Izabella Webb Capstone Proposal

Hello, my name is Izabella Webb. For my Capstone strand, I’ve decided to go into Service and
the topic I’m diving into is “Self Esteem and Girls in Sports”. My inquiry question is “How can we
encourage girls to play basketball and raise the profile of girls’ basketball in general?”.

For plenty of years, I’ve been playing sports. The main sport I play is basketball, but over the
years I’ve tried playing both volleyball and soccer. Even though I loved all three sports, my heart chose
basketball. I have been playing school basketball for 7 years and throughout my journey, I’ve
experienced many frightening situations. For most of the 7 years, I had a terrible fear of performing my
sport in front of guys. This was caused by a guy who said, “You could never be good enough even if you
tried!” and “The girls team sucks!” straight to my face. After a couple years of watching the WNBA and
having other female role models (for example Candace Parker), my mindset has changed immensely.
Since I have experienced all these events, I know how others could possibly feel. I would love to share
my thoughts to help others around me get more comfortable about playing their sport.

For my Capstone project, I have undertaken a comprehensive examination of the impact of

sports on individuals' daily lives, with a focus on elucidating the nuances associated with women's
participation. Key inquiries included, "In what ways do sports positively contribute to one's daily
existence?" and "What stereotypes and challenges do women encounter within the realm of sports?"
Additionally, I explored the underlying factors contributing to the cessation of sports engagement
among young girls.

To disseminate these findings, I have strategically chosen to engage with the Grade 8 Girls
Basketball team at Peter Ewart Middle School. My presentation incorporates a well-curated slideshow,
featuring a nuanced exploration of the positive and negative repercussions of sports on women. It seeks
to unravel the origins of prevailing stereotypes, offer strategies for mitigation, and present empirically
supported insights. The visual appeal of this presentation is carefully put together, utilizing vibrant
colors and captivating imagery to sustain the attention of the Grade 8 audience throughout the session.
Concurrently, I've integrated a Grade 11/12 Basketball hype video from the preceding year. This visual
presentation serves as an illustrative testament to the proficiency demonstrated in critical areas such as
dribbling, shooting, and cohesive teamwork. Its inclusion is intentional, aiming to inspire and exemplify
the potential achievable through dedicated practice.

The ensuing drills and activities center around refining fundamental skills such as passing,
dribbling, strategic pacing, and adept execution of both offensive and defensive maneuvers. Ultimately,
this event is not about sports, it's a method to empower younger girls, foster skill development, and
introduce the confidence needed to navigate the complex landscape of sports and life beyond.
 The resources and technology I’ll be using within these projects are local and are easy for me to
excess. For electronically documenting along the way, I’ll be using my Weebly website I created and
recording any events I experience along the way on my iPhone 12 then shortly after uploading the files
to my computer. To find any information, I will either search the questions on Google or go to my
basketball coaches at school. The skills that will come into play are being able to be open minded, using
a productive way of communicating, problem solving, and being tech savvy. At the end, this will be
extremely beneficial towards my project by making sure I’m not leaving out any type of details that can
lead me to success.

The mentors that I have reached out to are my Coach Che and Shanon Douglas. Both mentors were
terrific to have! They helped me with overcoming problems I encountered, how I should talk to/teach
the young girls, what beginner skills I should teach, and any facts that I could be missing that have an
impact on the outcome.

The subject areas that my project fall under are physical education and physical development. Some
core competencies that connect to my capstone are “I can take my ideas evaluate, develop, and refine
them and make something productive out of them.”, “I can set goals, regulate my emotions and
persevere in difficult situations.”, “I am aware of my community and environment and work
independently and collaboratively for the benefit of others.”, “I understand the purpose for my work
and consider my audience.”, “I can reflect on the processes of learning and share what I have learned.”,
and “I understand what is important to me.”.
1. In the grade 12 Careers course, I’m currently using this skill to its fullest ability. The capstone
project Is a fitting example. Throughout the whole course, there are plenty of small assignments
that lead to either creating, refining, or presenting the project. To start this project, I designed a
mind map that assisted me on what needed to be done or changed. This gave me a sharp vision
of what path I need to take and how it should be constructed. I hope at the end of this project
that I've made a big enough change that could be carried onto the future generations!
2. When it comes to regulating emotions, it's important to recognize and understand how you’re
feeling, and then find healthy ways to manage and express those emotions. When faced with
any inconvenient situations, I always remember to stay resilient and never give up. If I were to
get overwhelmed, this is regulating emotions would occur. Taking a deep breath, reminding
myself that I'm prepared, and focusing on positive self-talk. Sometimes this can be difficult for
me to move on from. If I encounter a setback or face a challenging task, I don’t get discouraged.
Instead, I break it down into smaller, manageable steps. Celebrate each small achievement
along the way and keep pushing forward, knowing that ill have the grown the strength to
overcome future obstacles.
 3. Choosing to connect with the Grade 8 Girls Basketball team at Peter Ewart Middle School is all
about being involved with my community. Chatting with the Grade 8 girls, diving into the games
and activities, is when collaboration comes out. It's not just about me getting my Capstone done,
it's about all of us coming together for a shared benefit. It's about spreading awareness to the
community, while collaborating to make a positive impact. This event isn't just a presentation;
it's a community-driven effort to empower and benefit others around.
4. This Capstone event is more than just a presentation for me. It's about understanding the
purpose behind my work and really considering my audience. This is a purposeful exploration
into how sports impact women's lives. It's a subject I want to share, and that understanding
guides every move I make in preparation. When it comes to the Grade 8 Girls Basketball team,
the audience is a big concentration. From the vivid visuals in the slideshow to the games and
activities during the event, every part is meant towards captivating and connecting with these
girls. Overall, my goal is being able to make the whole event a meaningful and personalized
journey.
5. During the process of preparing for my Capstone event, the principle of "I can reflect on the
processes of learning and sharing what I have learned" plays a huge role. I find myself constantly
reflecting on the journey of learning that led me here. The process of researching, collecting
information, and translating it into a meaningful presentation has been a learning experience
itself. Even the anticipation of sharing these insights with the Grade 8 Girls Basketball team adds
an extra layer to my reflective process. This reflective approach not only displays my
understanding of the subject matter but also ensures that the event has a lot of knowledge and
insights for others to obtain.
6. This Capstone event is deeply rooted in the understanding of what is important to me. It's a
deliberate exploration into the impact of sports on women's lives, a topic that resonates with
my personal values and interests. Empowering and educating the Grade 8 Girls Basketball team
aligns with my belief in the significance of sports for young individuals. The choice of visuals, the
inclusion of personal experiences in the Grade 11/12 Basketball video, and the planning of
games and drills all reflect what holds importance in my perspective.

