Sport NZ to address declining numbers of teenage girls in sport

Sport New Zealand wants to combat the steep drop-off in girls participation in sport and active recreation with a campaign focused on helping young women feel confident, be part of the conversation and empower them to move their own way.

‘It’s My Move’ is a campaign developed to address declining physical activity levels in teenage girls.

Research undertaken by Sport NZ showed that by the age of 16, there is a 17 percent gap between male and female participation in sport and recreation in Aotearoa and by the age of 17, this increases to 28 percent.

While the research showed 90 percent of young women wanted to be active there were clear contributing factors to the decline in participation. These include body image, judgement, time pressures, motivation and loss of fun.

“We need to take the time to understand what young women want when it comes to participating in physical activity. We need to create environments in which they can thrive, and encourage, motivate and enable them to move in whatever way works for them,” Sport New Zealand chief executive, Raelene Castle said.

Active NZ research showed young women increasingly opt out of formal sporting environments as they grow older.

By age 17, the top three activities young women undertake are running, workouts and walking.

The impact of Covid-19 has also exacerbated participation challenges for young women, with the ongoing disruption to recreation and sporting activities and long periods of remote learning, particularly in Tamaki Makaurau.

Professor Holly Thorpe, from the School of Health at the University of Waikato, said during the pandemic, young women have taken to modifying where and how they participate.

“Kicking a soccer ball around in the backyard with siblings, learning to skateboard on the footpath, practicing TikTok dance routines and doing an online workout with friends are all great alternatives. Keeping moving for pleasure, learning, self-expression, connection with peers and physical fitness generally are more important than ever in our young women’s lives,” Thorpe said.

Photo: PHOTOSPORT

The campaign seeks to raise awareness of the reasons for the participation gap with parents and providers and equip them with strategies to better support female rangatahi.

“Many providers are aware of this and are already on the journey to addressing the factors that contribute to the decline in participation, but it’s time to take the conversation further,” Castle said.

“It is crucial that we recognise the value of sport and recreation in terms of physical and mental health and change the narrative around what type of activities count. All types of movement have value. It’s not just about competing.”

#itsmymove is being supported by a number of leading sporting figures, well-known parents and inspirational young women including Jess Quinn, Arizona Leger, Ella Williams, Irene Van Dyk, Wendy Petrie and April Ieremia who will be involved in the campaign over the coming months.

“As someone who struggled to find my way in the world of organised sport growing up and having dealt with body confidence issues myself, this campaign connected with me on a number of levels,” Quinn said.

Former Silver Fern and mum Van Dyk said physical activity was essential to holistic mental and physical wellbeing.

“You don’t have to be a gold medalist or a Silver Fern to feel the benefits. We need to encourage our daughters to move in any way that works for them.

“We know that in some cases, formal structured sporting environments can turn young women away because they are overly competitive. Winning is great, but as parents and as sporting professionals we need to recognise this and ensure that fun, friendship and social connection is at the core.”