New Styles On Sale: Up To 40% Off

How to get girls playing and keep them playing

Coaching girls guide

Experts say that girls do better physically, mentally, emotionally and socially when they get the chance to play. But today, girls are dropping out of sport at twice the rate of boys. As part of Nike's work with community partners and experts to reverse this drop-out trend, we created "The coaching girls guide": a resource to help mentor, empower and support young athletes.

Last updated: 3 June 2024
3 min read
How to get girls playing and keep them playing

Girls want to play sports. They want to move, compete, take risks and feel like they're part of something. It's getting girls to the pitch or gym, making sure they have the right gear (think sports bras and hair bands) and keeping them playing that takes some work.

Experts say that girls do better physically, mentally, emotionally and socially when they get the chance to play. Yet, girls are dropping out of sport at twice the rate of boys. For girls in urban communities and girls of colour, the numbers are even worse.

How to get girls playing and keep them playing

The good news is we can all do our part to get girls playing and help keep them playing. Girls need a few key things to create a positive, meaningful connection to sport:

  1. Opportunities to be part of the team, compete, make friends and connect with teammates and the adults around them.
  2. Role models are important too, like female coaches and people in their lives who celebrate female athletes. Girls who have these things are more likely to keep playing as they get older.
  3. Finally, to keep them coming back and playing, we need to create a sports culture that includes and celebrates girls. This starts with the culture we create on our teams.

Nike is working with community partners and experts to reverse the sport drop-out trend. The adults in girls' lives can be champions and allies in this effort by creating positive experiences for girls on the court, at the track, on the pitch and anywhere else girls break a sweat. Together with experts, we created this guide as a place for everyone to start. And, if you're looking for more tips, check out these tip sheets.

How to get girls playing and keep them playing

Setting her up for success

  1. Inspire them to love sport
    Inspire girls (and boys!) with examples of female athletes and women's teams. While you're at it, let girls make the space their own. If you've got a changing room, decorate it. Get girls involved in creating team names, banners and anything else that identifies them as part of the team.
  2. Think about bias
    Girls face different expectations than boys and sometimes that gets in the way. Ask yourself: is she cheered on as much as the boys? Is she seen as fragile? Is her behaviour viewed differently? Is she "bossy" when a boy seems like a "captain"? Take time to think about what you're doing to create a level playing field. At the end of each training session, ask yourself if you would expect anything different from the girls versus boys.
  3. Get families involved
    Whether or not girls play is not always up to girls. It's important to engage parents and caregivers to take an active role in girls' participation. Encourage them to cheer for everyone at every training session. Host practice games that include family members. When families get invested, they're more likely to keep bringing the girls back.

Learn more about how to empower girls in your community.

Originally published: 21 May 2024