[hlnx1]

Participation in sport tends to drop during adolescence, and surveys in many countries show this drop is steeper for girls. The reasons are mostly about experience, not ability.

Common factors reported:

• Body image concerns and feeling self-conscious, especially in revealing kit
• Periods and puberty-related changes, and a lack of open conversation about them
• Feeling less competent or less valued than boys, or teams focused only on the most talented
• Changing social priorities and lack of friends in the sport

Background: the psychology of quitting.

What has helped keep teenage girls involved in your club or school?

[hlnx1]

Practical changes that address these factors: kit choices (for example shorts options or dark colours), private changing spaces, coaches who can talk comfortably about periods, and sessions where friendship and enjoyment come first.

Offering social or less competitive options alongside performance teams gives girls more reasons to stay.

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