February 7 is National Girls and Women in Sports Day! As we recognize the athletic achievements of women and honor those who have advocated for equality in girls and women's sports, we’re celebrating by spotlighting our Director of Sports Operations, Allie Falco.
Allie is a lifelong athlete who has been instrumental in advancing Asphalt Green’s mission to transform lives and build community through sports, fitness, and play for all. Throughout her career, Allie has worked tirelessly to ensure female athletes and fitness enthusiasts have equitable access to the highest quality programs. Today, she has helped make Asphalt Green one of the premier destinations for girls’ and women’s sports in New York City.
Read on to learn more about her journey in sports and her admirable work at Asphalt Green!
Can you describe your personal journey in sports and tell us what drew you to Asphalt Green?
I’ve played sports for as long as I can remember. Whether it was basketball, softball, track & field, tennis, swimming, or gymnastics, I was interested in anything that got me moving around and allowed me to compete. As I entered high school, I focused my efforts on three varsity teams – basketball, softball, and volleyball. My ultimate goal was to be a college athlete and was lucky enough to be recruited onto a division 1 college softball team, becoming team captain in my junior year.
I first learned about Asphalt Green from a friend that I met in high school softball. She worked in the Community Programs team, and through our conversations while coaching together, I came to admire the work Asphalt Green was doing for students and young athletes in New York City. When an opportunity opened to become part of the Asphalt Green team, I jumped at the chance.
What’s your current role at Asphalt Green?
I am the Director of Sports Operations here at AG, helping to develop and grow our youth sports program offerings, ensuring quality in all that we offer, and making sure things are running smoothly for staff and participants alike.
Can you tell us a bit about the girls and women's sports programs at Asphalt Green?
Asphalt Green offers a multitude of girls and coed sports programming including volleyball, basketball, flag football, tennis, martial arts, baseball, soccer, and aquatics. With high quality sports instruction in a wide range of age and skill levels, free community leagues, developmental and competitive sports leagues, instructional classes, summer day camp and play days, there’s something for everyone, regardless of if you’re brand new to a sport or a seasoned athlete on our elite competitive teams. I’m most excited about our program growth and the opportunity to bring exceptional sports programming to more girls across the city. We've launched free coed community programming in Brooklyn, a highly competitive all-girls Volleyball Club (which is new to the Upper East Side), and we have become a host location for a new girls' basketball league at our Battery Park City campus.
Learn More About Our Girls and Women's Sports
Who are some female athletes that inspire you and why?
I am most inspired by the strong women coaches I’ve gotten to know throughout my career. The team moms who are trying to fill a needed coaching role to ensure their daughter had a team to play on, the lifelong athletes that are eager to share their expertise and knowledge with a new generation of athletes, and especially the girls that I personally have coached over the years who have become coaches themselves. These women teach young athletes not just physical skills, but also skills that they can bring into their personal and professional lives - goal setting, communication, teamwork, confidence, and how to treat themselves and others with respect.
Asphalt Green works to provide equitable access to sports, fitness, and play. Can you explain how our programming for girls and women fits within the context our mission?
Asphalt Green's commitment to equitable access to sports, fitness, and play is evident in our wide range of sports offerings for girls, and by supporting the health and fitness goals of women of all ages through tailored group exercise classes and personal training at our world-class fitness and pool facilities. By offering a diverse range of sports and levels of competitiveness, Asphalt Green creates safe and inclusive places for girls and women to grow in a supportive environment. We work to ensure financial accessibility through scholarship offerings and free and low-cost programming, working to overcome economic barriers that may have once prevented girls from participating. Our Summer Day Camp and Play Days allow girls to build confidence and community with other young athletes and find a love for sports, fitness, and play from a young age, while challenging themselves through new experiences in a supportive and fun environment.
Why is ensuring girls and women have access to high quality sports and fitness programs important to you personally?
It's important to me that EVERYONE has access to high quality sports and fitness programs, regardless of gender identity. For me personally, I saw from a young age how intimidating it was to enter some historically male-dominated sports, or to be able to join in on a soccer or football game on the playground if I was the only girl. Because I had girls’ and coed sports leagues and classes available to me, I was able to build confidence in a safe and supportive environment. I had teammates with similar stories and experiences, and we were able to learn from each other and grow together. I had coaches that have turned into lifelong role models and friends. Then, I had the opportunity to further my education through college athletics, and after an even bigger opportunity to be able to teach others. The first step to all of this is accessibility.
What are some things you hope to see in the future of girls and women's sports?
More, more, more! More female athletes, teams, leagues, and classes, more opportunities, more media coverage, growth and visibility, equal pay, more confidence and empowerment, more advocacy, more women in leadership roles, more equality and inclusivity. Women and girls’ sports have come a long way for sure, but we still have a long way to go. I look forward to being a part of that progress.