The Importance of Women and Girls in Sports

February 4, 2022

February 2, 2022, is National Girls & Women in Sports Day!  At Chelsea Piers, we understand the important role sports play in girls’ lives and are proud to provide a safe and supportive environment for girls and women to be empowered through sports.

In an effort to celebrate girls and women in sports we need to understand the important role sports play in their lives. According to the Women’s Sports Foundation:

• Girls and women who play sports have higher levels of confidence and self-esteem and lower levels of depression.
• Girls and women who play sports have a more positive body image and experience higher states of psychological well-being than girls and women who do not play sports.
• Sports provide training on critical skills necessary for success in the workplace such as teamwork, goal-setting, the pursuit of excellence in performance and other achievement-oriented behaviors.
• A joint study between Ernst and Young and ESPNW surveyed 400 women in executive positions and found that 94 percent of the female executives were former athletes. Fifty-two percent of female c-suite executives played collegiate sports, while 39 percent of women at the management level played collegiately.

According to the Women’s Sports Foundation research, girls between the ages of 6 and 9 are equally interested in sports as boys. However, by age 14, girls drop out of sport at a rate that is six times greater than boys. Girls and women simply do not receive the same positive reinforcement about their sports participation. How can we fix that?

• Give the gift of sport through equipment, classes and lessons
• Take our children to see women playing sports so that they can see a version of themselves excelling in sports
• Positive reinforcement when it comes to girls playing sports at any age

Our mission at Chelsea Piers is to transform lives by delivering exceptional sports and fitness experiences that promote a healthier, happier and more active lifestyle and to build a welcoming community where all feel empowered and connected. We celebrate our strong female athletes of all ages, coaches and staff for bringing their best and empowering the next generation every day.

Sources:

https://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/advocacy/benefits-sports-participation-girls-women/

https://www.teamsnap.com/blog/general-sports/national-girls-women-in-sports-day-stories

https://goodsport.me/welearn/society-is-better-with-girls-in-sports