Why Teen Girls Are Quitting Sport – And 5 Ways To Keep Them In The Game

More than 1.3 million teen girls who once considered themselves “sporty” disengage from sport after primary school.

Parents editor at HuffPost UK

The data around how many girls end up falling out of love with, and ultimately, stop engaging with, sport is damning.

More than 1.3 million teenage girls in the UK who once considered themselves “sporty” disengage from sport after primary school, according to Women in Sport.

Research from the Youth Sport Trust also found enjoyment of PE dropped from 86% among girls aged seven to eight to just 56% by ages 14 to 15.

Another survey – this time by ASICS – found 64% of UK girls drop out of sport before they turn 16. It’s a bleak trend that will impact girls’ physical and mental wellbeing both in the short and long-run.

What are the barriers to girls sticking with sport?

The Youth Sport Trust highlighted lack of confidence, having their period and being watched by others as key barriers for girls, while Women In Sport’s research listed a fear of feeling judged by others, lack of confidence, pressures of schoolwork, and not feeling safe outside as major hurdles.

ASICS found another key barrier appears to be what girls wear, with 70% of 14- to 16-year-old girls surveyed saying they would be more likely to participate in school PE lessons if........

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