{"id":6781,"date":"2020-09-23T18:05:21","date_gmt":"2020-09-23T18:05:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/?p=6781"},"modified":"2025-07-09T06:44:06","modified_gmt":"2025-07-09T10:44:06","slug":"helping-sports-girls-not-worry-about-looks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/helping-sports-girls-not-worry-about-looks\/","title":{"rendered":"Helping Sports Girls Not Worry About Looks"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/one-must-have-mental-game-strategy-to-help-young-athletes-excel-in-competition.jpg\" alt=\"Youth Sports Psychology\" class=\"wp-image-3630\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/one-must-have-mental-game-strategy-to-help-young-athletes-excel-in-competition.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/one-must-have-mental-game-strategy-to-help-young-athletes-excel-in-competition-300x150.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Body_Image_for_Girls_in_Sports\"><\/span>Body Image for Girls in Sports<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\/helping-sports-girls-not-worry-about-looks\/#Body_Image_for_Girls_in_Sports\" >Body Image for Girls in Sports<\/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\/helping-sports-girls-not-worry-about-looks\/#Positive_Self-Image\" >Positive Self-Image<\/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\/helping-sports-girls-not-worry-about-looks\/#Listen_to_the_Ultimate_Sports_Parent_Podcast\" >Listen to the Ultimate Sports Parent Podcast:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/helping-sports-girls-not-worry-about-looks\/#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-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/helping-sports-girls-not-worry-about-looks\/#The_Confident_Sports_Kid\" >The Confident Sports Kid<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>Kate T. Parker, a professional photographer and New York Times bestselling author of <em>The Heart of a Boy<\/em>&nbsp;and <em>Strong is the New Pretty<\/em>, says that in the youth sports world, <strong>girls grapple with body image challenges.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In an interview with Ultimate Sports Parent Radio, the ironman and former collegiate soccer player said that the photographs she sees of girls in sports rarely look like her daughters when they play soccer.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI noticed when I started taking pictures, I\u2019d look around, most of the images of little girls, their hair was done and they were smiling. They didn\u2019t look like my girls. I wanted to capture images of what they look like, muddy, with crazy outfits, hair not done.\u201d She worries that the pictures of girls in sports with their hair and face looking perfect create the wrong impression for girls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Her message for sports parents and girls in sports: <strong>Girls are beautiful when they\u2019re not all done up.<\/strong> They\u2019re also beautiful if they develop big muscles.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI remember growing up and being frustrated that my jeans didn\u2019t fit right; I had soccer legs, my jeans fit my thighs, but gapped at the waist. I was frustrated and embarrassed by that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Positive_Self-Image\"><\/span>Positive Self-Image<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As she got older, she realized that if her legs weren\u2019t so muscular, she couldn\u2019t achieve the goals she wanted to achieve&#8211;becoming an ironman, for instance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s important for girls to recognize that y<strong>our body looks a certain way because of what you\u2019re demanding of it<\/strong>,\u201d she tells girls in sports. \u201cYou shouldn\u2019t be embarrassed.\u201d Feeling proud of their bodies helps girls feel confident in sports&#8211;and life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Parents can help boost confidence in girls in sports by refraining from commenting on their bodies in negative ways. Moms should avoid talking about their own bodies in negative ways. They shouldn\u2019t talk about how they need to lose weight or diet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIf you have a <strong>positive body image<\/strong> of yourself and are healthy, it trickles down to your kids,\u201d Parker says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The body image issue for girls is \u201cpretty pervasive,\u201d she says. At some point, most girls grapple with concerns about what their bodies look like, especially if they\u2019re in gymnastics or swimming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cParents have to be careful about what they say. All you can do is feed their brains as much positivity as you can,\u201d says Parker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Parker tells her daughters every day that they\u2019re beautiful, especially when they wake up in the morning and haven\u2019t brushed their hair. \u201cBeauty is who they are instead of what\u2019s on the outside,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Listen_to_the_Ultimate_Sports_Parent_Podcast\"><\/span>Listen to the Ultimate Sports Parent Podcast:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Libsyn Player\" style=\"border: none\" src=\"\/\/html5-player.libsyn.com\/embed\/episode\/id\/21564374\/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\/sports-parents-watch-your-body-language\/\"><strong>Sports Parents, Watch Your Body Language with Your Young Athletes<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-to-care-about-athletes-mental-health\/\"><strong>How to Care About Athletes\u2019 Mental Health<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/parent-how-to-support-your-female-athlete\/\"><strong>Parent: How to Support your Female Athlete<\/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>Body Image for Girls in Sports Kate T. Parker, a professional photographer and New York Times bestselling author of The Heart of a Boy&nbsp;and Strong is the New Pretty, says that in the youth sports world, girls grapple with body image challenges. In an interview with Ultimate Sports Parent Radio, &#8230; <a title=\"Helping Sports Girls Not Worry About Looks\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/helping-sports-girls-not-worry-about-looks\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Helping Sports Girls Not Worry About Looks\">Read Sport Psychology Tip<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5954,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[647],"class_list":["post-6781","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports-parent-podcast","tag-body-image-for-girls"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6781","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=6781"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6781\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5954"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6781"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6781"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6781"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}