Celebrating women in sports, student marketing excellence

As thousands of coaches, athletes, parents and boosters across the nation gather to celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day, Hawken will join them in hosting a game that could very well be a kick-off celebration for Cleveland`s hosting of the Women`s Final Four basketball game and festivities at the end of March. Coinciding with the national observance of women in sports, on Wednesday, February 7, Hawken will honor its 2006 fall season women sports teams as well as notable alumnae athletes at a special women`s basketball match versus Orange High School. The game is a culmination of a three-month internship with the Cleveland Cavaliers that teamed Hawken students up with Cavs executives to learn sports marketing from the ground up. The women`s event on February 7 and a men`s varsity basketball match versus rival University School on Tuesday, February 13 were designated as intern projects. Student groups, guided by Cavs professionals, were given the tasks of promoting and organizing both events through ticket sales, corporate sponsorship and game operations. As a result, thousands of dollars have been raised for Hawken`s athletic department and students have participated in a program that rivals most sports marketing college internships. Both games will take place at the school`s Upper campus in Gates Mills and will begin at 7:30 p.m.