One woman in Denver Public Schools paving the way for girls in sports

Female leadership in school sports has been on the decline in recent years, according to Beth Hulac, a Denver Public Schools Athletics Operations Manager. She is determined to reverse that trend through new events.  

A Colorado native and DPS alum, Hulac says her love for sports began with soccer in childhood and carried through college. But more than competition, sports gave her something deeper.

"Sports for me is what saved me from spending too much time thinking about how I looked and allowed me to change my focus into how powerful and strong my body could be," Hulac said.

Now overseeing multiple athletic programs for DPS, she's on a mission to help young girls feel that same sense of empowerment.

"Perfection is never my goal," she said. "But I hope that publicly struggling... really shows girls that leadership is attainable and that you don't have to be perfect at something to strive for it."

Two-and-a-half years ago, she launched the Women in Sports Leadership program. It is designed to uplift and support female athletes and aspiring leaders. It includes a districtwide Female Athlete Summit that's focused on confidence-building, mentorship and connection.

"I think we've seen a decline even in female athletes participating in sports... I hope that part of my work inspires girls to feel connected enough to participate," she said.

Hulac says middle school is a critical time to introduce girls to sports -- especially with new sports like flag football.

"Middle school is still an age where kids can try sports for the first time," she said. "I'm really excited to increase those opportunities for Denver Public Schools kids."

Through her leadership, Hulac hopes to inspire a new generation of female athletes not just to play, but to lead.

CBS News Colorado's second annual Girls in the Game event takes place on Aug. 16 in Denver.