Further Resources and Reading

Dive deeper into the research on what supports and limits women’s participation in sport.
Dive deeper into the research on what supports and limits women’s participation in sport.
What do women want? To ride a bike without fear of injury and harassment, opens in a new tab, Monash University, (27 March 2023). A new study by Monash University has uncovered both why this is the case, and how it can be reversed. The study found that women experience extra barriers and concerns about riding a bike, on top of those also reported by men, including a fear of falling off their bike and into motor vehicle traffic, concerns about their personal safety in unsafe environments, and being made to feel inadequate as a cyclist.
This Girl Can Insight: The fundamentals, opens in a new tab, Sport England, (2023). Research has revealed that the fear of judgement is a significant barrier to women getting active - which can be divided into three key themes, both practical and emotional: Ability - 41% of women say they are worried about not being fit enough, while 28% worry about not being good enough. Appearance - 24% worry about being sweaty, and 20% worry about wearing tight sports clothing. Priorities - 31% of women say that not having enough time makes it difficult for them to increase the amount of physical activity and exercise they do.
This Girl Can: The Enjoyment Gap, opens in a new tab, Sport England, (2023). We’ve identified four action areas where we believe we can dial up enjoyment levels for women and shrink the enjoyment gap once and for all. SOCIAL: 51% of women say they enjoy the social side of activity. SUITABLE: 18% of women say they choice of facilities, activities or classes they can access doesn't suit their lifestyle. SELF-AFFIRMING: 23% of women don't feel comfortable in themselves exercising. SAFE: 1 in 5 women say they worry about their safety while working out.
Helping women say 'yes' to golf, opens in a new tab, Lindsay Knowlton, Iron Lady Golf, SIRC blog, (2 July 2021). Unfortunately, golf courses aren’t always perceived as welcoming places for women. In my experience, golf communities that work well for women, especially for beginners, are communities where rulebooks and scorecards take a back seat to fun. They’re safe and inclusive environments that allow women to spend time outside with friends and improve their game at the same time. They create a feeling of belonging, places where laughter and discussions about life, work and what to order at the clubhouse are most often heard across the fairway.
Census 2019: Women and girls drive huge increase in football participation, opens in a new tab, Football Australia, (11 March 2020). The number of women and girls playing football has risen to record numbers, as football participation in Australia climbed to more than 1.95 million in 2019, with females now representing 22% of players.
Gym harassment: how sexism, stalking and surveillance stop women working out, opens in a new tab, Sirin Kale, The Guardian, (3 February 2020). Last week the story of one woman’s harassment went viral after her gym responded dismissively. Here, others speak out about the unwanted attention they have received.
Why Girls Play Sports: Are Girls Motivated Differently in Various Parts of the World?, opens in a new tab, Global Nomads World, (26 November 2019). The author raises questions about different motivations to participate in sport in Europe and based on a program in India. In Europe, key motivators included: keeping fit; improving physical appearance; controlling weight; maintaining health; and relaxation. In India, the girls reported wanting to feel strong, confident and safe and have fun. Activities of choice were different between European and Indian groups. The author concludes by saying that, 'Undoubtedly, as grassroots girls sports programs continue to grow and flourish in different parts of the world, it will be very important to better understand the needs and motivations of different groups in order to best develop girls sports programs to help serve these needs'.
Suncorp Australian Youth and Confidence Research 2019, opens in a new tab, Suncorp Australia, (May 2019). In 2017, Suncorp partnered with Netball Australia to launch Team Girls, an initiative to build a nation of confident girls in sport. This movement was a response to the 2017 Suncorp Australian Youth and Confidence Research. In 2019, they conducted the same research again. The results indicated that Australian girls aged 11-17 are significantly less active than boys the same age, less likely to play sport and more likely to stop playing sport. One in 3 girls stopped playing sport because they thought they weren't good at it, but many also felt that sport could make them more confident. Parents believed that sport is a key confidence booster for girls and admitted that their daughters were not doing enough physical activity. The influence of families and friends in supporting girls to be active was recognised by both parents and children.
Improving women’s physical activity in the City of Casey: Breaking down barriers using co-design participatory research, opens in a new tab, Meghan Casey, Rochelle Eime, Joanne Porter, Report to Active Communities, City of Casey, PASI, Federation University, (2024). This research project actively engaged culturally diverse women to identify barriers and design physical activity programs in the City of Casey. Women's perspectives, needs and preferences were central to the (re)development of community programs. It provides evidence-based information for council decision-making to strategically invest in ways that improve women’s physical activity and contribute to their health and wellbeing. Some key highlights include:On average women who participated in the co-design workshops and were surveyed on how the program impacted their physical activity were satisfied with the range of physical activity offerings and reported improving their physical health including increasing their physical activity by 34 minutes/week.
