CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) – One Charlottesville sports group is celebrating a milestone. H.E.R. Sports has been empowering women athletes in the Charlottesville area for five years now.

“I’ve worked with a lot of kids, a lot of girls, and just saw that the lack of, you know, opportunities in the community was needed,” said founder of H.E.R Sports, Jessica Carter.

Carter says as a coach she designed this organization to be a safe and diverse space.

“I think it’s really, really important that they see, you know, mentors or leaders that look like them too,” said Carter.

H.E.R. Sports holds dozens of sports camps and webinars every year. Those camps touch lives and those campers include Emma Shelton.

“I got started through Boys and Girls Club. We saw the event, and it just was really cool,” said Shelton.

Shelton plays football and basketball. H.E.R Sports, she says, has taught her how to be the best athlete she can be through a good diet and focusing on her grades.

“I definitely enjoy the parts where you get to play with all these successful athletes and how they come out and just support us kids out there,” said Shelton.

As Carter starts to look forward to the next five years, she says the next big vision for the organization to get a space of its own.

“Just having our own space, that way we can be first priority, women and girls can be first priority, is really a huge goal and I’m manifesting that it will happen,” said Carter.

She is welcoming anyone in the community to come be a part of the work H.E.R. Sports is doing.

“We’re here to stay and we’re here to thrive, and so just get your girls involved,” said Carter.

H.E.R. Sports has an annual awards day to celebrate athletes and coaches in central Virgina coming up soon. You can check out more here.

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