Team jerseys, breakfast food and a crowded café will replace the usual morning routine for female athletes on Feb. 4 as Palatine hosts its third annual Women in Sport Breakfast.
Held from 7:30 to 7:50 a.m. in the Media Center Café, the event brings together female athletes, coaches and staff to celebrate women’s sports and the people who make them possible.
The breakfast was inspired by Women in Sport Day, which takes place Feb. 16. Organizer Kara Waddell, a special education teacher and former swimming, diving and water polo coach, said she wanted to bring that recognition to Palatine.
“I knew about Women in Sport Day through other schools,” Waddell said. “I wanted to bring it to Palatine, and the breakfast felt like a simple way to do that. All staff and students who are women in sports are invited.”
Returning swimmer and water polo player Vivian Myers said the breakfast is both fun and a chance to reconnect with teammates.
“I thought it was very fun and well put together,” Myers said. “I got to spend some time with my friends but also see my teammates that I don’t usually see during the day. It was almost like a reunion for that season’s team.”
Attendees can grab breakfast and mingle with teammates or visit athletes from other sports. Most teams are usually represented, and organizers always try to get a full-group photo each year.
A short portion of the breakfast also highlights the importance of Title IX, the 1972 federal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in education and helped expand athletic opportunities for women and girls.
For Myers, the event provides recognition that female athletes do not always receive.
“A lot of the attendees for athletic events tend to go to football games rather than flag football or the boys swim meet rather than the girls,” she said. “By putting on this event, we feel recognized and celebrated for our achievements.”
Waddell said participation has grown each year, with more students and staff choosing to attend. This year’s Media Center Café location is intended to feel more intimate and personal.
“I want people to leave with something,” Waddell said. “Whether it’s empowerment, a sense of belonging or just feeling recognized.”
The Women in Sport Breakfast is brief but offers a morning of connection, photos, and celebration that highlights the achievements and strength of female athletes across Palatine.