Things that helped women in the focus groups get active: Inclusion of children / childminding; activities that align with cultural identity; bringing friends (participating in a group); accessible (location and cost); and flexible commitments.
What else is needed: Communication that addresses women's hesitation to attend (e.g. photos or videos of the program might address the feeling that 'I don't know what it's going to look like, and that makes me apprehensive...). Help to address misconceptions about available programs and what council provides, as well as increasing women's confidence to participate, especially health and injury concerns.
Recommendations for how co-design can be used to inform program delivery and sustainability.
Girls Active National Reports 2024, opens in a new tab, Youth Sports Trust, (2024). The Youth Sport Trust have been conducting a Girls Active Survey since 2016, finding out what the barriers, motivations and perceptions are for UK girls in PE, physical activity and sport, both in and outside of school and how these differ to boys. In 2024 over 15,000 young people took part in the survey. Some of this year’s key results: Nearly two thirds of girls (62%) want to be more active in school but there are barriers that stop them taking part such as not being confident, having their period and being watched by others.
The most common barriers to being active at school for boys were not being confident, when it's outside and not nice weather, can't be bothered, not enjoying, or being good at it.
The number of girls enjoying PE drops notably throughout school life: 86% of girls age 7 to 8 enjoy PE, compared to 56% of girls age 14 to 15; 46% of girls age 14-15 report a lack of confidence stops them being more active at school compared with 26% of girls aged 7-8.
Only 1 in 4 girls aged 11-13 feel confident in their PE kit, a drop from 65% aged 7-8. 58% of girls want more PE kit options compared to just 29% of boys.
Having fun, being with friends and getting fit and healthy are the top three motivations for girls and boys to take part in sport, physical activity and PE at school.
When asked who they would prefer to teach their PE and sport at school, secondary school girls were most likely to say A female teacher/coach, followed by I don’t mind, and A male teacher/coach. When including all ages/grades girls either 'didn't mind' (53%), would prefer a female teacher/coach (43%), or would prefer a male teacher or coach (4%). 63% of boys didn't mind if their PE/sport teacher was male or female, although 32% would prefer a male teacher, and 4% a female teacher.
More than 50% of girls agreed that they: understand why being active is good for me (88%), feel good when I do physical activity (66%); are inspired when they see females being successful in sport (61%) - 39% are also inspired by males who are successful in sport; are happy with the amount of physical activity they do (57%), would like to have a say in the activities we do in PE and after school clubs (53%).
More than 50% of boys agreed that they: understand why being active is good for me (91%), feel good when I do physical activity (83%); are inspired when they see males being successful in sport (65%) - 41% are also inspired by females who are successful in sport; are happy with the amount of physical activity they do (76%), would like to have a say in the activities we do in PE and after school clubs (64%). Boys were also more likely to agree that they like competitive PE lessons (71% compared to 50% of girls)
Both girls and boys reported preferring single sport groups for sport, physical activity and physical education. Girls: 66% girls only; 20% don't mind, 14% mixed; Boys: 61% boys only, 26% don't mind, 12% mixed.
Overall, boys were more likely to enjoy taking part in PE (87% compared to 77% of girls), physical activity (87% compared to 66% of girls), and enjoy learning at school (48% compared to 46% of girls).
The volunteer capacity of community sports clubs to support women and girls in sport, opens in a new tab, Change Our Game, (2023). The aim of this research project was to investigate community sports clubs’ volunteer capacity - including management, retention and recruitment - to engage women and girls in participating and volunteering in community sport. The insights from this research can help sports organisations and local clubs identify areas of improvement in growing volunteer capacity to support women and girls’ participation in community-level sport. Some key findings include: Women’s willingness to volunteer, and the volunteer roles they perform in local sports, are influenced by many societal, organisational and individual factors, with gendered roles and stereotypes continuing to be one of the biggest barriers. E.g., women generally volunteer in team manager roles rather than coaching or executive committee positions. This is particularly the case in sports traditionally dominated by men with few women volunteers.
In some clubs, women are still not widely accepted to be president of a club, nor coach of a men/boys’ team/sport and are thus reluctant to put their hand up.
There was a perceived lack of credibility towards women in coaching positions, in particular, women coaching men’s or boy’s teams and in sports traditionally dominated by men and boys.
Supportive behaviours from men at clubs (including players) are important in enabling women to play sport, such as men taking on roles on game day (e.g. scoring or running the canteen).
There are varied attitudes of club volunteers towards supporting opportunities for women and girls to play sport.
Parents play an important role in supporting girls to play sport, in particular dads with daughters, who seemed enthused to fill volunteer roles for girls’ teams, to enable opportunities for girls
Some clubs display deep-rooted gender stereotypes, where boys’ player pathways are perceived to be more important than girls’ pathways.
Inequities in resourcing teams, for example clubs’ focus on the category with the highest number of teams (i.e. having more men’s/boys teams).
