Throw like a girl! Surrey Schools encourages more girls to take up sports & extracurriculars

As studies show a decline in participation in sports among girls as they enter secondary school, the district is supporting girls in encouraging them to try competitive or non-competitive sports and activities. (Image via iStock)

As the fall season of cross country, volleyball and soccer comes to a close, Surrey Schools is encouraging more girls to join competitive sports in the winter and spring, as well as non-competitive activities that cater to diverse interests, ensuring every girl feels valued and supported.

The district has an exceptional history of girls excelling in secondary sports, including back-to-back provincial volleyball wins by Earl Marriott, a Lord Tweedsmuir grad earning bronze in rowing at the Tokyo Olympics, and Fleetwood Park being the stomping grounds of the first South Asian Canadian woman to play NCAA Division 1 basketball.

However, girls’ participation in sports after elementary school tends to decline compared to boys, and the district’s physical and health education helping teacher, Serge Haché, would like to see that change.

“Once they hit secondary, studies show that girls’ participation definitely drops quite significantly,” he said, attributing the downturn to a combination of factors regarding puberty, personal preferences and gender differences in playing styles.

“I taught Grade 7 for years and that’s when girls are often more mature and boys are rough. Playing basketball in Grade 7, the boys were more rambunctious – they’re not being mean, they just don’t know their own strength yet, whereas some girls are more timid and don’t want to play as much.”

Another difference is social conditioning in how boys and girls are sometimes raised in relation to sports, with Haché saying boys have more practice with sports, leading to improved hand-eye coordination and confidence on the field or court.

“If you’re 13 years old and you don’t know how to throw a ball because you’ve never been taught how to throw, you’re probably not going to play baseball or any sport with throwing,” said Haché. “Once you feel competent in something, then you get motivated because you’re doing well, and then you want to participate more often.”

Haché said there are many different activities that teach fundamental movement skills such as running, kicking, catching, throwing and balance. Sports like curling, bowling and cycling each offer a multitude of movements that engage muscles through manipulation, bending and twisting to improve physical development.

For girls, part of finding enjoyment in sports may simply come down to pursuing more individual sports instead of team sports, or trying more non-traditional physical activities than what is offered in class. Haché said some schools are including instruction for activities such as yoga to help diversify options for students.

“It’s really about finding what you like,” said Haché. “For example, my wife has run 40-some marathons – growing up, she was athletic but she couldn’t catch a ball. She was more of a track and field student, but she told me that she didn’t participate in sports like basketball or soccer because they didn’t really spark her interest.

“Traditional sports are good but there are other options for students to maintain their physical activity.”

For more information on what sports and extracurricular activities are available at your school, talk to your physical and health education teacher.