Those are the main core competencies that relate to my Capstone.

Ever since 2019, I’ve wanted to study Kinesiology in university. The reason behind why I would like
to be because I’m a person who loves helping others around me. By helping others, it gives me this
amazing feeling inside that causes me to continue thriving in life. After studying Kinesiology, there are
multiple strands that are open for you to explore and pursue. The strand I would like to take would be
involving myself in sports medicine with athletes. Within this strand you must know how to handle
stressful situations, communicate with all age groups, and be able to have an open mind through new
experiences. Helping younger girls in elementary or middle schools will help me get a taste of each one
of those examples.
 To seamlessly deliver my final presentation, I'll be relying on essential tools, and to make it
happen, I'll need a bit of support from my teacher. Firstly, a laptop is important to showcase my
slideshow. This will not only serve as the visual conduit for my insights but also help with engagement
for the audience. Secondly, a projector comes into play as a critical component, enhancing the visibility
and accessibility of my slideshow. Its ensures that every detail of my presentation is projected with
clarity, creating a more immersive experience for the audience. Lastly, the audio aspect is a must for the
seamless incorporation of videos into my presentation. Ensuring that the audio system is in working
condition is extremely important, as it guarantees the full impact of visual elements, such as my Grade
11/12 Basketball hype video. By securing these three elements, a laptop, a projector, and functional
audio. I aim to elevate the overall quality and effectiveness of my presentation, providing the audience
with a comprehensive and engaging experience.

As the countdown to my presentation day continues, there are pivotal tasks that demand my full
effort. The creation of a slideshow, this visual narrative is not just a supplement but is an element in
showing the depth and journey of my exploration into the impact of sports on women's lives. Each slide
helps the audience create vivid pictures, that display the positive and negative impacts. Also, within this
visual journey there will be a video displaying the event at Peter Ewart Middle School. This footage
serves as an offering glimpse into the Grade 8 Girls Basketball team's interactive experience. From the
engaging games and drills to the insightful discussions, this video aims to capture the essence of the
event, providing a lot of dimensions to my presentation. To achieve this, seamless transitions and
compelling visuals are needed. It's not just about reliving the event but ensuring that the audience is
transported into the heart of the experience. Together, everything will form the visual focus that will
bring my exploration of sports and empowerment to life on presentation day.

Bibliography:
CBC/Radio Canada. (2020, June 16). 1 in 3 girls drops out of sports by late teens, study finds | CBC sports. CBCnews.
https://www.cbc.ca/sports/youth-sports-teenagers-female-male-participation-1.5607509

Do you know the factors influencing girls’ participation in sports? (2019, October 11).
https://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/do-you-know-the-factors-influencing-girls-participation-in-sports/

Gender inequality in sport: The challenges facing female athletes. euronews. (2023, July 27).
https://www.euronews.com/2023/07/27/gender-inequality-in-sport-the-challenges-facing-female-athletes

Holecko, C. (2021, January 6). Help parents help their child cope with sports anxiety. Verywell Family.
https://www.verywellfamily.com/help-your-child-cope-with-sports-anxiety-1257034

hortonj4. (2021, August 9). Athletes and mental health: Breaking the stigma. Cleveland Clinic.
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/mental-health-in-athletes/
The history of basketball - girls want to play, too!. My Youth Basketball Player. (2009). https://www.youthhoops101.com/the-
history-of-basketball.html