Alarming new research shows that girls drop out of sports at twice the rate of boys according to a national PSA “Keep Her in the Game”.   In general, this happens for two basic reasons: lack of opportunity and expense.

  • Lack of opportunity – A collaborative study called “The Decade of Decline” done by the Women’s Sports Foundation, The SHARP Center for Women and Girls, and the University of Michigan revealed that in 2000 8.2% of schools offered no sports programs and the percentage nearly doubled by 2010.  This means that 15% of US public high schools do not offer young girls the opportunity to gain  the health benefits and leadership skills through interscholastic athletics. http://irwg.research.umich.edu/pdf/OCR.pdf
  • Expense – Limited opportunities within schools to play sports, mean girls would need to pay in private programs, causing an additional expense that is just not possible for many families – especially in undeserved, urban communities where girls are least likely to be active and the most likely to be overweight.
  • About 1 in 4 teens report being a victim of emotional abuse.
  • Ohio ranks 11th in the nation for child abuse and neglect.
  • 1 in 5 high school girls has been physically or sexually abused by a dating partner.
  •  73% of girls in juvenile justice have experienced physical or sexual victimization.
  • A history of abuse is a stronger predictor of delinquency in girls than in boys.
  • 90-95% of abuse cases are not reported to police agencies.
  • Girls who participate in sports have higher self-esteem and pride.
  • Regular exercise improves overall quality of life.
  • Girls and women who play sports have a more positive body image than girls and women who do not participate.
  • Women who are active in sports and recreational activities as girls feel greater confidence in their physical and social selves than those who were sedentary as kids.
  • Research suggests that girls who participate in sports are more likely to experience academic success and graduate from high school than those who do not play sports
  • Regular physical activity in adolescence can reduce girls risk for obesity.
  • Teenage female athletes are less than half as likely to get pregnant as female non-athletes (5% and 11% respectively).
  • Sports is where girls can learn goal-setting, strategic thinking, and the pursuit of excellence in performance and other achievement-oriented behaviors – critical skills necessary for success in the workplace.