Marshall University Athletics
@HerdSB Begins 16th Year of Lil' Sis Program
9/17/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Lil Sis Brochure
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Marshall softball has announced that the Lil' Sis program is now available for the 16th year for the 2015-16 season.
Head Coach Shonda Stanton created the program back in 2001, and ever since the amount of participants has grown. The program is open to girls in grades 1-8 and runs from September to May. The Lil' Sis program allows an opportunity for girls in the community to adopt a player as a friend, role model and mentor.
The Herd takes great pride in the program. "The Lil' Sis program is very important not only for the girls in the community but also to the players," senior Alyssa Woodrum said. "The young girls get to have a mentor and the players learn responsibility and get to be role models for these girls."
To join the program, interested participants should fill out the Lil' Sis brochure found at the top of the page and on HerdZone.com. A $20 membership fee is required. Should two or more friends wish to sign-up at the same time, a $5 discount will apply to each girl's fee.
The young girls get to have the player they adopt be a pen pal as well as the team exchanges letters with their Lil' Sis's. "It's always exciting when we come in the locker room and see a letter for our Lil' Sis," Woodrum said in talking about the Herd players enjoyment with the program. "These girls come to our games all the time and cheer us on. They are our biggest fans. Obviously a lot of them play softball so we try to get to any game that we can of theirs to cheer them on."
The program also allows the current Marshall players to experience and have an opportunity to see the effect that it has on the community as the growth of the program has expanded year after year. Many girls return year after year and some have even become Marshall Softball players.
The Marshall players get to connect with young girls that look up to the Herd athletes the same way the current players did to their favorite players when they were that age. "The Lil' Sis program is a great community service project but also a fun way to be involved with Huntington," Woodrum stated. "These girls love Marshall softball and just softball in general. That's what it's all about. The love of the game and our community."
For questions, contact assistant coach Chanda Bell (304-696-3979 or email bellc@marshall.edu).
For a $20 membership fee the girls receive:
- A Herd Lil' Sis T-Shirt
- An adoption certificate
- Minimum of two letters a month from a big sister
- Participation in select pregame locker room activities
- Team schedule poster
- Lil' Sis Recognition Day and pizza party
- Admission is free to all contests
RSVP soon to register with your Big Sis!
