Children and Young People release

In research by the Sport and Recreation Alliance, it has been revealed that 40% of females suffered negative experiences of sport at primary and secondary school compared to their male counterparts.

However, those that claim these experiences have influenced their current physical activity habits are the same with each gender.

Improving the school sport experience for girls would have a significant impact on the number of women continuing to use sport and recreation as part of a healthy adult lifestyle.

The research also shows that those in higher managerial positions were most likely to have had a positive experience in school sport with over half of this group also confirming that these experiences have influenced their current physical activity.

Previous research has shown that girls are less likely to enjoy taking part in physical activity at school when compared to boys. However, it is a worrying trend that this continues into adulthood and can have serious repercussions on creating an active nation.

“There is a direct correlation between girls’ future life chances and the amount of physical activity they do in their younger years," Chris Wright, its head of wellbeing told The Independent.

“Quite often high-flying businesswomen talk about being very involved in sport when they were younger. Doing sport as children appears to help girls feel empowered and able to achieve things.”

The Sport and Recreation will be asking the question – ‘Why have we failed our children?’ in the annual sport summit on 11 July at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre in London.

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