Sisters in Sports: Women’s Participation
In 2020, more than 10,000 Canadians were surveyed for The Rally Report, a report supported by Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities exploring the current trends in sport participation with a specific focus on girls and women. The study showed that as girls age, the rate of participation dips: 57% of girls aged 6-12 are active weekly but this number drops to 38% by 16-18. While boys/men participation also decreases with age, the rate at which participation drops is not comparable. 1 in 3 girls drop out of sport during adolescence compared to 1 in 10 boys. There is a clear need for not only increasing female participation in sport, but also for retaining the number of girls who play well into their adolescence and adulthood.
The results of these types of studies are meaningful when understood in tandem to the social, physical and emotional impacts of sport participation. Sport participation has shown to make a difference in the ways women perceive themselves. Women who participated in sport reported feeling more physically healthy, confident, successful, collaborative and inspirational to others. Furthermore, sport is a space where life lessons are learned, preparing an athlete for the hurdles and struggles of the world. In fact, a study conducted by Ernst & Young in 2018 found that 94% of women who hold C-suite positions are former athletes. Success in the business world is achievable through determination and perseverance in the face of setbacks – very similar to the level of intensity and perseverance learned through physical and emotional setbacks in sport. Whether playing at the highest level of competitive sport or participating in recreational sport, women learn to push themselves beyond their comfort zone, which is where most of our self-growth tends to happen.
Therefore, at Umoja we are determined to provide the opportunity for women and girls to participate in sport to reap the social, physical and emotional benefits of participating in organized sport. There are 4 categories this year for girls and women: Girl’s 10 and under, Girls 14 and under, Women’s Open and Women’s Above 35. This year, the women’s and girl’s category will be changed to 5 a side instead of 8 a side. In 5 a side, each team will require 8 to 9 players to register to be considered a full team. The tournament is quickly approaching, and we do not want you to miss out on the opportunity to experience the tournament of the year! Go out and grab your friends or family and register your women’s or girls’ team today! You do not need to have a full team in order to participate at Umoja, you can register as a Free Agent to be placed in a team according to your gender and age.
We are looking forward to hosting a successful, competitive and fun tournament this year July 1st -3rd in Richmond, Virginia!
We hope to see you all there!
