SDSU basketball players launch nonprofit to offer ‘Her Turn’ to middle school athletes

This paid piece is sponsored by South Dakota State University.

The car ride to the South Dakota State volleyball camp last summer was quiet, and it was nearly impossible to get the three middle school-aged girls in the back of Myah Selland’s car to talk.

Selland and Tori Nelson, both standout SDSU women’s basketball players, were escorting the girls to camp as part of Her Turn, a nonprofit started by Nelson, 22, and Selland, 24.

The girls on that first drive were nervous and shy, Selland recalled. But after the three-day, overnight camp at SDSU, those same girls piled into the car afterward, chattering about their experience and bubbling with excitement and newfound confidence.

It’s exactly what Selland and Nelson hoped would happen.

Her Turn funds scholarships for middle school-aged girls in the Brookings community to attend SDSU summer athletic camps for volleyball, soccer and, of course, basketball at no cost. Its goal is to make sports more affordable and accessible to girls who otherwise wouldn’t have the chance, Nelson said.

Boys get significantly more opportunities than girls to participate in sports, and girls — especially those from underrepresented communities — drop out of sports at twice the rate of boys by age 14, leading to a higher likelihood of poor physical and emotional health.

“There are experiences, friendships and lessons you learn through sports — hard work, teamwork and communication — that act as building blocks for life,” Nelson said. “We were fortunate to have families and childhoods where our parents had the time and finances to let us participate in sports. We want to give that same opportunity to others because it’s helped us get to where we are today.”

Such opportunities help build confidence and future leaders, Nelson said.

Nelson played basketball and softball and ran cross country growing up in Minnesota.

Selland played basketball and volleyball and ran track in Letcher.

“We saw ourselves in those girls and felt how rewarding it was to see them have a positive experience,” Selland said. “It was fulfilling to see that, and it made us excited about what more we can do with this organization.”

Her Turn officially launched in February 2022 and helped fund scholarships for nine girls in the Brookings community in its first year through a partnership with the Brookings Foundation. Each scholarship covers roughly $500 in costs, including camp admission and equipment needed, such as gear bags or backpacks, soccer cleats or kneepads, and bedsheets or toiletries while staying in the SDSU dorms.

Brookings middle school girls participating in volleyball, soccer and basketball also are invited to a Her Turn game once a year, where the girls get free admission to watch a college game and be inspired to chase their athletic goals.

While the nonprofit is still in its infancy, Selland and Nelson hope to expand Her Turn’s reach beyond Brookings, with a goal of reaching communities across South Dakota.

“Our goal is definitely to expand to surrounding areas,” Nelson said. “It’s just a matter of how much help we have getting for these kids.”

Donations can be mailed in or made online or through Venmo.