Getting and Keeping K-12 Girls in Sports and Physical Activity: Evidence-Based Best Practices and Keys

Over a six-month period, a research team from the Departments of Kinesiology at Cal State East Bay and Saint Mary’s College of California, with the support from the Positive Coaching Alliance Gender Equity Initiative, examined best practices and breakthroughs for getting girls* into the game and advancing gender equity in youth sports programming.

The team, all of whom are lifelong athletes and coaches dedicated to advancing gender equity in sports, convened to review over 150 research studies and reports to highlight what works for helping girls engage in K-12 athletics. These top 10 evidence-based tips summarize the findings to empower youth sports coaches, families, school staff, community leaders, and all stakeholders to level the playing field for girls and women in sports.

Recommendations

Promote Girl-Only and/or Girl-Centered Programming
Having girl-only and/or girl-centered programming^1,2,3 is a key part of many effective programs, oftentimes relating to culturally and gender-responsive programming as a whole.^4,5,6 Rethinking a co-ed model as the primary way to include girls in sports is needed due to many girls’ challenging experiences sharing sport spaces with boys and the lack of interpersonal safety that girls report in this environment. ^7,8,9,10 Girl-only and/or girl-centered programs help.

Ask Girls What They Want
When asked what they want in sports, most kids (including girls} say fun and an opportunity to try their best. 11 Specifically, provide opportunities for girls to voice their opinion in program design and delivery of athletic/physical activity.^12,13,14,15 Share approachable methods of open communication and record feedback to facilitate the desired goals of participants. Maintaining relevant, culturally-appropriate material that responds to the girls’ perceptions of program success will result in a more enjoyable, fun experience and will help lessen disengagement.^16,17

Develop Skills Then Introduce Healthy Competition
Developmentally appropriate and cooperative skill development in fun, low-pressure environments give girls the opportunity to build confidence for future organized sport. This can help foster an interest in competition and enhanced enjoyment of physical activity if not already present.^{18,19,20,21,22} A mixture of non-competitive and competitive programming²³ meets the needs of more girls and can be a key retention strategy for girls who opt-out of competitive sports while simultaneously engaging other girls through healthy competition.^24,25

Emphasize Social Support From Family and Friends
Peer and family support, especially from mothers, increases girls’ feelings of competence, enjoyment of activities, and persistence with sports._^26,27,28 Families also serve as role models through both direct involvement (e.g., enrolling girls in leagues, buying equipment, coaching) and indirect involvement (e.g., spectatorship, fandom, and role modeling participation).²⁹ Conversely, teasing and taunting by coaches and non-sport playing peers, particularly related to insecurities around physical appearance, “attractiveness” to peers, and loss of “femininity,” were cited as strong concerns among girls who left sport.^30,31 Social support is key.