To support women and girls community sports clubs should consider actions such as: Addressing inequalities in team resourcing, developing specific strategies to increase women in volunteer roles, have policies supporting women in leadership roles in the club, support younger women to build confidence and capability, create a welcoming and inclusive club culture.
In the Game: Enabling Muslim girls to play sport and be active, opens in a new tab, Change the Game, (June 2023). The experiences of Muslim girls and women participating in sport and physical activity are diverse, and can be influenced by a range of factors, including social, cultural, religious and economic factors. This summary outlines key findings from research that examined barriers to participation in sport and physical activity by Muslim girls, and highlights opportunities and solutions to overcoming these barriers. Some of the key barriers and challenges for Muslim girls in playing sport identified through this research include: Experiences of social exclusion and feeling like they don't belong.
Lack of representation of Muslim women and girls in sport.
Racism and discrimination.
The hijab worn by women and girls makes them visible targets for overt and covert forms of racism and micro-aggression.
The dominant presence of alcohol in the sports field and at the sporting club impacted some, deciding to avoid those environments, including social activities.
Some parents place a priority on academic studies for their daughters.
Lack of options or flexibility in sporting uniforms, particularly in relation to girls wearing the hijab.
Lack of girls' sport teams in the local area.
Some parental attitudes.
Cost of membership, uniforms, equipment and transport.
Factors relating to women and girls' participation (retention and dropout) in sport, opens in a new tab, Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, (February 2023). The survey was completed by 5,055 women and girls including 2,016 who played football and 3,039 who participated in gymnastics. The proportion of women and girls who had dropped out (48%) was slightly lower than that of those who were still participating in football/gymnastics (52%). Women who dropped out of sport and those who continued participating had very similar motivations. However, retained women were more motivated by social reasons and to be outdoors (for football players), whereas those who had dropped out were more motivated by learning a new skill and because sport gave them a sense of achievement. For girls in both the retained and dropout group, having fun participating in gymnastics was driven by being challenged to improve, having a friendly coach and trying their best. Summary of recommendations, opens in a new tab, Rochelle Eime, Melanie Charity, Aurelie Pankowiak, et al., Victoria University, (February 2023).
National Sport and Physical Activity Participation Report - 2022, Australian Sports Commission, (November 2022). The 2021 Census tells us there are 10.6 million females in Australia aged 15+, making up 51% of the 15+ population. There are 3.3 million females aged 15-34, 3.4 million aged 35-54 and 3.9 million aged 55+. Since October 2015, we have interviewed around 67,600 females aged 15+ in the AusPlay survey. This report presents a high level overview of participation among key demographic groups in Australia. Where data allows, each section provides: Headline indicators, Motivations for being active, Barriers to being active, All participation rates, Most popular sport-related activities, Most popular non-sport-related activities.
Reframing Sport for Teenage Girls: Tackling Teenage Disengagement, opens in a new tab, Women in Sport, (March 2022). Too many girls are disengaging from sport and exercise in their teens. This is huge compared to boys – a significant missed opportunity. An underlying narrative prevails; that girls are not as competitive; that sport is not important for girls; that they will never be as good at it compared to boys; that sport can be at odds with femininity. Add to that the harassment and unwanted attention teenage girls are subject to when exercising and quite simply, taking part becomes a burden, instead of bringing freedom and joy. Self-belief, capability and body image concerns can be significant issues for all girls. Our report highlights that complex barriers and deep-rooted negative attitudes are affecting enjoyment:Feel judged (61%)
Lack self belief (50%)
Pressures of schoolwork (41%)
Don’t feel safe exercising outside (38%)
Girls in Action Sports Project (GASP), Final report, opens in a new tab, Verity Cleland, Meredith Nash, Melanie Sharman, et.al., University of Tasmania, supported by the Tasmanian Government, through Communities, Sport and Recreation Division – Department of Communities Tasmania, via Womensport and Recreation Tasmania, (June 2021). Data were collected through interviews and focus groups which concentrated on the enablers and barriers to action sport engagement and equality and equity issues. A gender-related policy review and collation of membership numbers by gender across the three sports were additional arms of the project. Details practical recommendations that could be implemented by a range of stakeholders and organisations. These recommendations were informed by the overall findings of the policy and membership review, interviews with young people, and focus groups with parents and stakeholders. GASP* study key findings Young people’s and adults’ perspectives on how to get more girls involved in action sports, opens in a new tab [infographic], Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, (May 2021).
Girls in Action Sports Project (GASP), opens in a new tab [ video], Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, YouTube, (20 August 2021).
Inspiring Women to be Active During Midlife and Menopause, opens in a new tab, Women in Sport, (May 2021). Within this new research, we examined every aspect of women’s lives over a five-month period to fully understand their experiences of menopause and physical activity and uncover the barriers that women experience to being active throughout midlife and menopause. We focused specifically on women in lower socioeconomic groups because we know they face additional barriers and are less likely to be active, and spoke exclusively to inactive women who had either lapsed from being active previously or had never enjoyed being active. Five principles to inspire women to be active in midlife: Endless Possibilities – Expand perceptions and opportunities for being active.
