For the fourth consecutive year, Chevrolet has hosted children in Manchester, England, they were mascots for Manchester United’s win over Tottenham Hotspur on October 28th. This year’s mascot moment focuses on 11 girls aptly named GoalKeepers.
Chevrolet have brought the girls — ages 11 to 15 from China, South Korea, Brazil and the United States — to Manchester to provide them with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to gain the tools, knowledge and inspiration needed to achieve their goals.
A recent study by global consultancy Ernst & Young indicates that more than 90 percent of female business leaders played sports as children. Chevrolet has teamed up with the Women’s Sports Foundation to encourage female empowerment through its GoalKeepers initiative, which is designed to demonstrate the possibilities sports can provide to millions of girls worldwide.
Chevrolet paired each girl with a mentor who will help her devise benchmarks and coach her toward reaching her goals. The GoalKeepers have a diverse array of ambitions, from interior design to medicine to engineering. Mentors were selected based on the girls’ individual interests and aspirations.
“Girls who play sports are more likely to graduate from college, have successful careers and become leaders, which is why we have created our GoalKeepers initiative,” said GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra. “As part of this wider campaign, Chevrolet has dedicated this year’s mascots program to help girls keep ahead of the game and achieve their goals on and off the pitch.”
In the lead-up to Saturday’s match, the girls participated in once-in-a-lifetime experiences designed to inspire, empower and create lasting memories. These include a series of goal-keeping workshops as well as spending time with Manchester United Legends, current first team players and club coaches.
The week culminated in the life-changing experience of walking onto the historic pitch at Old Trafford with the Manchester United squad. Members of the team’s starting lineup were wearing a Chevrolet GoalKeeper’s name on the back of their shirts, and each GoalKeeper wore their life goal on the back of her shirt.
The Chevrolet Goalkeepers will get to keep these shirts, in keeping with football tradition, as mementos of a day that truly shows anything is possible.
Following their experience in Manchester, the girls will continue to work with their mentors virtually. The GoalKeepers will participate in ongoing mentorship sessions where they will set new targets and receive tips, advice and inspiration.
Manchester United’s Group Managing Director Richard Arnold comments: “Chevrolet has partnered with Manchester United since 2014 as the official shirt partner of the club and we are very proud to have supported its Mascot Program for the last three years, creating lasting memories for youth athletes and provide important life skills through the Mascots Program.
“In addition, the club is also proud to support a number of programs through the Manchester United Foundation which encourage girls to participate in sport within schools and communities in the Greater Manchester area. Last year, the Foundation’s Girls’ Development team worked with almost 3,000 girls, creating a series of workshops and training sessions aimed at young female players, helping improve the skills and confidence in all areas of life.”
Links
http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/
