The idea for that program came when “I ran a basketball clinic in Philadelphia and the parents kept asking me when we were going to do more,” Ms. Devine says. Her goal for Philly Girls in Motion was to provide every girl in the city with an opportunity to play a sport, or many sports. She tells the story of a girl named Ella, who sneaked into the program when she was in first grade even though she should have waited until third grade. Ella got hooked on lacrosse, a team sport played with a special stick and ball. “She would have never picked up a lacrosse stick in her life,” Ms. Devine says. Ella’s parents knew nothing about the game, and there was no lacrosse in her neighborhood. “Because she started playing lacrosse with us, now she is in sixth grade and is playing on a competitive travel team. She loves it. She loves lacrosse so much. She probably wouldn’t have come to the sport if we hadn’t shown up in the gym down the street from her house,” Ms. Devine says. Beth Devine Making sure all kids can play sports When Beth Devine was growing up in Havertown, just out- side of Philadelphia, she participated in almost every sport that was available: softball, swimming, tennis, and more. Her favorite of all was basketball. “For me, sports weren’t about winning a tournament or an award or trophy,” Ms. Devine says. “It was about being on a team and spending time with friends and learning to grow and getting to where I am now.” As an adult, Ms. Devine learned that many kids don’t have access to such a rich menu of sports. Some kids don’t have any sports teams in their neighborhoods or at their schools, which means they can’t learn to play and compete. Ms. Devine wanted kids to have the same oppor- tunities she had growing up, so she decided to do something about it. Her first step was to start Philly Girls in Motion, an organization that helps girls in Philadelphia to be active, whether through sports or some other kind of physical activity. 10