This year, the Big Ten Conference took its "Dream Big" initiative on the road to pave the way for increased interest in girls' and women's sports.

Dream Big is a program the conference began in 1998 as a vehicle to bring attention to and awareness of girls' involvement in sports and the benefits sports play in girls' lives.

"Dream Big shows young girls the physical, emotional and social benefits of playing sports," said Andrea Williams, director of promotions for the Big Ten.

This year, Dream Big traveled to college campuses in the conference through its "Catch the Action" tour. The tour featured a traveling Dream Big exhibit and also celebrated the 30th anniversary of Title IX, the federal legislation prohibiting gender discrimination in education.

This year's tour included stops at the Big Ten men's and women's basketball tournaments, as well as stops at several conference sporting events and also visits to community youth organizations and schools.

"In taking Dream Big on the road with 'Catch the Action,' we not only bring attention to the importance of sport in young girls' lives, but we also provide additional exposure and enthusiasm to a women's sporting event or championship at Big Ten universities," Williams said.

The events visited this year included field hockey, volleyball, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, and track and field.

In addition to the many exhibits and reference materials that were part of the tour, fans also received free promotional items such as T-shirts, sport towels, bags and key chains. Attendees also were able to have their photo taken while they slam-dunked a basketball.

Part of the Dream Big initiative is a sizeable Web site that provides information for coaches, parents, girls participating in sports, interested volunteers and others. The variety of information on the Web site includes a sports fun page with Big Ten trivia and word searches; a list of resources for grants to support youth sports; suggestions for those who work with kids in sports; and also tips for at-home exercises and practice drills in several sports.

The Big Ten's television advertisements promoting the program also are available, as are profiles of prominent female student-athletes and coaches in the Big Ten.

For more information, see www. bigten.org and click the Dream Big button.