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Friday, November 14, 2025B Sectionindianapolisrecorder.comBy NORAL PARHAMnoralp@indyrecorder.comA groundbreaking statewide partnership announced on Nov. 6 seeks to address the stark disparity in youth sports participation where, by age 14, girls are leaving athletics at twice the rate of boys. The collaboration between Voice In Sports (VIS), Indiana Sports Corp and the Women%u2019s Fund of Central Indiana bring evidence-based wellness education and a dedicated digital community directly to girls in public schools in Indiana.The endeavor, launching this school year, provides free access to the VIS platform for thousands of high school girls across the state. The program combines live, virtual Group Educational Sessions led by over 100 experts in sport psychology, nutrition and women%u2019s health with a litany of digital tools designed to build healthy habits.The core mission is to confront a critical gap in youth sports education: the lack of women-specific sport science. Chief executive officer of Voice In Sports Stef Strack believes that girls in sports deserve much more.%u201cGirls deserve a sports ecosystem designed for them,%u201d Strack said. %u201cTogether with Indiana Sports Corp and Women%u2019s Fund, we%u2019re bringing world-class experts into Indiana public schools and translating science-backed research into fun, actionable learning inside the [Voice In Sports] App. We%u2019re giving girls the tools, community and role models to build confidence, stay in sport and lead on and off the field.%u201dKey topics often absent from traditional coaching %u2014 such as menstrual cycles, Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S), proper fueling, sleep, recovery and mental performance %u2014 will be paramount to the curriculum.The partnership represents a significant investment in the long-term well-being of young women in Indiana, framing sports participation as a route to broader life skills.Vice President of engagement at Indiana Sports Corp Ashleigh Newbold hopes this investment into the well-being of young women athletes can pay dividends.%u201cAs a statewide sports leader, Indiana Sports Corp believes keeping girls in sport is about more than participation; it%u2019s about building pathways to confidence, leadership and lifelong well-being,%u201d Newbold said. %u201cThrough this partnership, we%u2019re expanding access to wellness services and mentorship that help girls care for both body and mind %u2014 investing in the next generation who will strengthen our communities.%u201dThanks to the WNBA partnership, 20,000 complimentary Voice In Sports memberships are available at no cost to high school girls across Indiana.With membership, users unlock the educational wellness group sessions, full app access and all platform content for one year.President of the Women%u2019s Fund of Central Indiana, Tamara Winfrey-Harris, emphasized the organization%u2019s commitment to solutions that create a measurable impact. %u201cBy bringing evidence-based wellness education directly into public schools and pairing it with an engaging digital experience, we are helping girls claim their power in sport and in life,%u201d Winfrey-Harris said.The program%u2019s structure provides an immersive and school-centered experience unforeseen until this partnership. The interactive group sessions, conducted via the VIS app, are designed to normalize conversations around female physiology, reframe harmful myths and build practical skills.The VIS app reinforces live guidance. Participants have access to a daily mood check-in to track their emotional state and a VIS journal with guided prompts to turn session learnings into real-life habits. Additionally, the platform provides a steady stream of research-backed articles, short videos and weekly podcasts, all translated into age-appropriate takeaways by VIS specialists.A key component of the initiative is mentorship and visibility. Through a broader community partnership with the WNBA, girls in Indiana will have access to content and mentorship from professional athletes, including Indiana Fever standouts Aliyah Boston and Brianna Turner, who are featured on the platform.Students and parents can learn how to claim membership on the VOICEINSPORT partnership page at voiceinsport.com/indiana.Contact multi-media & senior sports reporter Noral Parham at 317-762-7846. Follow him on social media @HorsemenSportsMedia.New initiative tackles dropout rate concerning girls in sportsThomaya Evans during the Beech Grove High School versus North Central High School Girls%u2019 Wrestling match in November of 2025 in Indiana. (Photo/David Dixon)Butler takes down IU-Indy 112-80Matt Compas (15) & Azavier %u2018Stink%u2019 Robinson (23) during the Butler University %u2013 Indiana University-Indy game on Nov. 7, 2025. (Photo/David Dixon)Jaxon Edwards (Cathedral HS.) (Photo/David Dixon)Jamie Kaiser. (Photo/David Dixon)Westfield defeats Carmel 23-20 in OT, wins Sectionals(Photo/David Dixon) (Photo/David Dixon)