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These Dolls For Girls Are Focused On Being Sporty And Active

Move over, Barbie. There are some new dolls in town that are inspired by real-life girl power.

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In 2007, Jodi Bondi Norgaard created Go! Go! Sports Girl dolls to create a doll that resonated with her sports-loving 9-year-old daughter and other girls who loved sports but were still little girls at heart. The result is a collection of 13 soft, fabric dolls ($20) focused on active play, like running, soccer, gymnastics and swimming, instead of fashion and beauty.

According to the website, the goal of Go! Go! Sports Girls is to “promote self-appreciation and the benefits of daily exercise, smart eating and sleeping habits, self-esteem and overall healthy life skills for girls.” The line, which has grown to include books, is intended to “encourage all children to dream big and work hard to achieve their goals.” Having fun in the process is a given.

For obvious reasons, we’re big fans of Runner Girl Ella, who has this whole running and life balance concept down.

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“Ella loves to run fast! Before running, Ella always puts on sunscreen and stretches. She drinks plenty of water and between races will have a healthy snack, like a banana. When she is not running, Ella likes riding her bike and writing in her journal.” If we all could be so dialed!

The new monthly “Athlete is the New Princess” contest gives girls the opportunity to win free Go! Go! Sports Girl merchandise by simply being themselves. Entry is simple and entails filling out a brief form and submitting a picture of girls doing what they love. Don’t worry, no judging here—winners are selected using an online random number selector.

“All the pictures we received were awesome and showed girls playing, being active, playing a sport—great girl power!” says Norgaard.

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Soccer player Jenna Chastain was the first contest winner. Her fierce sparkle won her a Soccer Girl Anna doll, Soccer Girl Cassie doll and a Soccer Girl book.

Photo - Jenna_Chastain@gmail_com - 58922075

The next contest began on Oct. 3. Do have an Athlete Princess in your life?