Women have made huge strides in sports participation, but we still have a ways to go for gender equality.
On February 3, the United States celebrates the National Girls and Women in Sports Day, which aims to inspire girls and women to play, be active, and appreciate their power.
According to the Women’s Sports Foundation:
1 in 3
Girls aged 6-12 participate in sport on a regular basis
40%
of teen girls don’t actively participate in sport
$1.13m
The extra amount boys receive from sports opportunities when compared to girls.
When girls do play sports, the benefits are countless. Research finds sports help girls develop skills in leadership and teamwork, and improve their self-confidence.
Caption: Manisha Tailor, assistant head of coaching at the Queens Park Rangers Football Club (QPR). She’s the first woman and first person of South Asian heritage to hold the coaching role in English football.
“I got into football when I was eight years old. I come from a sporty family. My dad and mum were into sports, and I would play football with my twin brother. We would watch games at home, sit together, talk about football, watch the matches, and play.
I’m still trying to make a place for myself in football. I’ve come a long way, and that is thanks to courage, determination, perseverance, and resilience. You are often told that you have to have a certain type of personality, a certain type of character, because it’s a tough, ruthless, cutthroat industry. You have to be gritty. You need to be assertive. But you also need opportunities and people to help you along the way.”
