To keep girls in sport, the environment created matters far more than the final score.
The data demands attention: according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), girls' team sport participation plummets by nearly 34% from youth through early adulthood—declining at roughly double the rate of boys. A major driver behind this exodus is team culture. In spaces dominated by constant peer evaluation, girls get trapped in a comparison game where they feel they can never win. Research confirms that environments fueled by comparison put adolescent girls at significantly higher risk of dropping out, particularly when their perceived athletic competence is undermined (Gredin et al., 2022).
Coaches hold the power to reverse this trend by establishing a caring climate where effort and personal improvement are intentionally valued and recognized.
This requires shifting the spotlight away from teammate-versus-teammate comparisons and anchoring it directly to what each athlete can control. Effective coaching means praising the grit behind a failed attempt, celebrating the courage it takes to try a new skill, and measuring an athlete's growth against her own baseline rather than the player standing next to her. When coaches consistently praise personal progress, win or lose, they do not lower the standard—they elevate confidence, validate unique contributions, and help keep girls in the game.
Learn more about how to praise her progress in our Coaching HER® Caring Climate Course Module: Effort and Improvement are Valued and Recognized.
Gredin, N. V., Back, J., Johnson, U., et al. (2022). Exploring psychosocial risk factors for dropout in adolescent female soccer. Science and Medicine in Football, 6, 668–674. https://doi.org/10.1080/24733938.2022.2088843
Sports & Fitness Industry Association. (2026). 2026 U.S. trends in team sports report: Youth & young adult participation. Silver Spring, MD: SFIA. https://sfia.org/resources/youth-team-sports-participation-reaches-record-high-as-sfia-unveils-age-by-age-analysis/