GirlsFitSask is creating a space for fitness and friendship in Saskatoon.

What started as a simple idea has quickly turned into something much bigger.

GirlsFitSask, a local girls-focused run and fitness club founded by Hafsa Omaer Jamil, has been building momentum in Saskatoon by creating a space where girls can exercise, make friends and feel comfortable showing up exactly as they are. Since launching in 2025, the club has already hosted more than 10 events, with more planned as the weather warms and weekly runs return.

Jamil said the idea for the club came to her last summer, after seeing how a girls’ run club in Ontario had created a strong sense of community.

“In summer 2025, I met a friend in Ontario who started a run club there, and I saw the way it built a community, so I thought it’d be a perfect way to do the same with the girls in Saskatoon,” she said.

That sense of community has been central to the club from the beginning. Jamil leads and plans events, while Lujaine Salem leads the runs and Samiha Belim assists with events. Together, they have built a club that goes beyond fitness alone. The goal is to keep girls active, while also creating an environment that feels welcoming, supportive and genuinely designed with them in mind.

For Jamil, starting a girls-only fitness space was about responding to a real need.

“We have lots of spaces for mixed crowds to do things and already have a run club in Saskatoon, but a lot of girls don’t feel comfortable doing things like exercising around men, and it may prevent them from staying active,” she said. “Also, sometimes people don’t feel like being active alone, so this is the perfect way to bring everyone together and stay fit collectively.”

The idea seems to have struck a chord. Even the club’s first run, held in cold weather, drew between 15 and 20 girls. Since then, Jamil said, events have continued filling up, and she expects even more growth over the summer.

“I expected it to grow pretty quick,” she said. “There is a high demand for this kind of thing, especially in Saskatoon, where we don’t really have spaces and communities for women to come together and do something like stay fit. It’s also inclusive to all ages.”

Inclusivity is part of what defines GirlsFitSask. The club is open to girls of all ages and all experience levels, whether they have never gone on a run before or are already deeply involved in fitness. The events themselves also vary, ranging from runs and workouts to skating and fundraising initiatives.

Jamil said the purpose behind the club has always been broader than exercise.

“To bring women of all backgrounds together to become fit and stay healthy collectively while [uplifting] one another and creating new friendships,” she said.

She described the atmosphere at events as “empowering and uplifting,” noting that girls have already begun making new friends and encouraging one another to become “the best versions of themselves.”

This kind of space matters, especially at a time when many students and young women are juggling classes, work and other responsibilities.

“During a time when we are all studying, working or busy in our lives, we don’t get many chances to meet new friends and go work out and stay healthy, so it’s critical to have a space where girls motivate each other to do it,” Jamil said.

Like many grassroots initiatives, GirlsFitSask relies on a mix of organization, outreach and listening to the people it serves. Jamil said the club uses Instagram to share updates, promote events and ask followers what kinds of activities they want to see. The group also works with local organizations, including the Commns Wellness Collective, which has supported the club by offering Pilates discounts and making space available for events.

“We check with the girls through social media platforms what things they are interested [in doing] and then coordinate with organizations to do so,” she said. “We keep everything organized and updated on our social media.”

Although Jamil said the club has not faced major ongoing challenges yet, the startup phase still came with plenty of work behind the scenes. Coordinating schedules, planning around school commitments and finding the best discounts possible for participants all required time and effort.

Still, she says the payoff has been worth it.

“Seeing the girls get fit together and make new friendships” has been the most rewarding part of the experience so far, Jamil said. She added that hearing directly from participants has left a lasting impression.

Those moments reflect something deeper than turnout numbers or social media growth. Jamil said she has already seen some girls become more confident and socially comfortable through the club.

“Yes, some of the girls who were a lot more shy at the start have started to build more confidence and friends that they met during our events,” she said.

This sense of belonging is also what Jamil believes makes GirlsFitSask stand out from other fitness spaces.

“We listen to the girls, and we ourselves are girls, and the events range from fundraising events to runs to skating and workouts, so there’s something for everyone’s preference,” she said. “For the girls, by the girls is what we say.”

As spring turns into summer, the club is preparing for more outdoor activity, including the return of weekly runs once the snow and ice are gone. For now, Jamil sees GirlsFitSask continuing to grow within Saskatoon and Saskatchewan, while staying rooted in the same purpose it started with by continuing to build a community where girls can move, connect and feel empowered together.

When asked what advice she would offer to other girls thinking of starting something similar, Jamil kept it simple.

“Don’t be afraid to start it because there will always be people who are looking for spaces like this,” she said.

For her, that is what the club ultimately represents.

“It means community and empowerment of one another,” she said.GirlsFitSask shares updates about its events and activities on Instagram at @girlsfitsask.