"I arrive at a sports hall as a group of 11 and 12-year-old girls play netball and laughter is ringing out. Their PE teacher, Liz Brown, says she is passionate about boosting their confidence through games like this and exercise. "Sport and PE is the vehicle. My real job is to create personalities, confidence and resilience," she tells me. As they move the ball around, shoot and practice, the students tell me that playing sport is helping with their mental as well as physical health."
"Research by the charity Women in Sport discovered that a million teenage girls, who enjoyed games at primary school, gave them up after moving on. A fear of feeling judged by others, a lack of confidence and not feeling safe outside were among the negative attitudes behind the decline, cited by the study. Back at the sports hall, at Perton Middle School in Staffordshire, near Wolverhampton, Ms Brown says she feels girls want to be part of sport."
Research by the charity Women in Sport found one million teenage girls who enjoyed games at primary school gave them up after moving on. Negative attitudes behind the decline include fear of being judged, low confidence and feeling unsafe outdoors. A PE teacher prioritizes boosting girls' confidence through games and exercise, and students report that playing sport improves both mental and physical health. Campaigns such as For the Girls and wider media coverage of the England Women's Rugby World Cup aim to provide visible role models, build community belonging and encourage girls to remain active and seek support when needed.
#girls-sport-participation #teenage-sport-dropout #confidence-and-mental-health #womens-rugby-world-cup
Read at www.bbc.com
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