Judgement-Free Zone – Welcoming and supportive environment.
Support Network – Offer built-in social support.
Expand the Image of What Sporty Means – Inspiring, relatable role models.
Make It Relevant – Reference specific, relevant benefits.
Participant Experience Survey: Summary report, opens in a new tab, Sarah Kearney for the National Women in Bowls Working Party, Bowls Australia, (November 2020). In August 2020, a national survey was created to gather data and evidence and provide the Working Party with information to guide the creation of a strategy to address this important area of our sport. While men and women had similar roles in bowls, their perspectives and experiences were quite different. Overall, it appears that more men held the general perception that bowls is a gender equal environment, whereas women had a heightened awareness of systemic barriers (such as access to competition and selection), social issues (such as unacceptable language and behaviour) as well as cultural issues (subtle stereotypes and discrimination). On a positive note, many men were also aware of these issues and like their female colleagues, were largely supportive of building a more inclusive culture.
Go Where Women Are, opens in a new tab, Sport England, (2020). Insight pack takes an in-depth look at engaging women and girls in sport and exercise. It does so by exploring our current understanding of women, their relevant motivations, barriers and triggers to getting more active, and what this means for sports and exercise activities and initiatives. The pack pulls out seven key learnings that are most important to keep in mind when delivering sport and exercise to women and girls. They are: Change the offer to suit the women you’re targeting – don’t expect women to change to fit sport and exercise
Don’t just talk about ‘sport’ – for many women, sport has baggage
Differentiate sport and exercise from other interests by promoting (not preaching) the additional benefits – sell what your audience is looking for
Seeing is believing. Making sport the ‘norm’ for women relies on local women of all ages, sizes and faiths not only becoming active, but celebrating it and encouraging others to join in
Use positivity and encouragement to drive action – stimulating action through fear of consequences will have little traction
Make it easy for women to act: right time, right place, right welcome, right company, right gear
People make or break the experience – ensure your audience is appropriately supported along the way.
Physically literate girls: the need for schools to develop girls who are physically literate, opens in a new tab, ACHPER Victoria, Victoria University and the Office for Women in Sport and Recreation, (2020). According to recent research, Australia is ranked one of the worst performers for 11–17 year old girls globally. Over 90% of girls surveyed reported insufficient levels of physical activity, with a marked decrease in sport participation by girls during the 12–14 years of age and from 17+ years. As girls grow older, they report lower levels of enjoyment, confidence, competence and understanding, particularly during the teenage years. Some of the key identified barriers included: body image; low confidence; prioritising schoolwork; gender constraints; less focus on competition; and feeling uncomfortable.
Developing Physically Active Girls An Evidence-based Multidisciplinary Approach, opens in a new tab, Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport, (September 2018). Based on current data, the trends we documented in 2007 for girls' physical activity have unfortunately not changed. In fact, we have seen declines in some areas. A gender gap continues to plague girls, both in terms of sport participation and levels of healthy physical activity. Physical inactivity is a risk factor for cancer, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, joint and bone disease, depression, and obesity. Looking beyond the overall gender gap in sport participation and physical activity levels, it is also clear that geography (i.e., urbanicity: urban, suburban, rural), gender, class, and race intersect in complex ways that make it challenging for underserved girls to be physically active.
Girls and Young Women Profile, opens in a new tab, Sport New Zealand, (2018). The information in this resource is based on national and international evidence. It is intended to be a starting point to help organisations better understand the experiences and needs of girls and young women. We recognise that the category of girls and young women aged 10–18 includes many diverse individuals with different and evolving needs. Therefore, the high-level themes identified in this resource won’t be true for all girls and young women in this category all the time. We encourage organisations to build on the knowledge in this resource within their own context, to better understand the specifics of the girls and young women they are targeting.
AusPlay Focus Women and Girls Participation - 2017, Australian Sports Commission, (November 2017). This publication delves into the participation of Australian women and girls in sport and physical activity, and the difference between male and female patterns of behaviour. It uses AusPlay data collected from July 2016 to June 2017. The data demonstrates that girls and waffects many parents active lifestyles, particularly when children are younger. This effect is evident for both parents.omen are just as active as boys and men. However, they are more likely to participate in non-sport related physical activity, and less likely to participate in sport-related activities, particularly club-based sport. The key motivators for women to be active are physical health, fun and socialising. Sports can use this information to potentially target future products more effectively to women and girls.
Getting girls active: Reducing gender inequality in physical activity, opens in a new tab, Simon Sebire, Professor Russ Jago, Kate Banfield, et.al., University of Bristol, Policy Report 11/2017, (2017). Most girls are less active than boys from childhood to adolescence. Creative and concerted efforts are needed to directly address this gender gap. Our research shows that peers, parents, active travel to school and after-school clubs hold promise to help girls become and stay active.
