Keeping Young Girls in Sport

There are 100 days until the greatest sporting event (in my opinion) - The Olympics.

According to Women in Sport, more than 1 million girls, or 43%, will give up sports in their teenage years.

It's a disturbing statistic but not entirely surprising when a local radio DJ questioned why people would watch women's sports the day after Iowa lost to South Carolina in the Women's Basketball National Championship. As a female athlete, a youth sports coach, and mom to a young female athlete, I'd be lying if I said it wasn't infuriating.

I'm a HGUE fan of the Olympics. But I'm also not going to pretend that I've been a faithful viewer of women's basketball all these years, even though I did clear my schedule to watch some of the 2024 final games. Ok, at least the Iowa games.

But I was lucky enough to grow up in Nashua, NH during the girls high school basketball 108-game winning streak. In 1987 they were ranked No. 1 in the nation and my neighbor across the street was a leading scorer.

In fact, she's a big part of this story because when she played for Duke (yes, The Duke) her team was in Boston for a tournament and they were heading to her house after the games for a dinner. I knew we were invited over after watching the game and I was determined to show the coach that I was a hard worker. My parents didn't put any limits on me practicing free throws and lay ups that night and I stayed out until the Duke vans drove by. Shooting hoops by the spotlight on the side of our garage.

I was star struck when we went over and I will never forget the head coach asking me what I got for grades. She took my name and address and I thought for sure I was being recruited. I was 12 years old by the way.

One of the best experiences of my life.

My neighbor and the coach helped set the bar for me. I was lucky to have positive, extremely athletic role models at a time when it wasn't easy to catch just any game.

Cut to 2024, I was struck by what both Caitlin Clark and Kate Martin said during their press conference after losing in the championship. They repeatedly expressed their passion for the game and the joy they experienced while playing.

Their message resonated with me. Seeing successful athletes who are unapologetically passionate about their craft sends a powerful message to young girls: you belong in sports, and your dreams are valid.

While there are numerous reasons why girls may drop out of sports - such as lack of confidence, fear of judgment, academic pressures, and menstrual cycles - there are equally compelling reasons to stay engaged. Sports offer invaluable lessons in teamwork, resilience, and self-confidence.

I want to be part of the solution that addresses the alarming dropout rate of girls in sports. It's critical that we amplify the voices of those who have defied the odds and found success in athletics.

I want to tell every little girl and teenager to pursue their passions fearlessly and remind them that they belong on the field, the court, and beyond.

Here are some women athletes I follow that I share lessons from with my own daughter...

Rebecca Rusch

Gabby Reece

Alexi Pappas

Caitlin Clark

Jennie Finch

Yolanda Neff

Lisa Fernandez

Mikayla Shiffrin

Jessie Diggins

Kate Courtney

Just to name a few....

With the Olympics only 100 days away, there are plenty of female athletes in a wide variety of sports to keep an eye on.

Our younger generations need to be able to watch women in sport. Luckily there are more opportunities now unlike 1987 - back when streaming games and competitions wasn't a thing.

So, are you with me? Will you be watching women's sports and sharing with the younger athletes in your life?

If you're wondering what happened to my college basketball career I'll let you know that I tried out for the volleyball team to help me get in shape for basketball season. And that's the sport I actually ended up playing in college. Obviously, letting Duke down... (kidding).