Girl Power
Viking Girl Power 2025 is scheduled for the afternoon of Saturday, March 1st. Register now through 2/1! This year’s keynote speaker is two-time Judo Olympian and Actress Hillary Wolf.
Hillary Wolf began her acting career at age five, starting with voice-overs and print work, moving on to television and feature films. She continued acting through her teenage years playing one of Macaulay Culkin’s sisters in the first two “Home Alone” movies and starring in “Big Girls Don’t Cry.” At fourteen she decided to stop acting to pursue her Olympic dreams in the sport of judo. She became a five-time National Champion and was the first American, man or woman, to win the Junior World Championships in 1994. Hillary represented the United States on both the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Teams. After retiring from her athletic career Hillary completed her college education and went into business-to-business sales. Hillary met and married one of her fellow athletes, wrestler Chris Saba, who she met while training at the Olympic Training Center. Chris was a National Champion Greco Roman Wrestler, two-time Olympic Alternate, and 2016 Olympic Coach. They have two sons, Michael 17, and Dylan 14, two rescue pups, Scout and Reese, and live in beautiful Colorado. Today you can find Hillary spending time with her husband and kids, watching her boys compete in wrestling, hiking with her dogs, or volunteering at the National Mill Dog Rescue.
Viking Girl Power was born from the vision of our founder, Charlie, who realized we have a responsibility and opportunity to create a meaningful and lasting impact on our young students.
The goal of Girl Power is to instill strength, pride, and self-worth in every participant. We focus on self-perception, self-care, and peer interactions, arming children with the tools they need to confidently navigate their futures and tackle any challenges that come their way.
We understand the multifaceted nature of our students’ well-being in extracurricular activities—mental, physical, emotional, social, and more. That is why our event offers a diverse range of program segments led by various presenters.
Guests will be grouped by age and led through interactive activities, covering topics such as team building, nutrition, STEM, self-defense, crafts, dance, and beyond. It’s an opportunity for empowerment, education, and fun, all rolled into one unforgettable experience!
All proceeds support the Women’s Sports Foundation, who empower women and girls to be active while tackling gender inequalities.
Viking Girl Power details:
- For ages 5 through adult
- Time: 2pm to 5:30pm
- The cost is $63 per participant, $39 per additional family member
- All participants will receive a Girl Power T-shirt to wear at the event
- Wear athletic/movable clothing, bare feet, hair pulled out of the face, no jewelry, and clothing free of zippers, snaps, and hoods
- Adults may wear socks in the gym
- Once registration fees have been processed, refunds are no longer available
- All participants must have an updated consent form on file.
- An annual membership fee is not required to attend
Special Thanks to our #VGP2025 Sponsors
Past Inspirational Speakers
Jewell Loyd
2020 and 2024 Olympic Gold Medalist, 2x WNBA Champion
Jewell is a professional basketball player who was drafted first overall in the 2015 WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association) by the Seattle Storm, her current team. She has also played for Perfumerias Avenida of Spain’s Liga Femenina de Baloncesto. During Women’s History Month, Jewell partnered with Los Angeles Lakers’ assistant coach Phil Handy’s 94 Feet of Game app and DJ Khaled’s We The Best Foundation for the Future of Basketball Is Female campaign. She is also an ambassador for Eye to Eye, focusing on mentoring people with learning disabilities.
Bridget Venturi Veenem
2x WORLD CUP CHAMPION, OLYMPIC TRIALS COACH
Bridget Venturi Veenem, a two-time World Cup Champion and Olympic Trials Coach, has made significant strides in the world of sports. As the first woman to win the American Gladiator Grand Championship in 1989, she’s also a gold medalist in the Women’s World Cup in 2004 and 2006. Bridget’s achievements extend beyond her playing career; she’s served as an assistant coach for Team USA trials and was the first woman selected to the USA Baseball board of directors. A former two-sport athlete at the University of Michigan, earning All-Big Ten honors, Bridget continues to inspire through her coaching and leadership roles.
Melissa Green
3x NCAA REGIONAL QUALIFIER, ENTREPRENEUR
Driven by dreams of Olympic gymnastics, Mel dedicated herself to training from age 7 until a back injury at 13. She then focused on earning a college scholarship and competing in Division I NCAA Women’s Gymnastics. Mel excelled at Michigan State University, where she also studied Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy. After law school, she became the first in-house counsel for a healthcare advisory and analytics company, then Assistant General Counsel at the American Medical Association. In 2022, Mel made the life-changing decision to found MDG Law Virtual, where she serves as Founder and Managing Attorney.
Dani Tyler
1996 OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST, SPEAKER
Danielle (Dani) Tyler is the most decorated softball player in Illinois history. She played a pivotal role in Team USA’s first Olympic gold medal win in 1996. Graduating from Oak Park River Forest High School in 1992, Dani earned numerous awards, including Female Athlete of the Year by the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times. At Drake University, she became their most decorated softball player, receiving multiple NCAA awards. Dani was a member of the United States Softball Team from 1994-2000, winning Olympic Gold in 1996. She is member of the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame, has won numerous athletic and humanitarian awards throughout the United States, has been a motivational speaker for several organizations, and is actively involved in several charitable and civic organizations.
Heidy LaFleur
EDUCATOR, AUTHOR, SPEAKER
Heidy LaFleur, Founder & President of Common Sense Leadership, LLC, is a dynamic leader dedicated to guiding students to success. With a background in teaching and school administration, she’s impacted hundreds of students and authored multiple books on leadership and education. She has authored Hop on the Clue Bus – A Common Sense Guide to Leadership, Hop on the Clue Bus – A Common Sense Guide to Conquering Teacher Evaluation & The ABCs of Making EVERY day the BEST day for EVERY Child. In 2016, she was awarded the Double D Award from Drake University which is the highest honor bestowed on alumni student-athletes for work in their field of study.