Women and Girls in Sport, Active Recreation and Physical activity - A Participation Review, opens in a new tab, Reece, LJ., Foley, BC., McInerney, C., et al., SPRINTER Group, University of Sydney, (2017). The purpose of this report is to provide strategic guidance for increasing the participation of women and girls across the life course, in sport, active recreation and physical activity. Includes measuring participation, Australian, International and NSW trends, what characteristics affect participation in sport, approaches to increase women and girl's participation, targeted policies, programmatic 'best buys', and next steps for NSW. Detailed appendices include peer reviewed and promising interventions.
Women in Sport: Fuelling a lifetime of participation, opens in a new tab, Brunette M and O’Reilly N, Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity, (2016). This report cites research indicating that if a Canadian girl has not yet participated in a sport by the age of 10, there is only a 10% chance that she will be physically active (i.e. to the level recommended by the Canadian government to maintain health and wellbeing) as an adult. Girls and women of all ages and backgrounds face structural and behavioural hurdles to maintaining roles as sport participants and sport leaders. Organisational hurdles include: declining rates of sports participation among girls/women; limited female-specific sports opportunities that meet the needs and interests of girls/women; limited access to quality coaching, training, equipment and facilities that embrace specific abilities and skill levels; lack of positive role models; and, low levels of media coverage. Individual hurdles that must be overcome include: competing demand for time; lack of interest in sport participation; lack of parental and peer support; and, lack of financial resources allocated to girls/women’s sport.
Females and physical activity, opens in a new tab, VicHealth, (2019). VicHealth is on a journey to help Victorian females become more active. We have identified some of the barriers females face when it comes to physical activity, and some ways to help them overcome these barriers, so they can enjoy better health and wellbeing.
Her Life Depends On It III: Sport, Physical Activity, and the Health and Well-Being of American Girls and Women, opens in a new tab, Staurowsky, E. J., DeSousa, M. J., Miller, K. E., et al., Women’s Sports Foundation, (May 2015). A comprehensive report that reviews existing and emerging research on the links between participation in sport and physical activity and the health and wellbeing of American girls and women. As with the previous editions in 2004 and 2009, this study also confirms that physical activity and sport provides the critical foundation, in no small part, that allows girls and women to lead healthy, strong, and fulfilled lives. The report’s contents reflect the review of 1,500 studies, nearly 400 covered since the previous edition. While the report’s focus continues to be on U.S. girls and women, selected research findings that offer perspective regarding girls and women worldwide is also referenced in order to provide some perspective and context. The research compiled in this updated report strongly suggests that sport and physical activity provide conditions that help to ensure girls’ health and wellbeing (physical, social, psychological, and academic). The full report offers expansive documentation on the impact sport and physical activity has in the lives of girls and women. As a general trend, females across the board, regardless of age, race, or social class, are shortchanged in realizing the benefits of participation in physically challenging activities. However, females from lower economic backgrounds, females of color and females with disabilities suffer even greater negative health consequences as a result of less engagement in physical activity and less access to sport and physical fitness programs.
Unsafe Venues Pose Barriers to Participation: Venues such as parks, walking trails, and community gyms that are unsafe and lack security pose barriers to participation for females.
In general girls are still not afforded the degree of encouragement or opportunity extended to boys to participate in sports and fitness activities. Impediments to access remain an ongoing concern, complicated by recent trends that run counter to promoting physical activity, fitness, and sport programs in schools and communities. With schools cutting back on recess, a de-emphasis on physical education nationally, and persistent inequalities in school-sport programs and community-recreation programs, girls and women continue to encounter structural barriers to participation.
What sways women to play sport? Using influencers to unlock opportunities that positively impact women’s sporting behaviours, opens in a new tab, Women in Sport (2015). Statistics show that in England there are 1.9 million fewer women than men playing sport regularly (at least once per week). This report looks at the motivations behind female sporting participation to help providers gain a better understanding of how to further drive and sustain participation by girls and women. The Behavioural Architects, a research group with specialist knowledge in applying behavioural theory, conducted research on the impact that 'influencers' and 'role models' have on female sporting participation. The study found six key spheres of influence that sport providers can use to leverage greater participation among women: Possibilities – opening her eyes to what she can do. Inspiring women with real stories they can relate to can help to prime participation.
Togetherness – sharing her intentions increases commitment. A friend’s invitation makes sport participation more attractive and there is also greater safety in numbers.
Socialising with friends is rewarding and bonding becomes a strong external motivator.
Support – ensuring she has behind the scenes support. Support from the people in her everyday life (particularly family) is critical to sustained participation.
Progression – giving her a sense of direction. Progressive improvement, positive reinforcement and setting realistic goals help sustain participation.
