--- title: "Back to Basics: Leading with Belonging and Opportunity" description: As leaders, when we commit to equity, belonging, and development-first environments, we don’t just build stronger girls - we build stronger futures. image: https://www.coachingher.com/hubfs/blog_header%20(9).png --- [Skip to content](https://www.coachingher.com/the-coaching-her-journal/leading-belonging-opportunity#main-content) [![Copy of coachingher_logo_rgb](https://www.coachingher.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Copy%20of%20coachingher_logo_rgb.png?width=2830&height=929&name=Copy%20of%20coachingher_logo_rgb.png "Copy of coachingher_logo_rgb")](https://coachingher.com) - About - [About Coaching HER](https://www.coachingher.com/about-coaching-her) - [Collaborators](https://www.coachingher.com/collaborators) - [Tucker Center](https://www.coachingher.com/tucker-center) - Engage - [Learning & Community](https://www.coachingher.com/learning-and-community) - [Organizational Champions](https://www.coachingher.com/champions) - [Educational Champions](https://www.coachingher.com/educational-champions-start) - [Types of Champions](https://www.coachingher.com/champion-types) - [Consulting & Advisory](https://www.coachingher.com/consulting) - [Invest in HER](https://www.coachingher.com/invest-in-her) - Resources - [Explore FREE Courses](https://www.coachingher.com/courses) - [Articles, Guides, and News](https://www.coachingher.com/the-coaching-her-journal) - [FAQ](https://www.coachingher.com/faq) - [Publications](https://www.coachingher.com/scholarlypublications) - [Videos](https://www.coachingher.com/the-coaching-her-journal/videos) - [Newsletter Archive](https://www.coachingher.com/newsletter) - [Contact Us](https://www.coachingher.com/contact-us) - [![Start Your FREE Course Today](https://hubspot-no-cache-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/46527152/interactive-340950391497.png)](https://cta-na2.hubspot.com/web-interactives/public/v1/track/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLIKbybnh6qQucl2SR%2F17FMqTgui%2BYPw3kEof%2BQB3RzRoUtlnOoJdZxJAHiluhscTYoYT5rgpwJtFsPkdEFD93adHUme3KZQD3sg3raqJjHzuYSHHlft8gkq1EE23j%2B8dttJKCawFVpyv5DRyqDfxhSbeiX5KmhgFZgBh9iPUoVx3L299ynWFwzJUdJwAc%2ByfSWDi0idLQ%3D%3D&webInteractiveContentId=340950391497&portalId=46527152) ☰ # Back to Basics: Leading with Belonging and Opportunity [By The Coaching HER® Team](https://www.coachingher.com/the-coaching-her-journal/author/by-the-coaching-her-team) September 2025 ![Back to Basics: Leading with Belonging and Opportunity](https://www.coachingher.com/hs-fs/hubfs/blog_header%20(9).png?width=1200&height=675&name=blog_header%20(9).png) [Download a printable PDF >>](https://www.coachingher.com/hubfs/Leaders%20Best%20Practice%20Content/Back%20to%20Basics%20Leading%20with%20Belonging%20Leaders%20Sept%202025.pdf) September, or anytime it's needed, can be a time to hit the reset button in sport — a chance for leaders to re-ground in the fundamentals that matter most. Strong seasons don’t start with rankings or results; they start with creating spaces where every girl feels she belongs. Girls who feel they belong are three times more likely to stay in sport (Canadian Women & Sport, 2021), and yet by age 14, they drop out at twice the rate of boys (Women’s Sports Foundation, 2018; Canadian Women & Sport, 2021). As a sport leader, you set the tone. Girls thrive in environments where they are seen, heard, and supported. Inclusive, body-positive team cultures show 25% higher retention (Canadian Women & Sport, 2024). Representation also matters: when girls see women in leadership, retention improves by 33% (Women in Sport, 2021). And when girls feel heard by their coaches, they are 2.5× more likely to stay in sport (Aspen Institute Project Play, 2024). ## What Leaders Can Do This Season: - **Align Policies With Equity:** Review uniforms, scheduling, and Uniform policies that don’t account for comfort or religious dress disproportionately push girls out (Canadian Women & Sport, 2022). - **Boost Visibility:** Representation 80% of girls say they would stay in sport longer if they had role models (Canadian Women & Sport, 2022). Highlight women coaches and leaders in your communications, events, and recognition programs. - **Invest in Coach Education:** Less than half of coaches