoting the accomplishments of female students at their alma mater. After playing around with variations of the “Play Like a Girl” theme, the two settled on #playlikeaLadyTiger to pay homage to the school’s mascot.

“We really wanted to shine a light on our female athletes and student leaders who are often overlooked and underappreciated. We also wanted to show younger girls that there are numerous avenues for them to pursue, from athletics to ROTC, and their only limitation is their imagination,” Covington said.

The duo reached out to coaches and club sponsors to begin the campaign and scheduled a photo shoot with the select group. Those photos were then used to create posters with strong positive themes.

One of the students featured was Grace Girby, a student athletic trainer who spends countless hours on the sidelines patching up players from various sports. Her poster “Trained for Success” was one of the first to be rolled out through social media, accompanied by a write-up of her accomplishments. The response was overwhelming, she said.

“It felt really great to be featured because it was an opportunity to show girls that we can play any sport and that we can also be involved in the medical part, too. It also helps girls get more involved,” Grace said.

In addition to being shared on social media sites, the posters are printed and dispersed to all the schools in the BCHS feeder pattern for display. At Pine Grove Elementary, the posters are prominently displayed along the hallways for all to see.

PGES Principal Donnashele Bruister said it’s good to “remind our young ladies exactly what each and every one of them is capable of in our North Baldwin feeder pattern. I love seeing our students stop often to idolize these role models and pointing at each poster saying, ‘That’s what I am going to play or that’s what I want to do’,” she said. “The posters plant daily reminders to set a goal early and achieve your dreams!”

BCHS Coach and teacher Crosby Morrison said the project has had the same impact at the high school. “The #playlikeaLadyTiger campaign has positively encouraged and influenced my younger athletes. They have come to me on numerous occasions stating one of their goals is to work hard so they can be on the posters one day,” she said.

A few of Morrison’s basketball players have already been featured and she said it definitely raises their game as well. “The upperclassmen who are already on the posters have talked to me about how honored they are to be featured and how they want to be good role models to live up to standard of what #playlikeaLadyTiger represents.”

Emma Franklin is a member of the Tigerettes and golf team and was featured on a poster. “Being a part of this has motivated me to do better and try harder because you never know who is looking up to you,” Emma said. “It makes me proud to see all my fellow Lady Tigers recognized for their accomplishments.”

Destiny Miskel is in her second year as the Drum Major for the BCHS Tiger Band. She said she was honored to be included and hopes that it serves as an inspiration for a younger generation.

“It’s unusual for girls and women to be the ones celebrated in sports and other activities. As a band member, it was really great to be thought about because we often feel a little left out and forgotten in our own right,” Destiny said. “I believe it’s going to be a super inspiring thing for young girls to see us on those posters. It’s another thing that lets them know they can do anything.”

The campaign has expanded to highlight these younger Lady Tigers who are making a difference in their schools. Recent posters have featured Spelling Bee winners, a wrestling team bookkeeper, Beta Club officers and science standouts.

Selph, who designs the graphics for the posters, said she was inspired by the “This Girl Can” initiative in the UK. “We let the ladies and their achievements guide where we went. After our initial roll-out in the fall of 2017, we found many who were willing to contribute and suggest leaders and excellent role models.”

Covington coordinates the photography and write-ups about the featured student, being sure to shine a bright light on all aspects of their achievements.

“All too often, female sports are overshadowed by the success of their male counterparts. We wanted to give credit where credit is due,” Covington said. “But this not about athletics; it’s about showing young girls that you can do and try anything. You never know where you will find your niche until you explore the possibilities. It’s also important to inspire younger girls to dream big.”

To date, more than 50 posters have been generated and have featured bowlers, runners, dancers, golfers, club leaders, cadets, academic achievers and much more. According to the organizers, new ones are being generated throughout the school year to celebrate achievements.

“Being a part of #playlikeaLadyTiger has been an honor,” Selph said. “As a BCHS alumni, I’ve enjoyed getting to know these girls, their passion and seeing their hard work. If we have motivated one Lady Tiger to work harder, to stand taller or promote the power of female encouragement, then it’s worth every single moment.”