National Girls & Women in Sports Day – Why It’s Important to Keep Girls in the Game
Written by: Bailey McLagan, MS, PhD(c)
Reviewed by Therabody scientists: Dr. Brittany Leboeuf, MS, PhD; Tim Roberts, MSc
Expert contributors: Pamela Peeke, MD, MPH, FACP, FACSM; Rachelle Reed, PhD, MS, ACSM-E
National Girls & Women in Sports Day, held annually on February 4th, serves to recognize and celebrate the excellence of women of all ages in sports. [1]
Even 50 years after Title IX prohibited sex-based discrimination in sports participation, girls remain less active than boys. [2] According to the Women's Sports Foundation, girls drop out of sports at twice the rate of boys, with participation declining sharply after age 8. By ages 5-11, the gap is significant: 49% of girls participate in team sports compared to 70% of boys. [3, 4]
Several factors contribute to this drop-off. 1 in 3 girls reported low confidence, negative body image, perceived lack of skill, poor perceptions of belonging, and feeling unwelcome as reasons for dropout, which all increased with age. [3] Yet when girls do stay active in sports, the benefits can extend across their life
Keeping girls in the game significantly benefits mental and physical health, regardless of age. Here, we’ll walk through the many benefits of sports participation for girls and ways to encourage them to stick with sports in their youth.
How participation in sports benefits girls’ health
Girls can benefit greatly from participating in sports across their physical, mental, and overall health. “Engaging in sports provides girls with profound mental and physical health advantages that extend well beyond the playing field. Regular participation fosters resilience, confidence, and lifelong well-being by promoting teamwork, discipline, and a healthy mind-body connection,” explains Dr. Pamela Peeke, MD, MPH, FACP, FACSM.
Staying active builds physical health
There are clear physical benefits to participating in sports. “Athletic involvement strengthens bones, protects cardiovascular health, and supports healthy weight maintenance,” explains Dr. Peeke. [5]
According to Dr. Peeke, having strong physical health and the routine of going to practice throughout the week and preparing for competition also leads to better health habits, like getting better sleep. She notes that those who participate in sports also tend to engage less in risky behaviors like substance use. [6]
Student athletes learn essential life skills
The skills learned from sports extend well beyond having a strong backhand or serving strikes. They also help girls gain essential skills that translate to every area of their lives.
“Girls gain essential life skills such as commitment, responsibility, and discipline. They also learn to navigate both victories and setbacks gracefully, preparing them for challenges in all areas of life,” notes Dr. Peeke.
Sports participation teaches girls how to cope with stress
Encountering stressful scenarios is inevitable. From sitting for the SATs, friend and family dynamics, and college applications, students experience no shortage of stress. But it’s how they manage stress that helps girls stay resilient.
Competitive sports introduce girls to stressful situations. Striving to build skills, managing emotions after losses, and learning to come back from mistakes are all a part of the game. And these skills are transferable.
“Sports offer a constructive outlet for managing stress,” says Dr. Peeke. “They teach stress management and mental toughness, helping girls stay focused under pressure.” [5]
Playing sports also helps girls build confidence
Teenage and adolescent years can be formative for girls’ confidence. Social dynamics, mastering academic concepts, navigating body changes, and so much more can impact how girls feel in their own skin.
“Girls who play sports often experience higher self-esteem and confidence as they achieve goals and develop new skills,” says Dr. Peeke. “Team-based activities nurture social skills such as communication, collaboration, and leadership, creating strong peer relationships and a sense of belonging.” [5, 7]
Childhood physical activity helps create lifelong healthy habits
Research shows that staying active during childhood translates to maintaining healthy habits into adulthood. [8]
“Participation in sports during elementary, middle, and high school plays a crucial role in helping girls establish lifelong physical activity habits,” explains Dr. Peeke.
“Girls who participate in sports throughout their school years are more likely to maintain active lifestyles as adults. The lessons learned — such as perseverance, teamwork, and goal-setting — translate into greater motivation to engage in physical activity later in life.”
Ways to keep girls in the game
The evidence is clear; girls drop out of sports at higher rates than their male counterparts. It’s critical to invest in strategies shown to help keep girls in the game. Here are six.
1. Create a fun, age-appropriate, supportive environment
How we talk to and about our athletes strongly encourages continued sports participation. That can include making girls feel like they’re strong and will succeed.
“Encouragement from coaches and caregivers matters, but so does the environment. Girls thrive when they feel included, capable, and safe to try new things,” explains Dr.Rachelle Reed, PhD, MS, ACSM-EP.
