800 Youths Gather for ‘Raise the Bar’ Event

Nearly 800 youngsters, mostly girls, gathered at Cal State Northridge on Sunday afternoon to watch a college softball game and meet Olympic gold medalist Dot Richardson.

The afternoon outing was the first of a series of events scheduled this year as part of the city’s “Raise the Bar” program aimed at encouraging girls from all over Los Angeles to participate in athletics.

“It’s a chance for them to watch high-level women’s sports,” said Gary Baer, the city’s municipal sports supervisor. “The college players can act as role models for these girls.”

Girls represent about 35% of those involved in the city’s athletic programs. In softball, the participation gap is even greater, said Erin Henning, director of special events for the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks. The girls’ league has only “a couple of thousand participants,” while the boys’ league has about 15,000.

Arriving in a dozen school buses, children from age 7 to 16 soon wolfed down free hot dogs and sodas. Many put on white plastic visors to shield their eyes from the glaring afternoon sun. Corporate sponsors had donated the visors and T-shirts for the children.

While some watched the women’s teams from CSUN and San Diego State battle on the field, others swarmed around Richardson, who let them briefly wear the gold medal she won in 1996. She also autographed softballs and T-shirts.

Richardson, 37, who played shortstop for the U. S. team, is in the fifth year of her residency at County-USC Medical Center as an orthopedic surgeon.

“Don’t be afraid to dream, and don’t be afraid to work hard to make your dream a reality,” she told the group.

Brittany Uno, 12, of Winnetka squealed with delight after posing for a photo with Richardson’s gold medal.

“She’s setting an example for all the kids,” Brittany said. “You’d think that somebody has a softball job and that’s it. But she’s a doctor! And she still has time to come here today.”