have ever received training on gender equity, body image, or mental health (Canadian Women & Sport, 2022). Leaders can change that by requiring girl-centered training, which is proven to strengthen girls’ confidence, safety, and belonging (Tucker Center Research Report, 2018). - **Make Listening a Habit:** Encourage coaches to ask girls what they need to feel safe and Research shows 80% of girls cite a positive coach relationship as the top reason they keep playing (Aspen Institute Project Play, 2024). - **Celebrate Belonging, Not Just Winning:** 70% of youth quit sport by age 13, most often due to lack of fun or exclusion (Project Play, 2024). Make recognition for inclusive, joyful environments as visible as championship This season, going “back to basics” means remembering that your first job is keeping girls in the game. When we commit to equity, belonging, and development-first environments, we don’t just build stronger girls — we build stronger futures. #### References - Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport (2018). [Tucker Center Research Report: Developing Physically Active Girls: An Evidence-based Multidisciplinary Approach](https://tuckercenter.umn.edu/research#230548828-999145462) - Aspen Institute Project Play (2024). [State of Play Report](https://projectplay.org/state-of-play-2024-introduction) - EY Women Athletes Business Network & espnW. (2014). [Where will you find your next leader?](https://www.ey.com/content/dam/ey-unified-site/ey-com/en-au/campaigns/athlete-programs/documents/ey-where-will-you-find-your-next-leader.pdf) - Canadian Women & Sport. (2022). The Rally Report 2022: [A Call for Better, Safer Sport for Girls](https://womenandsport.ca/rally-report-2022/) - Canadian Women & Sport (2024). The Rally Report 2024: [A Call to Reimagine Sport so All Girls Can Play](https://womenandsport.ca/rally-2024/#rally2024download) - Women in Sport (2022). [Reframing Sport for Teenage Girls. Tackling Teenage Disengagement](https://womeninsport.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/2022-Reframing-Sport-for-Teenage-Girls-Tackling-Teenage-Disengagement.pdf) - Women in Sport (2023). [Sport, Stereotypes And Stolen Dreams Why Girls Still Feel They Don’t Belong In Sport](https://womeninsport.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/SportStereotypes-and-Stolen-Dreams_exec-Summary.pdf) - Women’s Sports Foundation (2020). ["Keeping Girls in the Game: Factors that Influence Sport Participation"](https://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Keeping-Girls-in-the-Game-Executive-Summary-FINAL-web.pdf)   ## Related Guides - ![Listening to Girls:Turning Feedback into Engagement](https://www.coachingher.com/hs-fs/hubfs/leaders_guide_dec2025.png?width=1200&height=628&name=leaders_guide_dec2025.png) - ![Seeing Every Girl: Turning Data Into Inclusion](https://www.coachingher.com/hs-fs/hubfs/leaders_guide_nov2025.png?width=1200&height=628&name=leaders_guide_nov2025.png) - ![Coaching the Coaches: Investing in Those Who Invest in Girls](https://www.coachingher.com/hs-fs/hubfs/leaders_guide_oct2025.png?width=1200&height=628&name=leaders_guide_oct2025.png) [For Leaders](https://www.coachingher.com/the-coaching-her-journal/tag/for-leaders) ![Foundational_course_badge](https://www.coachingher.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Foundational_course_badge.png?width=70&height=70&name=Foundational_course_badge.png) ### Foundational Course Understand how girls develop, challenge gender stereotypes and bias, recognize diverse identities, and apply practical strategies that better support girls throughout their sport experience. [Learn More](https://learn.coachingher.com/page/7003/foundation) More ways to get involved ### Subscribe to The Coaching HER® Newsletter Sign-up to receive The Coaching HER® Playbook, featuring the latest resources, research, tools, and news delivered directly to your inbox. Email Address     ### Wear Your Support Show your commitment to creating better sport experiences for girls. The Coaching HER® collection includes apparel and merchandise that help coaches, leaders, and advocates share the message that every girl deserves to feel supported, valued, and included in sport. [Explore the Coaching HER® Store](https://www.mnalumnimarket.com/collections/coaching-her-collection) ### Invest in HER Support Coaching HER® to help keep girls in sport. Make a gift today and be part of the movement. [Invest in HER](https://makingagift.umn.edu/give/yourgift.html?