#GirlDad Movement Alive And Well By Diane White McNaughton
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hen a helicopter carrying L.A. Lakers phenom Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and seven other passengers plummeted to earth in January, the tragedy triggered a national outpouring of grief from basketball fans and families everywhere. It also sparked a viral craze among proud papas who took to social media in force, declaring their pride in being a “girl dad,” like the basketball legend who joyfully embraced his four daughters. The hashtag “girldad” rapidly became the number one trending topic on Twitter, with celebrities, sports figures and other dedicated dads sharing it hundreds of thousands of times. In the spirit of the oft-billed “8th Wonder of the World,” Harrisburg-area dads are also channeling their inner Kobe and coaching their little ladies in sports, sweeping their tresses into ponytails, twirling in their ballet recitals, singing along to “Frozen,” and learning their cheerleader routines. Nashon Walker of Hummelstown celebrates it all. As the father of four girls himself, and the founder of an all-girls skills development school—RISE Academy—Walker’s life and parenting style has been inspired by the NBA great. “Being a native of Philadelphia by way of Williamsport, my teenage life was very close to Kobe's,” Walker says. “He was only one year ahead of me. We played at the same playground in Ardmore, when I would visit my uncle. My high school basketball team competed against him. We knew of Kobe way before he was ‘Black Mamba.’ He was special to us all and played such an inspirational role in our lives not just as an NBA player but as a high school standout from my city.” Walker’s link to Kobe far transcends Bryant’s devastating dunks and signature fadeaway jump shots. “I identify with him so much because we both have four daughters and have a tremendous passion for girls’ basketball and teaching them the fundamentals at a young age,” Walker says. “A year ago, I started the first ‘all-girls’ year-round mentoring and training basketball academy in Central Pennsylvania. One of our main focuses is building confidence in 10 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE JUNE 2020
young girls and our academy has grown by leaps and bounds.” Popular sports’ fixture Dave Brixius, owner of Explosive Sports Performance with his wife Ashley, and wealth whiz Brad Sanders, CFP, CRPC, of Stonebridge Wealth Management, are also local “girl dads,” par excellence. Research and experience show that fathers are one of the most formative role models in a daughter’s life, giving them confidence and self-esteem that endures throughout their life. Unlike many proud papas from older generations, today’s dads are no longer spectators in their daughters’ lives. They have come off the bench and are eager to run with the ball. They change diapers, give baths, shovel spoonfuls of sweet potatoes into miniature mouths, sip tea from undersized cups at under-sized tables, and calm midnight cries. It’s no wonder the first words out of most babies’ mouths are “Da-da.” According to Professor Michael Austin, editor of Fatherhood – Philosophy for Everyone: The Dao of Daddy, dads have a singular role in shaping a daughter’s self-esteem, self-image, confidence and opinion of men. Just watch an emotional father dancing with his daughter at her wedding reception, and you can literally “see” the bond between bride and dad. Behavioral experts say that the best dads teach and model honesty and integrity, and do not hesitate to apologize for their mistakes. Walker agrees. “Admitting and verbally confessing to your daughter when you’re wrong is extremely important….Our girls thrive off our words of encouragement,” Walker says. Experts say strong girl-dads give sincere verbal encouragement, and are a consistent presence in a girl’s life. They are alert and sensitive to a girl’s feelings, listen to her thoughts, and take an active interest in her hobbies. Our local dads fill that bill.
