Free UTEP game honors girls, women in sports
For 20 years, El Paso has been the leader when it comes to National Girls and Women Day in Sports.
El Paso was one of the first Texas cities to host an event that highlighted the athletic achievements of women in sports.
University of Texas at El Paso athletic director Bob Stull has been a constant presence each year, as has Price’s Creameries as the sponsor. This year, the event will take place at halftime of the women's basketball game against North Texas at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Don Haskins Center. Admission is free and the first 5,000 fans will receive a National Girls and Women Day in Sports souvenir bag. After the game, UTEP's female athletes will be on the concourse to sign autographs and take pictures.
Gerina Mendoza Piller, a former UTEP All-American golfer, LPGA tour member, Olympian and inductee into the UTEP Hall of Fame, will be there. On Feb. 18, the women’s rifle team will face Nevada at 8 a.m., followed by a National Girls and Women Day in Sports Luncheon at 11 a.m.
The Flo Hyman Award has been part of the local National Girls and Women Day in Sports for the past 15 years. The award is given to elementary, middle school and high school female student-athletes. This year’s winners are Ximena Gomez of Zach White Elementary School, Andrea Villagomez of Ricardo Estrada Middle School and Nehaa Sohail of Coronado High School. Hyman was an outstanding and popular professional volleyball player who died on the volleyball court in 1986 from heart failure.
The Circle of Excellence Award, presented by the El Paso Parks and Recreation Department, will honor two individuals who have advanced the role of girls and women in sports. This year’s honorees are Joyce Feinberg and Bernie Olivas, who have done so with a special type of class, dignity and respect that jumps at you immediately upon meeting them.
Feinberg is a former Junior League of El Paso president. The YWCA volunteer extraordinaire served as the Sun Bowl Association executive director from 1995-2000 during which she saw the creation of many youth sports initiatives that continue to exist today. One of those events is the Sun Bowl Helen of Troy Charm Camp in which 100 middle school girls are treated like royalty at the famous Helen of Troy headquarters. The event is hosted by the Sun Bowl queen and court.
Feinberg also established a partnership with Price’s Creameries to help fund the many Sun Bowl youth events and the Fan Fiesta. Other events include the Sun Bowl Dance Camp, the Sun Bowl Soccer Tournament, the Sun Bowl Basketball Skills Camp and NFL Punt, Pass and Kick competition.
Olivas has served as executive director of the Sun Bowl Association since 2001. He was an accomplished athlete at Cathedral High School in the 1970s and also was a football player at UTEP. He truly understands the El Paso community, a trait that has enabled him to serve as one of the city's best ambassadors.
Olivas has been able to guide the Sun Bowl to unprecedented heights and is always willing to give of his time for speaking engagements, providing guidance or simply listening to others.
The Sun Bowl staff, board of directors and volunteers have been a constant source of inspiration through these many years and El Pasoans have always been right there in support. But the true gift that keeps giving in our community are people like Feinberg and Olivas.
For more information on National Girls and Women Day in Sports, go to utepathletics.com or call 747-5347.
Wayne Thornton is a longtime supporter of community events. He can be reached at 373-6708; wlegend007@gmail.com.