A novel idea to help promote girls in sports and female high school sports administrators is taking off.

Billed Play Like A Girl, Arizona College Prep sold about 800 discounted student tickets to its 2nd annual volleyball event. Monday’s matinee at ACP saw throngs of students file into their gym to watch their varsity volleyball team take on sister Chandler Unified District school Perry.

Before the 1 p.m. varsity match, the freshman, junior varsity and varsity teams of Perry and ACP posed for photos to commemorate the event. Staging a varsity match during school hours was the brainchild of ACP athletic director Jaime McClure.

“I was struggling as a female AD and was reaching out to other female ADs,” McClure said. “So it made me think that if I’m struggling as a female in athletics maybe my girls are as well at my school. So we started Play Like A Girl.”

Winter soccer and spring softball Play Like A Girl games also are being planned. 

The large crowd at Monday’s match created a playoff-like atmosphere that can benefit inexperienced teams such as Perry and ACP down the line as well. Both programs flashed playoff potential during 6A Perry’s 25-17, 25-23, 25-20 victory over 5A ACP.

Junior outside hitter Kallista Fuller, junior setter Kail Shill, junior middle blocker Kaitlin James and defensive specialist Braeley Norton are some of Perry’s leaders.

“We were up and down,” Perry coach Andrew Yamashiro said. “We struggled a little bit in receive and they took advantage of that. Their middles are awesome. We played some tough nosed defense and dialed in late in the sets. Slow starts are scary for us, but overall we played good volleyball.”

Offensively, ACP is led by middle blockers Reyna Jones (West Point commit) and junior Emma Caldwell as well as senior setter Riley Thompson.

“If there is one thing we walk away with, it’s that we can play versus teams like this,” ACP coach Mike Shannon said. “Playing a game out of conference helps us in conference.

“Pushing our boundaries and limits early in the season will help us get a little bit better.”

Shannon also added that playing tougher opponents will allow his young program to grow and get better.

Continuing to grow was one of Monday’s themes.

“It gets the exposure of girls sports out there,” said McClure about the purpose of Play Like A Girl. “It gets, I think, also some of our kids who have never attended games to see a game and see what athletics is like. And it also packs the house, allowing girls to play in a great environment, especially for those who will play at the next level. This will help them know what it’s like to play in front of a full crowd.”