So once again, here I am, a male writing about how sport can empower girls and women. Now obviously, being a male, I can never have any first hand, in person knowledge of how sports empower girls or how it can be an important part of giving them tools to lead successful lives long after they finish playing sport. I've written about this very fact in the past, this link can bring you to the most specific post on the topic
maybe-we-can-relate-and-understand-but-we-can-never-really-know.html However, the entirety of my coaching career, all 27 years of it, was spent coaching girls or women, or girls as they became women. I had a first row seat where I could observe the impact the sport had on female athletes. I would even like to think that my coaching efforts had a role in some of impact they might have played on my athletes. Much smarter people than me have written on the topic so I am not providing any groundbreaking information but I just wanted to share the perspective gained from my experiences. Google the topic of " Empowerment of girls through sport" and you will get a ton of hits, a wide range of hits about how sports help girls, in the development into women, culturally, socially, health wise and so much more. There are no shortage of opinions. However there are equally no shortage of facts. By all accounts, around the age of 14 or so, girls drop out of sport at twice the rate of boys the same age The villain in this story is the restricted potential of girls. The heroes are the girls themselves as they learn from role models about the power of sport participation to make them more resilient and confident women.Sports, at the core are an important way if nothing else, to keep girls healthy and active in sports because it sets them up to succeed and lead in life beyond sports. However beyond that simple fact, decisions makers should be driven to ensure girls continue on in sport because aside from the obvious benefits of physical health and wellness, they need to realize that sports help young women develop the confidence, leadership and teamwork skills that are essential for success in later life. Having been involved in female sports, I would humble say that the top ways that sport benefit girls and young are women are; 1. Girls build confidence: Girls who play sports have greater levels of self-esteem, self-image and are less likely to use illicit drugs. Confidence comes through developing a sense of teamwork and learning how to set and achieve goals. Golf is the perfect platform for girls because anyone can play! 2. Girls form friendships:Sports are a fantastic way for girls to build lasting relationships with others while experiencing competition in a fun, supportive environment. 3. Girls develop a strong work ethic:Athletics require work, regardless of the sport, in order to succeed at any type of competitive level, there are skills such as time management, goal setting, leadership and teamwork and of course the simply commitment to improving. As someone who has in my professional career been in a position to hire individuals for various roles in organizations, I can say with confidence that whether male of female, individuals who played competitive sports have benefit from the in terms of leadership skills, teamwork, discipline and perseverance. So why should women benefit from this to the same extent as their make counterparts. 4. Girls strengthen perseverance:And, of course by being involved with sports, girls learn how to keep playing when nothing seems to go right. To succeed in sports, players must continue through bad breaks and their own mistakes, while learning from past experiences – just like in life. 5. Girls have access to other opportunities Sports can open many doors, through networking, adding to a resumé, the potential for scholarships in some cases, the chance to travel and discover new things. Why should 50% of the population be deprived of this just because sports are made not to be welcoming to females? That is a very basic summary of the benefits of sport on girls and young women, but allow me to expand a bit. There will always be soft skills learned through sport that can be an important part of everyone's development. So why is it of often deemed or written about on how they help girls whereas it is pretty much taken for granted about helping boys. Let's be honest, society on the whole remains driven by male standards, male stereotypes and gender bias. The simply fact that girls are dropping out of sport at such a much higher rate and no one seems to really worry about it should be proof enough of my statement. So sports if nothing else, might just level the playing field ( no pun intended) in giving young women the same access to opportunities. Everything I have written and will write on this post are equally applicable to boys and girls, but again, it is taken for granted as to why it helps boys. So how exactly do sports empower young women? Self-esteem and identity Trying lots of different activities helps young girls with self-discovery. If soccer isn’t for them, maybe hockey, swimming, basketball or one of the many other options are When a girl finds her niche and passion, confidence, identity, and self-esteem come with that. Adolescence is an insecure, awkward time. To have something that brings them joy can help carry girls through the tough teen years. Drive and goal-setting Finishing what we start is a challenge for most of us, especially kids. When girls are a part of a sport, they learn to push through the tired or disappointing times, and they finish strong. Coaches help them set achievable goals and practical steps to achieve them. They learn that hard work and responsibility lead to accomplishing goals and eventually dreams. Adults go to seminars, read self-help books, and hire life coaches all in hopes of learning to do this. When girls are involved in sports, this ability becomes second nature. Handling stress and pressure No matter what sport they choose, pressure and stress come along with it. Today’s teens are dealing with anxiety, challenging expectations, and more. Having the ability to cope is everything. Making friends and relating to different people Both in individual and team sports, athletes train with all kinds of personalities from all walks of life. They have to know how to speak to referees and coaches and know how to handle themselves professionally and with sportsmanship. They get lots of practice in understanding others that they will use throughout their lives. Being bold & taking risks Simply saying yes to trying something new takes guts. When you say yes over and over again, you learn to be bold in all aspects of your life. We’ve all heard the saying “the answer is always no if you don’t try.” This is the athlete's life. They try in team tryouts, when driving to the basket, and when doing triple pirouettes. They build up the ability to step out and try again. They cultivate the ability to push through the nerves to achieve. Resilience & developing a thick skin Girls face a lot of tough times. They can learn how to handle them in sports. Athletes fail over and over again, but over time they learn to dust it off and get back out there. They get injured, place second, and fail at a two-minute performance that they’ve been working for all year. It happens, but their passion gets them up again, and they learn how to be resilient. Envisioning the future Of course some girls might have the talent to get a university scholarship or even become an Olympic caliber athlete or even professional as adults. Even if they don’t go pro they can find careers within their athletic passions, and become a coach, physical therapist, sports medicine doctor, personal trainer, or one of the other many athletic professions that could come out of their years of training. When girls have a vision for the future, they are less likely to get lost in drugs and alcohol or become pregnant as a teen. They are also more likely to apply their work ethic to the classroom. They have an idea of where they are going and don’t want to get derailed. Overall health Athletes are encouraged to have healthy habits to perform at their highest potential. As girls create healthy habits in their physical activity and eating, they are more likely to maintain them into adulthood. There are not shortage of studies showing that regular exercise in childhood and adolescence increases the odds of staying physically active and healthy during adulthood. A support system I can you first hand that there is something really positive about a team dynamic. A group of individuals, having each other's backs is a beautiful thing. OF course this isn't gender specific but whereas on male teams the team dynamic is sometimes focused simply on sport ties, on the female side there is an element of social interaction that is very powerful. Girls are often forced to compete against one another for few positions in the workplace as adults. When our girls learn to work as a team and encourage one another to be their best it creates healthy relationships and the ability to support others in their adult lives. If we can agree the important role that sports can play in one's development, we have the obligation to create a positive environment that will encourage girls to stay in sport. It doesn't have to be that complicated and can start with a few simple first steps. Here are a few ways to keep their involvement positive:
Throughout girl's lives, they will experience these kinds of moments where they have to proof themselves and in many cases in manners that are unfair and not consistent with how their male counterparts will be expected to. When someone underestimates them, they will recognize the feeling, hold their heads high and with confidence, and take any challenge head on. The competitive edge, drive, resilience, ability to understand and work with others and so much more will carry them through their life’s journey on whatever path they choose. These are life skills that are invaluable and worth the countless carpools and snack duties. So I write this knowing I might be questioned about how I can write on a topic I can really know about, or how I can advocate for women in sport when " no one really cares about women's sport' but in the end, I can only worry about me, about sharing my opinions and hope that some, somewhere, agree with me and do their part of make things better.
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AuthorAfter many years of coaching at various levels and with different teams, I thought I would share some of my experiences and thoughts about coaching. Archives
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