Women In Sport Data Shows Lockdown Impact On Girls In Sport
Women in Sport has released a new suite of research which shows how the pandemic has impacted the lives of teenage girls, and their relationship to sport.
The Comic Relief-funded study shows that the vast majority of teenage girls place a higher value on exercise and physical activity than they did before, with some 82% of girls saying they will put more effort into being active when restrictions are lifted.
Meanwhile, more than half (52%) said that physical activity was more important than ever. 55% said being active made them happier, with 54% reporting less stress after exercise.
However, the charity’s study also shows that 51% were concerned about losing their fitness, with 45% also worried that they would find it difficult returning to sport after the pandemic.
On the back of the numbers, Women in Sport says it is calling for more recognition of the importance of sport and exercise for girls as restrictions are lifted, highlighting the fact that, even prior to the pandemic, by the age of 14, one in four girls report ‘high levels’ of depressive symptoms, compared to one in ten for boys.
The charity has also called for direct action to be taken once restrictions are lifted to help alleviate the problems the demographic will face. It has urged schools, leisure providers and sports organisations to ‘put girls at the heart’ of their programming and local authorities to ensure outdoor spaces are safe and accessible to girls.
“Society needs to wake up to the reality that teenage girls need sport and exercise as much as anyone,” said Stephanie Hilborne, CEO, Women in Sport.
“Girls have been denied access to sport and exercise for far too long. The needs of girls are often ignored because when they are unfulfilled, unexpressed, and unhappy it is not necessarily society that bears the cost, but their own mental health.
“The teenage girls who have experienced the pandemic deserve to benefit from an injection of sporting energy as they emerge, and we’re determined to make sure that can happen.”
According to the study, online exercise has been an area that sparked interest among girls, however it has also shown that it was often not tailored and engaging enough to meet their needs.
Some 70% said online exercise needed to be more fun, with 44% calling for more sociable / interactive classes. Women in Sport has called on the industry to ensure that positive exercise habits developed during lockdown are not lost among those who weren’t active pre-pandemic, but has also highlighted the need for those who were to be re-engaged.