Check in with kids to understand how they’re feeling. “Asking how activity feels, and reinforcing effort, improvement, and having fun, can strengthen girls’ confidence and motivation,” says Dr. Reed. Afterall, enjoyment of physical activity is linked to longer-term participation in it. [9]
2. Focus on skill development, rather than competition only
Developing physical skills helps girls build confidence and self-efficacy. That’s why it’s important to celebrate improvements and skill development, rather than solely on winning during competitions.
“In the early years, girls build a broad foundation. They develop coordination, mind-body awareness, strength, muscular power, and the ability to move well in all planes of motion,” shares Dr. Reed. “Focusing on skill acquisition can help girls stay motivated and confident while they build a strong physical foundation.”
3. Make rest and recovery a part of the athletic culture
Proper rest and recovery after practice can increase sport participation by making it feel more enjoyable. When your body feels strong and resilient, playing the sport you love feels better.
“Practices like getting enough sleep, eating consistently around training, and staying hydrated can help reduce fatigue and soreness, which are often early barriers to showing up and sticking with a sport,” notes Dr. Reed.
“Young athletes depend on the adults around them. Coaches and parents play an essential role in keeping an eye out for things like overtraining and under-fueling,” says Dr. Reed.
It’s all about creating an environment that includes rest and recovery as a key component of improving athletic performance. “Supportive environments prioritize healthy rest and recovery habits over ‘pushing through at all costs.’ I’ve found this helps girls stay confident, healthy, and excited about their sport,” explains Dr. Reed. [10]
4. Offer diverse options, including team and individual activities
Different sports utilize different skill sets. Whether that’s endurance, explosive strength, or power, exposure to different sports helps girls unlock their preferences.
A way to help girls stick with sport is “offering a variety of activities lets girls explore new sports and build diverse skills in a low-pressure environment,” says Dr. Reed. “This helps kids find what they genuinely enjoy rather than feeling boxed into a single path.”
Dr. Peeke reiterates this point, “Early exposure to a variety of sports and exercise options helps girls find enjoyable activities they can pursue independently, supporting lifelong health and well-being.
5. Remove practical barriers
Access remains a significant challenge for many families. Financial costs, transportation needs, and lack of proper equipment can prevent girls from participating in sports altogether.
"The barriers aren't just about money — they're about time, transportation, and feeling prepared," explains Dr. Reed. "When families are juggling multiple schedules or lack reliable transportation to practices, or when a girl doesn't have the right shoes or gear, it becomes more challenging to show up."
Non-profits like Period Movement and Bras for Girls ensure that teens have access to essential products (that differ from gear that boys need), that make participation comfortable and dignified. "Creating truly inclusive sports programs means thinking beyond just signing up," adds Dr. Reed. "It means asking what's standing in the way and working together to remove those obstacles."
6. Model healthy behaviors at home
Like many health behaviors, habits that children are exposed to are often modeled. Women’s sports are everywhere, and they’re thriving. Showing young girls and women what excellence in women’s sports looks like can help them see themselves in athletics. This can look like putting on the Olympics and watching a female competition, or attending a local women’s sports game in your area.
“Research shows that modeling healthy, active behaviors as parents and caregivers matters. When girls see the adults in their lives enjoying movement, they’re more likely to stay active themselves,” notes Dr. Reed. [11]
Key takeaway
“Sports empower girls physically, mentally, and socially, shaping confident, healthy individuals equipped with skills for lifelong success. From reducing mental health risks to fostering leadership and academic excellence, the impact of sports reaches far beyond the game — building stronger, more resilient women for the future,” concludes Dr. Peeke.
References:
- National Girls & Women in Sports Day
- Title IX and Sex Discrimination
- THE RALLY REPORT Encouraging Action to Improve Sport for Women and Girls
- SPORT, STEREOTYPES AND STOLEN DREAMS
- Girls on the Run: Impact of a Physical Activity Youth Development Program on Psychosocial and Behavioral Outcomes
- Sport participation and alcohol and illicit drug use in adolescents and young adults: A systematic review of longitudinal studies
- Play to Lead The Generational Impact of Sport on Women’s Leadership
- Early Life Physical Activity Patterns and Its Survival to Adult Activity Levels: The Longitudinal ABIS Study
- Having a Positive Relationship to Physical Activity: Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Age as Predictors for Students’ Enjoyment in Physical Education
- Overuse Injuries, Overtraining, and Burnout in Young Athletes
- Parents as Role Models: Associations between Parent and Young Children’s Weight, Dietary Intake, and Physical Activity in a Minority Sample
