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.