Young Girls In Sport*

We regularly hear experts commending the role that sport plays for young people, particularly as the UK has hit a devastating record for childhood obesity. However, according to the charity Women in Sport, 1.5 million fewer women and girls enjoy the physical, social and health benefits of sport and physical exercise than men.

I have teamed up with the Director of Sport at a co-educational preparatory school for children aged 2-13 years, to provide some insight into how the school is addressing this national issue and why sport is so important for girls from an early age.

Win at winning, be gracious in defeat

Participating in sport encourages girls to be competitive and experience the highs and lows associated with both winning and losing. If children enjoy success, as well as experiencing defeat, on the sports pitch, they will transfer this experience to other aspects of their life, such as maybe not being selected for a job interview or possibly not being nominated for a promotion at work.

Get The Right Equipment

If your daughter is playing sports in school, it’s fundemental that you ensure she has the right uniform and equipment when playing as it really brings the team together. Look for specialist stores online such as BatmintonHQ to kit her out before the school year starts.

Get social

Becoming involved in sport helps girls to forge strong friendships. If a girl moves to a new area, joining a sports club at school is a great way to find new friends. Girls who play team sports in particular learn how to interact with others and fine tune their ability to motivate their teammates in a positive way.

Play happy

Sport provides girls with one of many opportunities at school to have fun in a structured way that improves their physical abilities. Knowing that she is good at a given sport increases a girl’s confidence, improving her sense of well-being and overall happiness.

Nurturing sporting talent and helping girls to reach their full potential is essential to encouraging the ethos of the Women in Sport programme.