Majority of young girls quit sports due to lack of confidence
Posted 01-13-2016 at 08:04 AM by DavidRaonic
There has been endless conversation around the unprecedented pressure youth feel to excel in sports. Instead of developing athletes at a healthy pace, the focus is now primarily on short-term success and winning. This paradigm shift and the pressure associated with it has taken the fun out of the game and leads youth to think that they are “not good enough” to continue. This feeling of inadequacy ultimately leads to decreased self-esteem and is especially detrimental to young girls, as they already experience a large decline in confidence during their teenage years.
The Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity has found that girls become less active as they transition from childhood to adolescence. In their teenage years, 70 per cent of girls are not active enough. What's more, 60 per cent of girls have quit sports and activities because of how they feel about their physical appearance. The drop-off rates for teenage girls in sports compared to boys is an alarming six to one ratio.
Canada's dairy farmers are taking on this pressing social issue with a multi-year women-in-sport initiative called Fuelling Women Champions (FWC). As champions of healthy living and playing an active role in their communities, the initiative's goal is to see that no hurdle exists that may hinder passion for the game and is dedicated to advancing women in sport. Canada's dairy farmers have partnered with Canadian bobsleigh champion, Kaillie Humphries among other notable organizations and female athletes. Humphries is acknowledged for breaking gender boundaries by being the first female athlete to compete in the four-man bobsleigh event.
“Female athletes should never feel that they're not adequate. I hope that the work I am doing with this program will serve to be a guiding light for women, encouraging the pursuit of sport and motivating them to continue breaking down barriers that still exist,” says Humphries.
The Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity has found that girls become less active as they transition from childhood to adolescence. In their teenage years, 70 per cent of girls are not active enough. What's more, 60 per cent of girls have quit sports and activities because of how they feel about their physical appearance. The drop-off rates for teenage girls in sports compared to boys is an alarming six to one ratio.
Canada's dairy farmers are taking on this pressing social issue with a multi-year women-in-sport initiative called Fuelling Women Champions (FWC). As champions of healthy living and playing an active role in their communities, the initiative's goal is to see that no hurdle exists that may hinder passion for the game and is dedicated to advancing women in sport. Canada's dairy farmers have partnered with Canadian bobsleigh champion, Kaillie Humphries among other notable organizations and female athletes. Humphries is acknowledged for breaking gender boundaries by being the first female athlete to compete in the four-man bobsleigh event.
“Female athletes should never feel that they're not adequate. I hope that the work I am doing with this program will serve to be a guiding light for women, encouraging the pursuit of sport and motivating them to continue breaking down barriers that still exist,” says Humphries.
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