Colgate-Palmolive launched the first Colgate Women's Games in 1973, with 5,000 young women from the New York area participating in the initial series. Today, more than 11,000 registrants from all over the East Coast - from Boston to Virginia - compete. Four weeks of preliminary and semi-final competition at Brooklyn's Pratt Institute culminate in the finals held at the world-renowned Madison Square Garden.

The Games' website at http://www.colgategames.com/ posts scores and points for all place-finishing participants so track stars from all over the country can now compare their times and scores with Colgate Women's Games competitors in their own age/grade division. College recruiters and members of the media can follow results after each preliminary meet as well.

OBJECTIVES
Our goal is to provide an athletic competition that helps the participating young girls and women develop a strong sense of personal achievement, self-esteem, instill the importance of education and provide a training ground for those who might not otherwise participate in an organized sport.

ELIGIBILITY
All girls elementary grade 1 and up and young women who can attend and participate in the preliminaries at Brooklyn's Pratt Institute are eligible. No experience in track and field is necessary, but all girls of school age must be enrolled and attending school to take part.

WHY TRACK AND FIELD
Track and field is the great equalizer; it is unmatched for the health and mental well being it provides for experienced and novice athletes alike, and no expensive equipment is required.

AGE/GRADE DIVISIONS
Competition is divided into six age or grade divisions: Elementary A (grades 1 through 3), Elementary B (grades 4 through 5), Mid School (grades 6 through 8), High School (grades 9 through 12), College/Open and 30s-Plus.

EVENTS
There are eight events: 55-meter dash, 55-meter hurdles, 200-meter dash, 400-meter dash, 800-meter run, 1,500-meter run, high jump and shot put.

MEET DIRECTOR
Track coach Fred Thompson is the founder and meet director of the Colgate Women's Games. He also is the founder and coach of the Atoms Track Club in Brooklyn and former U.S. Olympic Track Team coach.

LOCATIONS AND SPECIFICATIONS
Four preliminary meets and a semi-finals are held at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. Finals are held each year at Madison Square Garden. The track at Pratt Institute was the first 200-meter indoor facility to utilize metric measurements and is laid out according to international specifications. The running surface composition is Chem-Turf and oval dash lanes are 36 inches wide.

GRANTS-IN-AID
In addition to trophies and medals, Colgate awards educational grants-in-aid totaling $60,000 to the top three point scorers at the end of the series. Colgate has awarded nearly $1 million in educational grants-in-aid to date.

ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND
The Colgate Women's Games have become a proven stepping stone for future Olympians. Gold medalist Diane Dixon began running in the Games in 1977, and fellow Olympian Cheryl Toussaint Eason is now the Games' Coordinator. Countless participants compete in national championship meets and at least 17 former Olympians have participated in the Games or become Games officials.

By requiring school attendance to participate, the Colgate Women's Games offer an incentive for young people to complete their education. And with supplemental grants, they are encouraged to continue their education through college and beyond.

The Colgate Women's Games provide a unique vehicle for college recruitment of female athletes. University and college recruiters are often present at Colgate meets or request results sheets, and today's participants are among the most heavily recruited students in the nation.

The Colgate Women's Games offer young people something positive to do. With financial support for after-school activities all but eliminated in far too many school districts, especially for girls, the Games and preparation for competition present a positive alternative.

The depth and length of commitment to these programs is testimony to the importance that Colgate-Palmolive places on our country's most important resource, our children. Colgate hopes their success will encourage other organizations to support similar corporate-involvement programs.

To find out more about Colgate-Palmolive's various programs, write to:
Colgate-Palmolive
Corporate Communications
300 Park Avenue
New York, N.Y. 10022