Girls Who Lead

Girls Who Lead is a new summer leadership development program embedded within Jr. Wizards Summer Camps as part of our District of Play Girls Empowerment initiative. This program will give high school girls hands-on experience in coaching, mentorship, and camp operations. Participants will step into leadership roles while learning what it takes to lead with confidence. 

Girls Who Lead will be offered across two separate summer cohorts, each aligned with a Jr. Wizards Summer Camp week. Applicants may apply for one or more of the following cohort dates: 

Cohort 1: July 6 to July 10 

Cohort 2: July 13 to July 17 

Participants will be selected for one cohort, and full-week participation is required to receive program completion recognition. 

All cohorts this summer will take place at Catholic University, in conjunction with Wizards Youth Basketball summer camps.

Future Girls Who Lead Programming may vary in location.

Interested students must complete an online application with their parent/guardian to be considered for Girls Who Lead.

All applicants are required to have a coach, teacher, or another adult mentor submit a recommendation form on their behalf. Forms can be submitted after the application, but applicants will be considered conditional if accepted before the form is received. All recommendations must be submitted by April 10.

The recommendation form can be found here: Recommendation Form – Fill out form

Girls Who Lead is open to high school female student-athletes in the DC, MD, and VA area who are interested in leadership, mentorship, and gaining experience in a sports environment. 

While the program is integrated into our basketball camps, and basketball athletes may get more out of the on-court coaching experience, we welcome student-athletes from all sports! Leadership, communication, and coaching skills translate across every game. Leadership session facilitators, and our coaches, will work with participants throughout the week to tailor mentorship and responsibilities to their interests. 

*Applicants must be enrolled in high school, entering 10th, 11th, or 12th grade. 

No. Neither basketball nor coaching experience is required. Participants should be comfortable working with younger campers, ready to learn, and open to stepping into a leadership role. We’ll provide guidance, support, and mentorship throughout the program. 

Camp locations are Metro accessible. On Monday during check-in, we will provide a SmarTrip Metro card pre-loaded with sufficient fare for the week to all Girls Who Lead participants.

Each day begins with participant arrival, where light breakfast options will be available. Mid-day, lunch is provided for all participants. Students are also welcome to bring their own lunch if they prefer.

*Please refer to the "Is Lunch Provided?" questions for more information.

Throughout the day, participants take part in a mix of hands-on and leadership-focused experiences, including:

• Assisting coaches with on-court activities and drills
• Mentoring younger campers
• Participating in daily leadership development sessions
• Learning about leadership, communication, and teamwork
• Gaining behind-the-scenes exposure to camp operations