This year’s strong list of speakers includes several fastpitch softball notables:

• Jordy Bahl, the two-time All-American softball player and two-time NCAA D1 National Champion at the University of Oklahoma and current Nebraska Cornhusker,
• Karen Weekly, Head Coach at University of Tennessee, 2023 SEC Champions and Woman’s College World Series finalist in 2023.
• Ellie Cooper, Certified Mental Performance Coach and Director of Player Performance at Florida State University softball.
• Nijaree Canady, Stanford Student-Athlete, NCAA Freshman of the Year and Woman’s College World Series Finalist.
• Sydney Supple, the Empowering Girls for Life emcee, Sports Illustrated reporter at Syracuse University and former Northwestern softball player.  

Empowering Girls for Life was founded in 2018 by Conroy who says he realized that young girls need to hear first-hand stories from women who have broken barriers in their respective industries.”

“I founded Empowering Girls for Life to bring girls and young women together with these leaders to hear about the successes and failures that led them to where they are today,” explains the successful businessman and softball figure who has helped his Bandits’ program win multiple club softball national championships.”

“Since our founding,” Conroy continues, “we have held six empowerment conferences and have positively impacted approximately 10,000 girls and young women.”

The staffing of the impactful event series includes one part-time employee, Alexis Roach, the Director of Operations as well as up to 10 volunteers who assist Empowering Girls for Life annually.

The leadership team assisting Conroy and Roach features a Board of Directors composed of a diverse group of women leaders, including Jennie Finch, the two-time Olympic gold medal-winning pitcher.

Conroy explains that, though most of the conference attendees reside in the Chicago area and include appropriately 1,000 people each year, thousands more watch the livestream of the event and benefit from the “barrier-breaking stories that inspire girls and women.

“The empowerment conference provides a space for girls and young women to come together in the community and be inspired by high-profile female speakers,” he says. “Through our event, young women learn they can achieve anything they dream of, no matter the obstacles.”

“Our speakers educate, inform, and inspire, demonstrating the personal, social, and leadership skills that will help make the future a better, more encouraging place and will help create equal opportunity for all.”

Speakers at the Empowering Girls for Life conference the previous half dozen years have  included notable figures inside and out of fastpitch softball:

• Champion boxer Alycia Baumgardner
• Author, space enthusiast, and doctoral student Alyssa Carson
• Miss America 2014 Nina Davuluri, the first Indian American Miss America
• Head coach of the Northwestern Wildcats softball team Kate Drohan
• Head softball coach at the University of Oklahoma Patty Gasso
• Retired University of Michigan softball coach Carol Hutchins, the winningest coach in NCAA Division I history
• Author, professional speaker, and rocket scientist Olympia LePoint
• University of Oregon and USA softball player Jenna Lilley
• Olympic gold medalist, Hall of Fame basketball player, and coach Dawn Staley
• Marathon runner, author, and television commentator Katherine Switzer, the first woman to run the Boston Marathon
• Educator Jennifer Tyrrell

  

At each conference, Empowering Girls for Life awards several scholarships and prizes to attendees and the website shares inspiring stories and messages throughout the year through its Empowered Blog.

Empowering Girls for Life can also be followed on social media via these links:

• Instagram – @empoweringgirlsforlife
• Twitter – @GirlPower4Life
• Facebook – @EmpoweringGirlsforLife
• Hashtag: #EGFL

“The mission of EGFL,” Conroy concludes, “is to shirt the perception that women do not have the ability or opportunity to achieve as much as their male counterparts.”

— Brentt Eads, Line Drive Softball