Retaining Girls in Sport & Physical Activity

The Need:

Studies have repeatedly shown that girls and women drop out of sport at a significantly higher rate than boys. As girls enter adolescence, 1 in 3 drop out of sport compared to just 1 in 10 boys.  Beyond adolescence, women 19-31 years old participate in sport at just half the rate of men.

The Solution:

In this workshop designed for coaches, recreation leaders, teachers and sport administrators, participants will explore:

  • the key factors that are central to supporting girls and young women as athletes and leaders, including training environments, injury prevention, and role models;
  • how to holistically design programs to meet the psycho-social needs of girls to increase their participation and retention in sport and physical activity; and,
  • practical recommendations for applying learnings in different environments.

The Impact:

This workshop will help sport leaders create lasting solutions for keeping girls and women in sport and physical activity.

In a recent survey of program participants:

  • 94% of respondents reported that they learned specific skills on how to design programs for girls to help retain them in sport and physical activity;
  • 97% of respondents reported that the workshop content was practical for their physical activity setting; and,
  • 98% of respondents reported that they are confident to implement new ideas taken from the workshop.

“It was striking to learn that 90% of female CEOs played sports as children. The most valuable part [of the workshop] was a reminder of the biases I have had ingrained since childhood and to challenge my own thought patterns so I can empower the next generation.”

Program Participant

“I found it really interesting that for girls, the most important consideration is feeling socially accepted, while for boys it’s all about effort. As a mother of two boys, this has been helpful for me to reiterate to them how important it is for them to make girls feel welcome and confident in gym class and the co-ed sports they play – hockey and baseball.”

Program Participant