Ravens host girls from across Maryland for 'LIFT' conference (2024)

IT ALL. HOW ARE YOU GUYS DOING? ALL RIGHT. BALTIMORE RAVENS HEAD COACH JOHN HARBAUGH BEING GREETED LIKE A ROCK STAR BY FEMALE HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES, READY TO HEAR WHAT HE THINKS IT TAKES TO BE A LEADER AND HIS FIRST PIECE OF ADVICE AT THE UNDER ARMOR PERFORM CENTER. START BY LIFTING OTHERS UP. YOU’RE A LEADER. YOU’RE AN ATHLETE, RIGHT? PEOPLE KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND YOU SAY SOMETHING POSITIVE ABOUT THEM. YOU KNOW YOU REALLY. I DON’T KNOW YOU. YOU REALLY LOOK STRONG. YOU KNOW, YOU REALLY GOT A NICE WAY OF WALKING, EVEN WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE, THERE’LL BE SOMETHING YOU’LL SEE IN THAT PERSON. THEY’LL REMEMBER IT FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. 150 FRESHMEN, SOPhom*oRES AND JUNIORS FROM SCHOOLS ACROSS THE STATE, EVEN A FEW FROM VIRGINIA, WERE SELECTED FOR THE NINTH ANNUAL LIFT CONFERENCE. IT STANDS FOR LEADING AND INSPIRING FEMALES TO THRIVE. WE KNOW THAT THESE GIRLS WILL NOT AT ALL END UP PLAYING PRO SPORTS, RIGHT? BUT THIS IS ABOUT HOW YOU UTILIZE WHAT YOU’VE LEARNED AS AN ATHLETE ALONG THE WAY TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN LIFE. THROUGHOUT THE DAY, GIRLS HEARD FROM MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKERS LIKE COACH HARBAUGH. THEY MET WITH FEMALE STAFF MEMBERS AND THEY WERE CHALLENGED TO THINK ABOUT THEIR LEADERSHIP CHARACTERISTICS AND HOW THEY CAN IMPROVE. THIS IS OUR FOURTH YEAR PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROGRAM, AND EACH YEAR I KNOW THAT THEY WALK AWAY FEELING SO INSPIRED AND READY TO GO BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITIES AND, YOU KNOW, SHARE THE INFORMATION. JUST LEARNING HOW TO BE A GOOD LEADER FOR ALL OF MY TEAMMATES AND MY FRIENDS, LIKE ON THE POOL DECK IN THE CLASSROOM IS SUPER IMPORTANT TO ME. I THINK IT’S A REALLY SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY AND I REALLY THINK THAT I REALLY ENJOY THAT. IT REVOLVES AROUND WOMEN IN SPORTS, AND I THINK THERE’S NOT A LOT OF OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THAT REVOLVE AROUND LEADERSHIP, ESPECIALLY IN WOMEN. IF YOU CAN MAKE SOMEBODY FEEL GOOD ABOUT THEMSELVES, EMPOWER SOMEBODY, MAKE THEM STRONGER, AND THEN THEY REMEMBER THAT FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIFE, THE RAVENS ARE TAKING APPLICATIONS FOR NEXT YEAR. AND YOU CAN FIND A LINK ON OUR WE

Advertisem*nt

Baltimore Ravens host girls from across Maryland for ninth annual 'LIFT' conference

Jennifer Franciotti

News Anchor, Reporter

It was an inspiring day at the Under Armour Performance Center in Owing Mills as the Baltimore Ravens hosted the ninth annual "Leading and Inspiring Females to Thrive" (LIFT) conference.It's a leadership conference for young female athletes from Maryland high schools. Head coach John Harbaugh walked into the auditorium at the Ravens headquarters and was greeted like a rockstar by student-athletes ready to hear what he thinks it takes to be a leader. His first piece of advice was to start by lifting others up."You are a leader. You're an athlete, right? People know who you are. When you say something positive about them, 'You really look strong,' (or) 'You really have a nice way of walking' -- whatever it might be, (it'll) be something that you see in that person -- they'll remember (that) for the rest of their life," Harbaugh said. A total of 150 freshman, sophom*ores and juniors from schools across Maryland, as well as some from Virginia, were selected for the ninth annual LIFT conference. "We know that these girls will not all end up playing pro sports, right? But this is how you utilize what you've learned as an athlete along the way to be successful in life," said Kelly Tallant, with the Ravens.Throughout the day, the girls heard from motivational speakers, met with female staff members and were challenged to think about their own leadership characteristics and how they can improve."This is our fourth year participating in this program, and each year, I know they walk away feeling so inspired and ready to go back to their communities and share the information," said Jessica McDonald, the director of outreach at McDonogh School."Just learning how to be a good leader for all of my teammates and my friends on the pool deck in the classroom, it's super important to me," said Emily Cussimanio, a junior."I think it's a really special opportunity, and I really think and I really enjoy that it revolves around women in sports. There's not a lot of other opportunities that revolve our leadership, especially in women," said London James-Golas, a junior."You can make somebody feel good about themselves and power someone make them stronger, and they will remember that for the rest of your life," Harbaugh said. To find more information about the Ravens annual LIFT conference visit the following website.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. —

It was an inspiring day at the Under Armour Performance Center in Owing Mills as the Baltimore Ravens hosted the ninth annual "Leading and Inspiring Females to Thrive" (LIFT) conference.

It's a leadership conference for young female athletes from Maryland high schools. Head coach John Harbaugh walked into the auditorium at the Ravens headquarters and was greeted like a rockstar by student-athletes ready to hear what he thinks it takes to be a leader. His first piece of advice was to start by lifting others up.

Advertisem*nt

"You are a leader. You're an athlete, right? People know who you are. When you say something positive about them, 'You really look strong,' (or) 'You really have a nice way of walking' -- whatever it might be, (it'll) be something that you see in that person -- they'll remember (that) for the rest of their life," Harbaugh said.

A total of 150 freshman, sophom*ores and juniors from schools across Maryland, as well as some from Virginia, were selected for the ninth annual LIFT conference.