Five Great Reasons for Girls to Play Sports
There is a well documented gender gap in sports participation in the UK, with significantly fewer girls than boys regularly playing a game like hockey or football. The reasons for this disparity are numerous and complicated, but there is one area of consensus among the experts: that girls should be encouraged to become involved in sports. There are five compelling reasons for this conclusion:
1. Fitness
Against a worrying backdrop of almost rampant childhood obesity, physical fitness is one of the more obvious objectives of girls playing a sport. Research shows that children are spending an increasing proportion of their leisure time indoors, perhaps engaged in such sedentary activities as computer games. Burning calories isn’t the only welcome side effect of exercise. A seven-a-side game of football, for instance, will work a girl’s heart, lungs and muscles, making her stronger and healthier.
2. Confidence
Being fit and healthy is a confidence booster in its own right, but, by practising and developing new skills, girls feel they are achieving goals. This point was highlighted by the hugely engaging Sport England “This Girl Can” campaign.
3. Life skills
Participating in a team sport such as netball, hockey or football necessitates co-operation, team work and industry. These are transferrable skills and attributes which will accompany your daughter in everything she does – from school work to raising her own family.
4. Stress management
Keeping active is known to help alleviate stress and help girls to manage everyday pressures, making her happier and healthier. There’s also the fun and laughter. It’s a relatively simple matter to organise a sport like football and there are discount football kits available at such suppliers as https://www.kitking.co.uk. As such, it’s not difficult to give girls the opportunity to play a sport and let off steam.
5. Education
Learning the rules and the physical skills necessary to achieve success in a game like football, for example, is one important way in which playing a sport can enhance a girl’s education. There is also persuasive evidence showing that girls who take part in sports tend to do better more generally at school. This has largely been attributed to the confidence your daughter will have gained through her outdoor pursuits. Teachers also find that girls who play sports display greater concentration and enthusiasm in class.