Belonging – making her feel included and valued. Participation in sport must be enjoyable and provide an experience worth repeating; personalised contact that underlies respect and recognition.
Internalise – helping her reflect on her achievements. Focusing on feeling good about oneself and the sporting experience, internalising her own behavioural journey.
Women and Sport: insights into the growing rise and importance of female fans and female athletes, opens in a new tab. Repucom, (2014). The rapid rise in the importance, influence, and value of female fans has been one of the most distinctive shifts in the sports marketing landscape in the last 50 years. This has been driven by some major societal and cultural changes around the world and the increasing participation of women in sport. Fans are at the centre of the sports marketing equation and one of the primary reasons why sponsors invest in sport; female fans are considered of particularly high value to some sponsors given their influence over purchasing decisions. Using data derived from a large number of interviews around the world, this report looks at several commercial and societal implications of the growing female fan population, as well as factors influencing women's participation in sport. Key findings regarding motivators and barriers to sport participation follow: The main drivers for women’s participation in sports were: general health; stress relief; weight loss; being around friends; social connections; personal reward (feeling good); and getting out of the house.
The main barriers for women’s participation in sports were: feeling outside one’s comfort zone; injury; cost; fear of failure; embarrassment (body image); not meeting self-expectations; and logistics (child care, transport, facility location).
The motivations to play organised club-based sport in Australia, opens in a new tab, Rochelle Eime, Jack Harvey, Melanie Charity, et al., Leisure Studies, (1 May 2024). The aim of this study was to investigate the motivations to play sport across: age, gender, residential location and the settings, modes and level of participation. An online survey of sport participants asked about age, gender, residential location, type of sports and physical activities participated in, frequency and duration of play, and motivations for playing organised club-based sport. Survey respondents (N = 4,395) were aged between 13–92 years. An online survey of sport participants was conducted during May and June 2020 using the Qualtrics survey tool. Recruitment to the survey was primarily facilitated by national and state sporting organisations. The target population was people aged 13 years or older who were registered with a State or National Sporting Organisation in the 2019 and/or 2020 playing seasons to participate in one or more sports. The sport organisations that sent out the survey invitation to their registered participants represent major sports in Victoria and Australia.Overwhelmingly, the main motivation to play sport across all demographic groups and sport characteristics was fun and enjoyment. Other main motivations to play sport were physical health or fitness (which may promote autonomy), performance and competition, followed by social reasons (relatedness), to be with friends (relatedness), and for a sense of achievement (competence).
There are considerable differences in motivation for participating in organised sport between genders. In the present study, men were more motivated to play sport to perform, compete, and be a professional athlete, whereas women were more motivated to play sport for physical and mental health, to lose weight, to be a good role model, and to learn a new skill.
Physical Activity Trajectories in Early Childhood: Investigating Personal, Environmental, and Participation Factors, opens in a new tab, Patrick McPhee, Natascja Di Cristofaro, Hilary Caldwell, et al., Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, Volume 55(7), pp.1232-1240, (July 2023). Two hundred seventy-nine children (4.5 ± 0.9 yr, 52% boys) were included in this study. Physical activity was collected via accelerometry at six different timepoints over 6.3 ± 0.6 yr. Multivariable regression analysis identified personal, environmental, and participation factors associated with trajectory membership. These findings suggest a need for interventions and public health campaigns to increase opportunities for PA engagement in girls starting in the early years. Policies and programs to address financial inequities, positive parental modeling, and improving quality of life are also warranted.
Girls and women in umpiring: retention and participation limited by hostile cultural contexts, opens in a new tab, Victoria Rawlings, Damian Anderson, Sport, Education and Society, (13 June 2023). In recent years there has been substantial growth of women playing in and competing at the top levels of traditionally male-dominated sports, including Australian Football. By comparison, the number of women officials have not increased at the same rate, raising multiple questions about retention, participation and sustainability. This paper reports the experiences of girls and women Australian Football officials. 27 umpires who identified as girls, women or as non-binary participated in interviews or focus groups which were then analysed thematically. Findings indicate that regardless of their location, level of experience, or seniority, girls and women faced overt and covert exclusion and discrimination in umpiring due to their gender. These included microaggressions delivered through the framing of their appointments to games, change room practices and gendered and sexual harassment. Discursive constructions often positioned the participants as ‘different’ and ‘lesser’ in their abilities and belonging, impacting their desire to continue umpiring. We argue that the current cultural context of umpiring is at best marginalising to girls and women, and at worst hostile and dangerous. To improve these environments, commitment to and strategy for reform is needed at a broad, institutional level, and at a local, interactional level, including specific education and inclusion initiatives, targeted development pathways, investment in infrastructure and policy, and ongoing analysis of change.
