Women and girls have traditionally participated in sports a lot less than their male counterparts. Although there are still barriers in place that many groups and governments are trying to break down to allow more women and girls to participate, there remain some barriers that women themselves have erected to keep themselves out. However, sport and physical activity remain just as important for females as it is for males. We will explore six reasons why sports are important to women and girls.
· Statistics have proven that female secondary school students who play sports on a school team are less likely to experience an unwanted pregnancy. They are also more likely to achieve better scores in academics and are also more likely to graduate from secondary school than female students who do not participate in a sport.
· As few as four hours of physical activity per week can reduce a teenage female’s risk of developing breast cancer by almost 60%.
· Of women who are over the age of 50, 40% suffer from osteoporosis or brittle bones. It is a fact that women who participate in sports are the least likely to develop osteoporosis. Mothers and grandmothers suffer from this dreaded disease because women were discouraged from participating in sports. Young women and girls should be encouraged to participate in physical activity to reduce the risk of osteoporosis later in life.
· Women and girls who participate in sports experience higher levels of self confidence and self esteem. They are less likely to suffer from depression.
· Women and girls who play sports possess a positive body image and are more psychologically healthy than those who do not play sports.
· A sport teaches many skills that a young woman will need to compete in the workplace. She must know several things in order to have a competitive edge. Skills such as performance excellence, goal setting, and team work are essential skills that men have learned from sports over the centuries. It has become critical that young ladies learn these skills also. It is not surprising that nearly 80% of Fortune 500 companies with female executives describe themselves as having been “tomboys” while growing up. These women were active in sport.
Our focus is not only to equalize the right for women and girls to participate in sports, but we should realise that sports can give our young girls and women the chance to benefit from the physical, psychological, and sociological attributes of the world of sports. Over the centuries, we have recognized the benefits of sports for our boys but have discouraged our girls from playing sports, and thus they miss out on some valuable opportunities for growth. Statistics tell us that a high percentage of our girls will never marry. They will be in the world alone fending for themselves. They will need the skills and abilities to become successful in the marketplace. What better way to learn these skills which will put them ahead and will help them stay healthy than having them participate in sports.
