At We are Girls in Sport, we are often asked, “What is important about girls and sport?”. It goes without saying that sport benefits both girls and boys, men and women throughout their lives, however if you look closely at the statistics of girls in sport, especially during the early teenage years, the numbers are alarming. Studies have shown that teenage girls are significantly less active than teenage boys, with only 10% of girls aged 13-16 meeting the recommended daily guidelines of 60 minutes of physical activity per day (Sport England, 2018). According to research, by the age of 13, one in two young women drop out of sport. They are three times more likely to drop out than boys (Sports Joe). The leading UK charity, Women in Sport, reviewed over 30 reports, shared knowledge and developed thinking together with 25 other organisations both from inside and outside the sports’ sector to put the spotlight on what is happening in the world of teenage girls. They found that as girls go through their teenage years, habits and attitudes are formed which have a critical impact on their future engagement in sport and physical activity. Barriers to exercise created at this age can result in inhibiting participation throughout life, with girls missing out on the lifelong benefits of sport. Ultimately, girls need sport just as much as boys. Girls who are physically active have greater body confidence, have better self-esteem, experience healthy mental well-being and are fitter, as well as gaining essential skills that they can take through life and into the workplace such as leadership, teamwork, communication and resilience. We are on a mission to create a global movement to drive real change. Read stories on our blog, join our webinars and events, plus why not share your own story? We are girls in sport. Because a well girl is a happy girl.