Regular participation in physical activity provides significant health benefits for children such as obesity prevention, improved mental health, cardiovascular fitness, bone health, and even improved quality of sleep. The Centers for Disease Control recommends that kids get at least 60 minutes of moderate-vigorous physical activity per day to reap those benefits, and when girls don’t participate, they miss out.
Young girls face significant societal demands and stresses, so managing their mental health is paramount, and engaging in youth sports is one excellent way to do that. We spoke with Melissa Moyer, an Enterprise Director of Therapy and Rehabilitation from Sanford Health, to learn more about the importance of physical activity for girls of all ages and how to motivate them.
What are the benefits of participating in sports?
“Aside from the physical health benefits of staying active, sports enhance the psychosocial development in girls. Girls that play sports have improved self-esteem, decreased likelihood of substance abuse and depression, decreased teenage pregnancies, and learn resilience early on in life,” Melissa says. Other benefits include:
- Growth opportunities: A challenging and competitive environment is a great way to grow and develop as an athlete and as a person. You don’t know what enormous things you are capable of achieving until you are put in a position where you have to try to accomplish something of enormity.
- Unlearning perfectionism: Engaging in sports gives plenty of opportunities to be exposed to challenges. It encourages learning to recover from failure and finding out what successes an athlete can achieve.
How has physical activity impacted Melissa’s life?
“Physical activity has always been an important aspect of my life. Running, more specifically, has always helped decrease daily stressors, improve my eating habits, improve my mental focus at work, and help improve my sleep at night. I also take pride in modeling this behavior for my two young girls, ages 11 and 13.”
What is Melissa’s motivational advice for girls and women in athletics?
“My advice would be to stay active doing something that brings you joy. For young girls, it’s important to try many different sports in order to find your true passion. For long-term athleticism and enjoyment of sports, don’t specialize in sports at a young age. If you choose activities that bring you joy, you will be likely to stay active throughout life.”
If you’re trying to motivate a young girl in your life to try sports or get involved, try one of these tips:
- Teach her that physical activity is important for short-term and long-term health. Being part of a sports team and staying physically active can help with mental health and even reduce the likelihood of developing diabetes and heart disease later in life.
- Be a role model. The fear of judgment can be a barrier to participation. Show the young girl in your life that you participate in sports or physical activity and that you enjoy it! This doesn’t mean you have to be the best athlete. What is most important is that you model the behavior and be honest with her about how it makes you feel. Talk about being confident in your body but remain open to hearing any concerns she might have about it.
- Get social. Search for local opportunities, classes, and activities that may have girls of similar age. Making friends and having fun while playing sports has been shown to increase participation for girls in sports. The role of friendship in sports should not be underestimated.
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