'Play Like a Girl' Spokesperson Throws First Pitch at PWCGSLL Opening Day

Karlie Harman adjusts her baseball cap after throwing the first pitch of the season.

Karlie Harman, 14, spokesperson for Proctor & Gamble’s Play Like a Girl campaign, and female MVP high school quarterback and kicker, pitched the first ball Saturday, starting off the season for Prince William County Girls Softball Little League (PWCGSLL).

A sunny April 18 marked the first game day for all 282 players with PWCGSLL. The elementary and middle-school-aged girls played at Tyler Elementary, Catharpin Park, Gainesville Middle School and in Fauquier County later in the day. But before the girls took their respective fields, they attended an opening day ceremony held at the fields behind Tyler Elementary in Gainesville.

PWCGSLL President Ralph Sinnott was the first speaker. He thanked the multiple coaches and parent volunteers for making the league possible. He also announced the they were making 2015 “The Year of the Girl.”

PWCGSLL members gather at the pitchers mound to recite their league pledge.

Prince William Recreation Services Direct and Chief, Tracy Hanningan, looked up towards the parents watching the ceremony and said, “This to me is a sense of community." She then asked community members to introduce themselves to one another.

Gaineville Supervisor Pete Candland told parents he was working on providing them with upgraded field facilities.

Lastly, Harman took the mound to throw out the first pitch, but before she did, she told the girls, “Don’t let anybody tell you you can’t do something and remember to play like a girl.”

After the ceremony, Harman met the girls, signed autographs and posed for pictures with them.

Harmon, who lives just down the road in Aldie, Virginia, and plays football with Dulles South, said this was her first time every pitching a softball. She played baseball as a child as well as participating in soccer, basketball, gymnastics and swimming.

Karlie Harman, 14-year-old, spokesperson for Play Like a Girl sits in the dugout at Tyler Elementary field.

Being athletic and loving football, especially the New York, Giants, Harmon, was first discovered when she entered the NFL Punt, Pass and Kick contest. There she came in 8th in the nation against boys and girls ages 6-15.

This caught the attention of the football coach at South Dulles High School, who recruited her for the team, making her quarterback and kicker in her freshman year.

Harman said the other players on the team treat her respectfully.

“They definitely always have my back. It’s like a family. They are like my brothers.”

Harmon went onto to win runner-up in another NFL contest, 'Together We Make Football.' Due to the notoriety, she was chosen by Proctor & Gamble to be their spokesperson for their new 'Play Like a Girl' campaign. (Readers may remember the Like a Girl commercial, which was played during the 2015 Superbowl.)

PWCGLL President Ralph Sinnott high-fives Karlie Harman.

This experience took Harman out to the big game to interview professional players and celebrities, such as Katy Perry, on media day. It has also presented her with other opportunities. She is becoming a member of the Board for the Presidential Physical Fitness Award; she had guest appearance on the popular Nicolodeon Show Bella and the Bulldogs about a female quarterback; and she was interviewed on the Today Show in New York.

Harman also makes local appearances throughout Northern Virginia and has started her own line of cardio clothing, called KAR-D-O By Karlie. The proceeds benefit VETSports, a charity that helps the U.S.’s injured veterans continue to play sports.

Harman likes to encourage girls to play sports because it has made a significant impact in her life.

Harmon meets with softball players and signs autographs for them.

“Especially football. It’s showed me leadership; I’m the quarterback, like the mother hen,” said Harman. “A lot of the confidence that I have is because of sports. Without sports, I wouldn’t be able to do this today.”

She knows that the Play Like a Girl is an important message for young girls to receive. Karlie’s mom, Karen Harman, notes that many girls start out with confidence but that confidence erodes as they reach puberty. Karlie inspires girls to keep competing and build their confidence and that playing like a girl is not something to be ashamed of.

For Karlie, the message is important for both genders to hear.

“A lot of men and boys will see girls can do everything,” Harman said.