With school over and many athletics programs winding down for the summer it’s time to think about how we can support our female athletes for the next school year and beyond. There are many ways to make a difference for female athletes at any age and stage. Join us as we inspire and support our athletes of the future. Here are a few ways for you to get involved.
COMMUNITY MENTORSHIP
Ask around and search online for local sports or athletic mentoring programs for girls and women in your area. Boys and Girls Clubs of America make it easy to search for a club near you to get involved in sports and recreation for ages 6–16+. Many neighborhoods also have a community center or YMCA nearby, which is a great place to start. Find out how to volunteer, work, or advocate for female athletic programs — or ask how you can help create one.
INTRAMURAL SPORTS
Does your town or city have any intramural sports or after-school athletic programs for girls or women? If there’s nothing available, help get things started by partnering with parents, schools, local businesses, and the town to fundraise and apply for a grant.
SCHOOL SPORTS
Check out your school district’s website to see what girls’ sports and activities your schools have and look for ways to lend a hand.
COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENTS
Donors give a lot of money to college athletic departments, but almost all of that money goes to schools that already boast top-performing teams. Donate to your alma mater’s athletic department or a small school in your area to improve access to enriching college athletic opportunities for women.
START A CLUB OR PROGRAM
Maybe your goal is to start a booster club for a junior or senior high school girls’ team. Perhaps you’re interested in creating a new girls’ club, school, or intramural sport, or perhaps a mentorship or after-school program. Regardless, prepare yourself for the logistics involved, such as research and planning, funding and budgeting, state regulations, partnerships, organization, and policies. Reach out and network with people who have experience with this type of undertaking. Find resources online to help you understand and execute the ins and outs of starting a club or program.
COACH
Depending on how much time and expertise you have, coaching a sport is a supremely rewarding and direct way to help girls and women embrace their skill, confidence, and purpose. While they learn the sport, you’ll learn a lot too.
ORGANIZE ON SOCIAL MEDIA
If you’re active on social media, you have a great opportunity to connect teammates, their friends and families, and the community. Starting, running, or following local teams’ social media pages makes it easy to fundraise, organize events, encourage attendance, cheer on female athletes for their achievements, and drum up excitement for games.
PHOTOGRAPHY, VIDEO and STATS
Are you a talented photographer or videographer? Put your abilities to good use by capturing local female athletes in action to celebrate their shining moments. Keeping track of stats at local women’s and girls’ games can help players and coaches improve through insight into individual and collective strengths and weaknesses.
REFRESHMENTS and TRANSPORTATION
Whether you’re bringing water and oranges to girls’ little league games or running the refreshments booth for the high school team, this simple gesture means a lot. In addition, many girls and their families will be overjoyed to have assistance carpooling to and from games, events, and practices. It might make a huge difference for someone who otherwise would’ve been forced to quit.
BE AN ENTHUSIASTIC FAN OR SPONSOR
This one applies to every level, from local and college teams to pro and elite sports. Buy tickets for women’s sports and wear branded gear to cheer on your team and your favorite players. When women’s sports are on TV, be sure to tune in or throw a watch party to get your family and friends interested. Use your voice on social media to support girls and women playing sports — your daughter, your niece, your best friend, or your idol among influential female athletes. And if you or someone you know owns a small business, think about sponsoring a club or a team.
Learn more about starting youth programs at: