Sport creates lifelong connections and allows participants to thrive in environments where they feel like they belong. According to the Power of Sport: The True Sport Report 2022, the rate of weekly sport participation for Canadian teens falls to 38% for girls, compared to 56% for boys. It’s particularly important to keep girls in sport, so our True Sport Champions shared some of their favourite engagement strategies.
Two Champions start by educating their athletes about the benefits of sport. They highlight not only the mental and physical health advantages, but also the life skills that are linked, like teamwork and sportsmanship. They model good sport and thus create an environment where girls can find a lasting love for sport.
Another Champion (who is also a coach) emphasizes the importance of meaningful connections with and among her athletes. She intentionally recognizes and values the diverse backgrounds and interests of every athlete, breaking down stereotypes and making sure each girl feels like she belongs. By creating opportunities for the team to bond, she encourages lasting friendships among the girls, establishing trust and support on and off the field.
Other Champions create an environment where skill development is balanced with an emphasis on keeping it fun! They encourage the girls to be active contributors, which builds their confidence and helps them thrive in their sport.
These Champions have shown their commitment to creating a future where every girl has the chance to excel. Explore the True Sport resources to find out how you too can be intentional about keeping girls in sport.
Learn more about True Sport resources
The 2023 World Ringette Championships are a True Sport Event!
The 2023 World Ringette Championships are coming to Canada and it’s a True Sport event! As the event host, Ringette Canada is dedicated to bringing awareness to the True Sport Principles and showing the international ringette community the importance of values-based sport. From October 29 to November 4, Calgary will host more than 350 athletes, coaches, and officials from five countries.
Share your excitement about the World Ringette Championships and show your support for the athletes on social media by using the #TrueSportMoments and #WRC2023 hashtags.
Read the Ringette Canada media release
Resources to Empower Girls and Women in Sport
Two campaigns presented by Canadian Women & Sport promote participation and encourage girls and women to stay in sport. Research shows that for every boy who drops out of sport, three girls do the same and over three quarters of women leaders report that lack of exposure to women coaches as role models limits girls’ sport participation. These campaigns provide coaches, parents, and athletes with resources to help reverse that trend and support equitable sport.
“She Belongs: Building Social Connection for Lasting Participation in Sport” provides coaches with practical recommendations to create social connection and better engage girls who are in the Learn to Train and Train to Train stages of the Long-Term Development in Sport and Physical Activity Framework (LTD).
“She’s Got It All” highlights the challenges that continue to prevent women and girls from staying in sport. This campaign feature is a collaboration between Canadian Women & Sport and True Sport that highlights how a True Sport approach can help keep women and girls involved in sport.
Fast and Female’s Sports Day the Girls’ Way (Ottawa)
On October 10, the energy was through the roof at the Fast and Female’s “Sports Day the Girls’ Way” event. Presented in collaboration with the Ottawa Sport and Entertainment Group Foundation, the event was attended by approximately 700 girls from across Ottawa who were eager to learn, be empowered, connect, and have fun! Participants were treated to a keynote speaker, an inspiring panel, hands-on activity stations, and a lineup of REAL (Relatable, Empowering, Active Leaders) Role Models, and much more.
The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport hosted a True Sport booth where Sarah and Liz challenged the girls to fun, interactive activities and provided them with resources and tools to help activate the True Sport Principles.
More about Sports Day the Girls’ Way
The True Sport Newsletter is a monthly e-newsletter that aims to inspire people to activate the True Sport Principles and to demonstrate how values-based sport benefits the sport system. If you enjoyed reading this, maybe someone else you know would like it too!