Proof of the benefits of sports for girls continues to pile up, but many girls still aren’t getting into the game. ESPN sportscaster Hannah Storm, mother of three daughters, decided to champion the cause. Her book Go Girl!, updated and re-released in March, is a thorough guide for parents who want to make sure their girls grab all the great perks athletics bring to life. She explores how even the youngest “pre-athletes” (birth to age 2) can be groomed for an active lifestyle, then goes on to give advice for parents of girls at every developmental stage. She also includes advice on sportsmanship, coaching, fitness, nutrition, health issues, and strength and flexibility training.

 

Here is an excerpt from the first chapter, “Why Girls Need Sports.”

 

There’s no doubt about it: sports are good for girls. You need only to watch TV or read the newspapers to be aware of the growing body of evidence attesting to the importance of girls playing a wide variety of sports. Scarcely a week goes by without news of another major study extolling the virtues of sports and physical activity for girls.

The depth and breadth of this information made me even more determined that my daughters get the opportunity to become athletes—girls who are as likely to play basketball as take figure-skating lessons, and who are more interested in being at the local Boys & Girls Club than at home on the couch.

I believe that it is essential that we create a sports-positive environment for girls. To do that, we need to understand how vital sports are for our daughters.

Three Forms of Fitness

The benefits of sports for girls can be divided into three main areas of “fitness,” what I classify as health fitness, academic fitness, and emotional/psychological fitness.

Health Fitness

Vigorous physical activity benefits kids of both sexes, and bodes well for good health into adulthood, but it is becoming increasingly clear that sports and exercise have special benefits for girls, including reduced risk of some chronic illnesses later in life, improved body composition (the ratio of fat to muscle), a stronger immune system, decreased menstrual discomfort, and stronger bones.

Reduced Risk of Certain Chronic Illnesses in Later Life

Being active as a child reduces the risk of certain deadly diseases in adulthood. Heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes are all seen less frequently in women who were active as girls, as are endometrial and breast cancer. Girls who play sports begin menstruating a little later than girls who are inactive. This is believed to have something to do with lower fat levels in girls who are active, and studies have shown that for every year a girl’s menstruation is delayed, the risk of her contracting breast cancer as a woman is reduced by 5–15 percent.

Improved Muscle-to-Fat Ratio/Body Composition

More than three times as many kids are obese today as compared to the 1970s. Being overweight or obese is a risk factor for a host of killer illnesses, most importantly heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and certain cancers. Kids become overweight because they expend fewer calories than they consume. Not exercising enough is particularly prevalent among adolescent girls who, at this self-conscious time in their development, are too often taught to believe that sports are “unladylike.” Not surprisingly, kids who play sports and are physically active are much less likely to be overweight than those who are “couch potatoes.” And, a healthy body composition contributes to better lifelong health overall.

Stronger Immune System

Moderate exercise strengthens a child’s immune system by increasing the levels of various disease-fighting substances in the body, including interferon and interleukin-1. Being in shape can help a person combat diseases ranging from the common cold and flu to cancer.

Less Menstrual Discomfort

Exercising several times a week has been shown to decrease menstrual complaints in girls: their periods are more regular and they have lighter flow, less cramping and discomfort, and shorter duration of flow.

Stronger Bones and Lower Chance of Developing Osteoporosis Later in Life

By increasing the strength and thickness of their bones when they’re young, exercise helps young women avoid osteoporosis in later life. In addition to “weight-bearing” exercise (anything you do on your feet) such as running, walking, and aerobic dance, strength training with weights is extremely effective at building bone strength. Because strength training is now thought to be so important for young girls, you may want to find a strength-training program for your daughter or design one yourself.

Academic Fitness

Modern scientific evidence reinforces the age-old belief that a healthy body is a prerequisite to a healthy mind. Or, put more simply, if you want to help your daughter excel in school, get her into sports!

Numerous studies have examined the effect of sports participation on girls’ academic performance, and the results are stunning. Here’s how young female athletes compare to girls who don’t play sports:

• They have higher grade point averages.

• They score better on their SATs.

• They have a lower risk of dropping out of school.

• They have a better chance of getting into, staying in, and performing well in college.

Girls who play high-school sports significantly outperform nonathletic girls in academic subjects such as science and math that tend to be dominated by boys. Because experts believe that the male dominance in these subjects is psychological and has nothing to do with intelligence, this suggests that participating in sports gives girls the confidence to participate on a more equal footing in the classroom with boys. In addition, exercise may actually make our brains work better! Experiments have shown that physically fit rats are smarter at figuring out mazes than their overweight peers.