&cart=20374) ## Read More [![](https://www.coachingher.com/hs-fs/hubfs/blog_header%20(4).png?width=352&name=blog_header%20(4).png)](https://www.coachingher.com/the-coaching-her-journal/bias-aware-coaching) [Coaching With Perspective: How Trish & Corey Kennedy Model Athlete-Centered, Bias-Aware Coaching](https://www.coachingher.com/the-coaching-her-journal/bias-aware-coaching) [![](https://www.coachingher.com/hs-fs/hubfs/leaders_guide_may2026-1.png?width=352&name=leaders_guide_may2026-1.png)](https://www.coachingher.com/the-coaching-her-journal/period-friendly-playbook) [The Period-Friendly Playbook: A Leader’s Guide to Removing the Barriers Girls Shouldn’t Have to Navigate](https://www.coachingher.com/the-coaching-her-journal/period-friendly-playbook) [![](https://www.coachingher.com/hs-fs/hubfs/blog_header%20(5).png?width=352&name=blog_header%20(5).png)](https://www.coachingher.com/the-coaching-her-journal/empowering-girls-engagement) [Empowering Girls’ Engagement: Doing What We Can, Where We Are](https://www.coachingher.com/the-coaching-her-journal/empowering-girls-engagement) [![](https://www.coachingher.com/hs-fs/hubfs/blog_header-2.png?width=352&name=blog_header-2.png)](https://www.coachingher.com/the-coaching-her-journal/reflecting-beyond-scoreboard) [The Five Environments She Played In: A Coach’s Guide to Reflecting Beyond the Scoreboard](https://www.coachingher.com/the-coaching-her-journal/reflecting-beyond-scoreboard) [![](https://www.coachingher.com/hs-fs/hubfs/champions_spotlight_usahockey-1.png?width=352&name=champions_spotlight_usahockey-1.png)](https://www.coachingher.com/the-coaching-her-journal/usa-mass-hockey) [Creating Period-Friendly Spaces on the National Stage](https://www.coachingher.com/the-coaching-her-journal/usa-mass-hockey) [![](https://www.coachingher.com/hs-fs/hubfs/champions_guide_oct2025-1.png?width=352&name=champions_guide_oct2025-1.png)](https://www.coachingher.com/the-coaching-her-journal/snowsports-in-america-leverage-coaching-her) [Snowsports in America Leverage Coaching HER®](https://www.coachingher.com/the-coaching-her-journal/snowsports-in-america-leverage-coaching-her) [![](https://www.coachingher.com/hs-fs/hubfs/parents_guide_feb2026-2.png?width=352&name=parents_guide_feb2026-2.png)](https://www.coachingher.com/the-coaching-her-journal/building-confidence-at-home) [Building Confidence at Home and on the Field: A Parent’s Guide](https://www.coachingher.com/the-coaching-her-journal/building-confidence-at-home) [![](https://www.coachingher.com/hs-fs/hubfs/blog_header%20(11).png?width=352&name=blog_header%20(11).png)](https://www.coachingher.com/the-coaching-her-journal/listening-feedback-engagement) [Listening to Girls:Turning Feedback into Engagement](https://www.coachingher.com/the-coaching-her-journal/listening-feedback-engagement) [![](https://www.coachingher.com/hs-fs/hubfs/blog_iyca.png?width=352&name=blog_iyca.png)](https://www.coachingher.com/the-coaching-her-journal/iyca) [The International Youth Coaching Association Supports Better Coaching for HER](https://www.coachingher.com/the-coaching-her-journal/iyca) [![](https://www.coachingher.com/hs-fs/hubfs/blog_header%20(2).png?width=352&name=blog_header%20(2).png)](https://www.coachingher.com/the-coaching-her-journal/data-inclusion) [Seeing Every Girl: Turning Data Into Inclusion](https://www.coachingher.com/the-coaching-her-journal/data-inclusion) [![](https://www.coachingher.com/hs-fs/hubfs/blog_header%20(3).png?width=352&name=blog_header%20(3).png)](https://www.coachingher.com/the-coaching-her-journal/ngwsd-leaders-impact) [How Leaders Can Use National Girls & Women in Sports Day to Drive Impact](https://www.coachingher.com/the-coaching-her-journal/ngwsd-leaders-impact) [![](https://www.coachingher.com/hs-fs/hubfs/leaders_guide_feb2026-2.png?width=352&name=leaders_guide_feb2026-2.png)](https://www.coachingher.com/the-coaching-her-journal/accidentally-driving-girls-away) [Is Your Organization Accidentally Driving Girls Away From Sport?](https://www.coachingher.com/the-coaching-her-journal/accidentally-driving-girls-away) - 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