Dads and daughters help change that old saying, 'Throw like a girl'

We'll always remember it. It was kinda beautiful. He sang: A little ray of sunshine has come into the world. A little ray of sunshine in the shape of a girl.

Of course, eventually little girls grow up, discover social media, meet boys and - nowadays - probably get a tattoo.

That old song came to mind as we were reading about a University of Newcastle program that pinpoints fathers as the key to improving their daughters' sports skills, physical activity levels and wellbeing.

The university's Daughters and Dads Active and Empowered program is being held across NSW as part of the government's women in sport strategy, called Her Sport Her Way.

Acting Minister for Sport Geoff Lee said the Point Wolstoncroft Sport and Recreation Centre will host the free program from Monday, February 8.

The program - founded by the university's Professor Phil Morgan - will consist of eight sessions over eight weeks.

Dads will learn the unique influence they have on their daughters and ways to encourage gender equity.

The aim is for daughters to be empowered with improved sport skills, confidence, self-esteem and a closer connection with their dads. The girls are taught to develop skills including kicking, catching, bouncing, striking and throwing.

This reminds us of that old saying, "You throw like a girl". We're not sure if we can say that nowadays. Mind you, The New York Times has an opinion piece online titled, What Does It Mean to 'Throw Like a Girl'?

It stated that political philosopher Iris Marion Young believed the saying had "nothing to do with some mysterious female essence that prevents girls from throwing balls or being athletic, but has its source in 'the particular situation of women as conditioned by their sexist oppression in contemporary society'."

That reminds us of that other saying: "You go girl".

Anyhow, anyone can apply for the program, but it is run at Point Wolstoncroft so it may be more suited to Lake Macquarie and Central Coast families. To register, visit sport.nsw.gov.au/daughtersanddads.

This gets us thinking, are there any programs that prevent daughters getting tattoos?