Emotional/Psychological Fitness

The physical benefits of playing sports are almost a given; what I find really exciting is the fact that physical activity has a profound effect on the emotional and psychological health of girls. Exercise has repeatedly been shown to improve how girls feel about themselves in areas such as self-esteem, self-concept, self-confidence, and perceptions of competence. Girls who are active also tend to be more optimistic, which has a direct bearing on motivation, and therefore achievement. According to the Women’s Sports Foundation, 80 percent of female Fortune 500 executives identified themselves as former “tomboys.”

Experts believe that it is not just enhanced fitness that improves girls’ emotional and psychological health (although this is certainly a factor), but also the very act of participating in sports that is empowering.

With improved self-esteem comes benefits that all of us parents can appreciate: a lower risk of sexual behavior and pregnancy, as well as reduced drug and alcohol abuse. Girls who are athletes are also less likely to smoke or to have eating disorders.

In addition, physically active girls are less likely to be victims of anxiety and depression, two conditions that are sadly on the rise among teenage girls in our society (girls are twice as likely as boys to suffer from anxiety and depression). In fact, exercise is such an effective preventive measure against developing emotional problems that it is increasingly being used by therapists to treat patients, and doctors routinely prescribe exercise to combat depression. The prestigious International Society of Sport Psychology finds a positive relationship between physical activity and mental health, concluding that exercise can help with anxiety, mild depression, and stress reduction, both short and long-term.

The emotional and psychological rewards of participating in sports for girls include better self-image, higher confidence, increased energy, less tension, and a stronger ability to deal with challenges life might throw their way.

Why Sports Build Emotional/Psychological Fitness

Numerous theories have been advanced to explain why sports enhance emotional/psychological health in athletes, especially girls. It’s likely that the answers lie in a combination of the following biological and psychosocial factors.

Supporters of the biology school of thought contend that exercise releases certain chemicals in our brains—serotonin, for one—that give us a natural “high” that also works as an antidepressant.

Other scientists point to the stress-relieving effect on the body that occurs when it gets warmer during exercise. Some experts believe that moving the body simply reverses the natural inclination of the depressed person to be still, and in so doing counteracts feeling depressed.

From a psychological standpoint, there is evidence that sports and athletics provide girls with a sense of self-control and competence, and a channel for emotional release. Sports also give girls opportunities to positively interact with their peers and coaches, who can be strong adult role models and reinforce parental support.

Sports and “The Complete Girl”

“Sports and physical activity are not a separate component of a girl’s life,” says Dr. Barbara Moore, president of Shape Up America!, the health and fitness organization founded by former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop. “They permeate every aspect of her existence, from her health to her academic performance to her popularity among peers.” As we’ve seen, sports and physical activity have a positive impact in these areas that make up “the complete girl.” That is why I believe it is so important that we encourage and give girls the opportunity to play sports and exercise.

I grew up in an era when sports for girls were not encouraged. Most parents didn’t think much about whether their daughters were physically active. Luckily for me, both of my parents were good athletes and my father was a team sports executive, so they actively encouraged me to play sports. In grade school, I played a little soccer and softball. Later, I discovered my talent for high jumping, and joined the high-school track team. I was also our school mascot (a wildcat!) and ran our pep rallies. I certainly wasn’t an elite athlete, but I had fun, and the fact that my sports experience was so positive explains why I continue to be physically active as an adult. Even with three kids, I still try to stay physically fit by making time to hit the treadmill and lift a few weights a couple of times a week. I also believe that the qualities I learned in sports, especially discipline and teamwork, have helped me in my competitive, high-pressure job.

Because I believe so strongly in the benefits of sports, I was dismayed to learn that girls drop out of sports in numbers disproportionately higher than boys. It’s not sports themselves that can turn girls off, but rather factors such as peer pressure, lack of parental support, negative cultural images, and the way that some sports programs put too much emphasis on winning.

Now that we know what extraordinary benefits are available to girls who play sports and are physically active, it’s up to you to make sure your daughter has every opportunity to experience these benefits!

 

 Hannah Storm hosts the weekday edition of ESPN’s SportsCenter. She is also on the board of Advisors for ESPNw, the network’s new initiative for women’s programming.

 

For more information visit www.hannahstorm.com