What a girl wants: A mixed-methods study of gender differences in the barriers to and enablers of riding a bike in Australia, opens in a new tab, Lauren Pearson, Sandy Reeder, Belinda Gabbe, et al., Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, Volume 94, pp.453-465, (April 2023). Women have specific concerns about riding on the road alongside motor vehicle traffic and the associated risks, and a lack of confidence in their ability and knowledge of bike riding and bikes themselves. It is imperative that women’s perspectives and needs are considered in the planning and promotion of bike riding globally to prevent and tackle gendered inequities.
Barriers and facilitators to physical activity for young adult women: a systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative literature, opens in a new tab, Bo Peng, Johan Ng, Amy Ha, International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, Volume 20, (February 2023). Healthy young adult women's PA does not receive as much attention as older women and adolescent girls, yet, they face the same situation of low level of PA. This review aims to explore and synthesise the self-identified barriers and facilitators to young adult women's participation in PA from qualitative research studies and offer suggestions for future studies and programs designed for this population. The most frequently identified barriers and facilitators were time, body image and societal beauty standards, family duty and social support, religious and cultural norms, organisation and community facilities and environment, safety issues and physical environment.
Exploring Images of the Future of Women Cyclists Using the Futures Triangle, opens in a new tab, Nur Anisah Abdullah, Azra Naimi, Journal of Futures Studies, Volume 27(3), pp.25-42, (2023). The objective of this study is to broaden the understanding of women’s cycling experiences, looking at motivation, challenges, and influences, and exploring and documenting the images of the future of a group of women cyclists with a view to using their vision to inform the design of a more inclusive space for cycling enthusiasts. Studies suggest that women cycle less because of the perception of physical risk and socio-cultural concerns and if they do cycle it is more for recreation than as a commute to work or place of study. The traditional sexual division of labour inhibits women’s participation in cycling as a means of transport. The wider gender inequalities in the division of time between women and men in relation to different roles assigned to them by society, such as spending time caring for and educating family members, and cooking and housework, duties that are expected to be filled by women, may prevent them from bicycle use. In addition, they more often travel with young children, which heightens the threat to safety posed by travel by bicycle.
The promotion of sporting opportunities for girls and young females and the implications for traditional female sports: a qualitative descriptive study, opens in a new tab, Sam Elliott, Murray Drummond, Ivanka Prichard, et al., Sport in Society, (30 May 2022). The purpose of this paper was to explore the implications of the increasing range of sporting opportunities for girls and young females on traditional female sports such as netball. This paper emerged from a larger investigation and provided a qualitative descriptive account of the implications for netball based on individual interview and focus group data with 27 female participants (players, coaches, and administrators) in Australia. A reflexive thematic analysis was undertaken, leading to the development of four major themes: ‘being a cross-coder’, ‘team size matters’, ‘wavering attraction’, and ‘pathway aspirations. Pathways and opportunities that may impact on how netball clubs engage with the contemporary female sporting landscape are presented.
A Systematic Review of Factors Associated with Sport Participation among Adolescent Females, opens in a new tab, Casey Hopkins, Chris Hopkins, Samantha Kanny, et al., International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Volume 19(6), (March 2022). Sport participation provides a direct means to attain health-enhancing physical activity; however, sport participation declines during adolescence, and over 85% of adolescent females fail to meet the recommended 60 min of moderate-vigorous physical activity daily. Given the importance of overcoming barriers to sport and increasing equity in women’s sports, the purpose of this systematic review was to identify factors associated with sport participation among adolescent girls and operationalize those factors into theoretical constructs to guide future research. Six databases were systematically searched, and 36 records were included for review. Factors impacting girls’ sport participation were categorized as personal, peer, family, socioeconomic, environmental, or other factors. Of these categories, personal factors, including self perceptions and desirable personal outcomes related to sport, were most frequently associated with sport participation.
Girls and Young Women in Community Sport: A South Australian Perspective, opens in a new tab, Murray Drummond, Claire Drummond, Sam Elliott, et al., Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, Volume 3, (January 2022). The present study aims to examine the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and environmental influences on community sporting pathways for girls and young women. Using a mixed-methods design, we include survey data from 2,189 high-school students (aged 12–18 years) and focus group and individual interview data from a subset of 37 high-school students, parents, and teachers, across metropolitan Adelaide, South Australia. The study included an examination of sporting practises and insights of male sport participants from the same age groups to juxtapose the findings and provide a more comprehensive understanding of girls' and young women's community sporting involvement. Parents and teachers were also included within the participant cohort to provide a comprehensive perspective. The results highlight the challenges that girls face with respect to engagement and disengagement in sport and particular points throughout their adolescent years. Recommendations are provided to help mitigate potential attrition of girls in sport in the future.
