Why I’m so Obsessed with Lifelong Sport Participation for Girls …
Today is the National Day of Girls and Women in Sport! I love this day, because I think sports are great! And I think Girls and Women deserve every opportunity to thrive in sport for life!
Here’s why:
Sports teach skills that are transferrable to all areas of life
How to be part of a team
In team sports, you are paired up with a diverse group of people. Some you may be best friends with, others may be a bit of a challenge to get along with. But honestly that’s the beauty of it! In life there is always going to personalities you have to work with, regardless of how you feel about them. Being able to find ways to make it work is a true life skill!
Learn how to lose
You won’t win every game you ever play. And you certainly won’t get every job you interview for, ace every exam, get every promotion or always have your way in life. Being able to learn resiliency through sports - the act of falling down and getting back up - will benefit you greatly in life. Newsflash, life is freaking hard!! But having the skills and tools to cope with the rough patches will serve you very well in life.
Learn how to win
Being a gracious, reflective and positive winner will also come in handy! Winning without gloating, being able to reflect on how you won and keep positive momentum going will surprisingly pop up more often than you think in life. Think of the times when you and a friend are up for the same job, how will you respond when you get it and they don’t?
Learn how to be adaptable
In sports we quickly have to learn that not all variables of the game are within our direct control. We can’t control the ice or field conditions, the officials, the other team’s goalie being on a hot streak or how loud the other team’s fans are! So being able to adapt to these challenges and truly make them your strengths is a skill worth learning. If I can’t control something, how can I focus on what I CAN change in order to benefit me? This is a skill we learn over and over again in sport!
Time management
Competitive sports require A LOT of time and effort. But usually as a teen, it’s not just sports, but sports + job + school + social life + family life + rest … exhausting!!! Guess what, it doesn’t get easier as an adult! The responsibilities seem to triple and the time you have to do it all halves exponentially!! Figuring out methods to manage it all will be your greatest strength later in life!
Sports foster confidence & self-esteem
Making the team (or not but still finding success) … BOOM! confidence boost. Scoring that goal, finishing that play, winning that game (etc) that you’ve worked so hard to get to … BOOM! confidence boost. There are infinite ways for you to find good confidence and self esteem within sports. Especially when the adults involved in your sport encourage empowerment, fun and personal development > scores, stats and winning.
Sports foster your sense of competition, determination and willingness for hard work
To be successful in life, sometimes you need this edge that can often come from your time playing sports. Knowing how to work hard, even when the going gets tough, being a little gritty, being motivated by the chase and being determined for self improvement are all skills that can be fostered through sports. Becoming a physio and later starting a business has given me no shortage of tough times. But knowing that I had these skills from sports propelled me forward.
The sport playing feedback loop!
Research shows that being active in sports as a young girl, means you are more likely to participate in sports as an adult. Kids who have a female parent who still plays sports are even more likely to play sports than those who do not. See where this is going? Keeping girls in sports, keeps that active for life loop in motion!
94% of women in C-Suite positions (think CEO’s CFO’s etc - the head huncos in coroporate land) have participated in sports.
I found this stat fascinating!! Especially in positions dominated by men, this foundation laid by sport participation can be a key piece to success throughout life. Research has even found that wages are about 7% higher in those of former athletes. This is likely due to the desirable attributes built from sports including: the ability to communicate, work well with others, competitiveness, assertiveness and discipline. So your hard work now as an athlete will pay off for you later in life too.
The obvious health and wellness benefits!
As mentioned in point #4, being active at a young age will usually keep you active through life. Sports offer a great way to be active. Obviously, that helps us keep our hearts, lungs, muscles and bones healthy and decrease risk for childhood and adult health conditions. But, sports are also a great outlet. A great stress release, great way to get out your anger (in a healthy and positive way), surrounded by friends and a positive environment can be a good distraction from day to day life.
Unfortunately, a high percentage of girls drop out of sport between middle and high school. Common barriers include a shift in focus to school, priorities have changed (hello social life and jobs!!), your friends have stopped playing (because the friendships are usually such a key piece that when it’s missing, it’s tough to keep going) and access to opportunities or programs have ended (less opportunities to play at a college or professional level, less girls playing so less competitive programs for teens and young adults). Or maybe they’re burnout from years of sport focused on winning and less about personal development and fun. Regardless, we are seeing girls exit sport at a rate double that of boys.
So what can you do to keep your daughter, players, students, friends and nieces playing sports? I think keeping things fun and balanced is crucial. Girls can do it all. Get a good education, have friends and a social life AND play sports. Time management is key, but as a coach or parent, is that extra practice necessary, or the extra skills coach or the extra gym time or the extra tournament? To develop happy, healthy athletes I think allowing them to have balance is crucial.
Another thought is, how can we get more women involved in decision making positions for female athletes? Having more women coaches, trainers, officials, board members etc provides the young girls with role models and showing what is possible for them as they age out of youth sport.
All that to say, some of my best friendships, greatest childhood memories and strongest skillsets come from my time playing sports. I truly believe I am who I am today as an adult, because of the development I had as a young girl in sports. Whether it’s house league or competitive rep, there’s a benefit to be found.
