{"id":6075,"date":"2019-11-20T19:33:35","date_gmt":"2019-11-20T19:33:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/?p=6075"},"modified":"2025-07-09T08:20:07","modified_gmt":"2025-07-09T12:20:07","slug":"why-girls-drop-out-of-sports-more-often-than-boys","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/why-girls-drop-out-of-sports-more-often-than-boys\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Girls Drop out of Sports More than Boys"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Do_Girls_Drop_Out_of_Sports_More_Often_Than_Boys\"><\/span>Why Do Girls Drop Out of Sports More Often Than Boys?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/why-girls-drop-out-of-sports-more-often-than-boys\/#Why_Do_Girls_Drop_Out_of_Sports_More_Often_Than_Boys\" >Why Do Girls Drop Out of Sports More Often Than Boys?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/why-girls-drop-out-of-sports-more-often-than-boys\/#Related_Kids_Sports_Psychology_Articles\" >Related Kids Sports Psychology Articles:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/why-girls-drop-out-of-sports-more-often-than-boys\/#The_Confident_Sports_Kid\" >The Confident Sports Kid<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>Nancy Lough, a professor at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, says that girls drop out for numerous reasons&#8211;and some are related to gender stereotypes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIf you think about it from a social standpoint, there are a lot of messages for girls: \u2018This isn\u2019t the place for you,\u2019\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Girls are told they should be pretty not powerful. They feel <strong>pressure to conform<\/strong> to stereotypical gender roles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Boys, on the other hand, are encouraged to look powerful and sports provides for this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s a different set of messages given to girls than boys, depending on the cultures you are raised in. Some cultures are far<strong> less accepting of girls<\/strong> playing sports,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sometimes others will question the sexuality of female athletes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cFor example, if you\u2019re a softball player, people tell girls they must be gay or lesbian. This doesn\u2019t happen to boys,\u201d says Lough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But if it does happen during a critical time in girls\u2019 lives, they might step away from sports, says Lough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To help girls stay in sports, parents should leave the lines of <strong>communication<\/strong> open about gender stereotypes so girls can talk to them about these issues.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition, parents should avoid being critical. And they shouldn\u2019t let their personal identities get wrapped up in the success of a child.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt has to be fun. One of the biggest reasons kids quit: It\u2019s not fun anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When parents invest a lot of money and time into club-level sports, they often have expectations for kids. \u201cThe pressure is felt by the young athletes and they get overwhelmed,\u201d says Lough. \u201cThey think it\u2019s not fun anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rather than pressuring, parents need to think about how sports can boost kids\u2019 health, happiness and confidence, especially if they stay in sports for their entire lives, says Lough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Libsyn Player\" style=\"border: none\" src=\"\/\/html5-player.libsyn.com\/embed\/episode\/id\/21564428\/height\/90\/theme\/custom\/thumbnail\/yes\/direction\/forward\/render-playlist\/no\/custom-color\/4188b5\/\" height=\"90\" width=\"100%\" scrolling=\"no\"  allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"related-articles-on-hockey-mental-game\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Related_Kids_Sports_Psychology_Articles\"><\/span>Related Kids Sports Psychology Articles:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/why-girls-drop-out-of-sports-at-higher-rates-than-boys\/\"><strong>Why Girls Drop out of Sports at Higher Rates than Boys<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/girls-drop-out-rate-higher-than-boys\/\"><strong>Girls Drop Out Rate Higher Than Boys<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/helping-girls-feel-more-confident-in-sports\/\"><strong>Helping Girls Feel More Confident in Sports<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-f49818fa-7c7a-4ee3-b5ee-66581aad2c71\">*Subscribe to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/sports-psychology-podcast-by-peaksports-com\/id152566009\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>The Sports Psychology Podcast<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0on iTunes<br>*Subscribe to <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0ynyaalKxbnNmsoeL8gF5X?si=8224669de9b3435b\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>The Sports Psychology Podcast<\/strong><\/a> on Spotify<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Confident_Sports_Kid\"><\/span>The Confident Sports Kid <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kidssportspsychology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/the-confident-sports-kid-workbook250.jpg\" alt=\"Help Athletes Improve Confidence\" class=\"wp-image-2101\" style=\"width:148px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>When kids lack confidence, <strong>they doubt themselves, stop taking risks, play tentatively, and are hard on themselves<\/strong>. As a result, kids often lose their motivation to improve. Ultimately, these barriers keep them from enjoying sports and making the most of their physical talent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201c<strong>The Confident Sports Kid<\/strong>\u201d program is actually <strong>two programs: one<\/strong> that teaches sports parents how to boost their kids\u2019 confidence, and another that teaches young athletes age 8 to 18 <strong>how to improve their self talk, avoid negative thinking, overcome expectations that limit confidence<\/strong>, and much more. The program will help kids boost their confidence in sports and life\u2026and enjoy sports more.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-6feea2fc\">\n\n<a class=\"gb-button gb-button-148d177e gb-button-text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/the-confident-sports-kid-cd-program\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">GET DETAILS<\/a>\n\n\n\n<a class=\"gb-button gb-button-5827f924 gb-button-text\" href=\"https:\/\/shop.peaksports.com\/products\/the-confident-sports-kid-digital\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">BUY NOW<\/a>\n\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why Do Girls Drop Out of Sports More Often Than Boys? Nancy Lough, a professor at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, says that girls drop out for numerous reasons&#8211;and some are related to gender stereotypes. \u201cIf you think about it from a social standpoint, there are a lot of &#8230; <a title=\"Why Girls Drop out of Sports More than Boys\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/why-girls-drop-out-of-sports-more-often-than-boys\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Why Girls Drop out of Sports More than Boys\">Read Sport Psychology Tip<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3780,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,14],"tags":[577],"class_list":["post-6075","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports-parent-podcast","category-youth-sports-podcast","tag-girls-in-sports"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6075","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6075"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6075\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3780"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6075"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6075"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6075"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}