This Girl Can, can’t she? Perspectives from physical activity providers and participants on what factors influence participation, opens in a new tab, Reisha Hull, Lisa Zaidell, Katya Mileva, et al., Psychology of Sport and Exercise, Volume 57, (November 2021). The perceptions of participants and providers were often disparate but revolved around the same themes especially at the intrapersonal and interpersonal levels. They expressed contrasting views regarding the importance of skill development and enjoyment, and the role of boys and instructors. At the organisational level, both participants and providers agreed that schools offer opportunities as well as barriers to engagement in physical activity and exercise. At the environmental level, urbanisation, safety, culture, and social media appeared as main themes where the perspectives of participants and providers complemented each other. Finally, at the policy level the main themes were derived from providers and concerned issues around programme funding. Participants provided valuable commentary about a nationwide campaign to promote physical activity to females.
Motivation in Competitive Sport among Female Youth Athletes, opens in a new tab, Iris Orbach, Hadar Gutin, Neta Hoffman, et al., Psychology, Volume 12(6), (June 2021). The focus of this study was understanding the reasons for starting and adhering to competitive activity among young female athletes. The current study involved 889 girls who practice regularly in a competitive setting. The subjects, ranged in age from 8 - 17 years participated in 10 different individual and team sport disciplines. The young athletes' reasons for participation in sports were measured by a questionnaire. Results of factor analysis for participation motives to start competitive sport revealed five different interpretable factors: IM (intrinsic motivation), EM (extrinsic motivation), TM (team motivation), WM (win motivation), and HM (health motivation).
Maximising enjoyment to sustain girls’ sport participation: a unique case study of Netball in Australia, opens in a new tab, Catherine Litchfield, Sam Elliott, Qualitative Research in Sort, Exercise and Health, Volume 13(5), pp.781-799, (2021). Sports participation is associated with many physical and psychosocial benefits yet a large proportion of children, especially girls, are not participating in or dropping out of sport. Netball is a popular sporting choice for girls; however, it has experienced a decrease in girls’ participation according to census data in Australia. This study aimed to explore how Netball clubs and organisations utilise enjoyment to attract and retain girls’ participation. The FUN Integration Theory was used as a theoretical framework to guide the development of a semi-structured question route for qualitative interviews. The key findings indicate that clubs and organisations appreciated the importance of enjoyment, parental support and quality coaching, however, their current practices did not consistently reflect this understanding. Clubs and organisations were found to operationalise all four tenets of the FUN Integration Theory, though some areas could be further optimised to enhance girls’ sport enjoyment.
The implications of female sport policy developments for the community-level sport sector: a perspective from Victoria, Australia, opens in a new tab, M. Casey, J. Fowlie, M. Charity, et al., International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics, Volume 11(4), pp.657-678, (2019). This study examined trends in sport participation among females over a six-year period (2011–2016) within five popular sports, by age and region. It also identified future challenges community sports face in increasing female sport participation. Results showed that female sport participation levels increased over the six-year period, with greater proportional increases among the youngest age group (4 to 9 years) – the common entry age into the organised sport through modified sports programs. Retention of females in sport throughout adolescence and adulthood remains a challenge. Community-level sports face challenges to accommodate growth in female sport participation in terms of availability and quality of sport infrastructure and volunteer capacity – both human resources to deliver sport and organisational capacity to devise and implement strategies to recruit and retain females. They also face challenges associated with the social construction of gender within sport and club environments. Sport policies that encourage female sport participation need to also consider the supply of sport such as maximising infrastructure usage, gender equity facility usage policies and developing volunteer capacity.
Coaching Women and Girls (accessed 12 August 2025). This initiative was established to support coaches in community sport to create safe, inclusive, welcoming and fun environments for women and girls. It will benefit community sport participants, coaches, officials, parents, sporting organisations and their staff by raising awareness and understanding of key opportunities to drive inclusion of women and girls in sport.
Toolkit: Reframing Sport for Teenage Girls, opens in a new tab, Women in Sport, (2019, last updated September 2022). Our toolkit inspired by Reframing Sport for Teenage Girls brings you resources and key findings from the research which is funded by Sport England. It also brings together important insight about girls from various other sectors and will be updated regularly as new insight becomes available.
She Belongs: Building Social Connection for Lasting Participation in Sport, opens in a new tab, Canadian Women and Sport, (March 2020). This resource is designed for coaches who are ready to intentionally support equitable sport. She Belongs offers practical recommendations to create social connection and better engage girls in the Learn to Train and Train to Train stages of the Long-Term Development in Sport and Physical Activity Framework (LTD). Everyone involved—sport and physical activity organizations, coaches, managers and leaders, as well as parents/guardians—plays an integral role in creating the environments where girls can participate and have fun.
She's got it all: talent, determination, and barriers men don't have to worry about, opens in a new tab, Canadian Women and Sport, (accessed 28 February 2023). To help keep more girls and women in sport, things need to change. And we all have a role to play. Here are some ideas for what you can do to better understand how women and girls experience sport and how to support them. Focus areas include coaches, parents/guardians, administrators, allies, and corporations and media.
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