Sport provides a multitude of crucial life skills, one of which is resilience. My life has been devoted to one single mission: transforming the lives of girls and women through sport. It has not been simple, and there have been numerous setbacks, but the strength of my purpose has enabled me to recover and continue on my journey.
I began my career as a physical education instructor in Manchester and later became the chief executive officer of the Youth Sport Trust and chair of UK Sport, supporting the success of our Olympic and Paralympic teams in London in 2012.
I have served as the FA’s director of women’s football for the past seven years. Throughout this time, numerous obstacles and problems have needed to be surmounted. Being resilient has enabled me to continue working to guarantee that all girls and women have the opportunity to enjoy physical activity and that those with talent and determination may achieve success at the greatest level.
Seeing the Lionesses win the Euros was a beautiful example of a group of women who have not allowed prejudice and obstacles to prevent them from attaining success to realize their aspirations.
The saying “You can’t be what you can’t see” holds: as the visibility of women’s football has expanded, more girls perceive it as an arena in which they can participate.
We are currently observing significant developments in girls’ grassroots football. Sport Since 2017, the most recent Active Lives Children’s survey in England has indicated that more adolescent girls are now active and participating in sports, with an increase of over 100,000 girls playing football.
There is still much work to be done so that all girls have the same chances as boys. Supported by Sport England, initiatives such as the FA’s Squad Girls’ Football program are crucial. Coaches are educated to guarantee that every girl has a voice and choice during their session, thereby ensuring that their needs are satisfied and instilling confidence in them.
Studio You, which is part of the This Girl Can initiative, is another excellent example of offering children options to encourage them to be physically active. PE teachers can employ a series of DVDs featuring engaging activities such as yoga and boxing, which were co-created with teenage girls. This is a departure from standard PE offerings, which do not appeal to all teenage girls.
Choice and voice are crucial because if every child and adolescent has positive experiences with sports and physical exercise, they are more likely to become physically active adults.
With increasing reports that children’s mental health is in crisis and the most recent Active Lives Children & Young People survey finding that more children than ever are using sports and activities to manage their well-being, it has never been more crucial for everyone to prioritize children’s sport participation.
Consequently, I am pleased that Sport England’s assessment indicated that the exercise levels of youngsters had returned to pre-pandemic levels. This is a credit to the efforts of all those involved.
However, the recovery has not been uniform. Too many children continue to forego the benefits of sports and physical activity. The activity levels of youngsters from low-income families and those attending school in impoverished areas have not recovered.
Sadly, children from culturally diverse areas are still less likely to be physically active. It is our joint responsibility to address the imbalances that contribute to this situation.
Moreover, fewer youngsters report enjoying or feeling confident about sports and physical activity than they did before the outbreak, indicating that the pandemic’s disruption is still having an effect.
Children with better levels of physical and mental health are happier and less lonely as a result of their increased activity.
There are a variety of ways that sports can provide pleasure. Not everything is about winning. It is about achieving a sense of accomplishment or belonging through conquering hurdles.
It strengthens our bodies and minds, as seen by the Lionesses’ ability to elevate a nation’s spirits and pave the way for a women’s football revolution in England.
Physical activity can also improve academic performance and aid in the development of critical life skills. After the epidemic, schools are under a great deal of pressure, and I am so grateful to all of our hardworking and committed teachers.
After the epidemic, there has been a major drive to ensure that youngsters catch up on their academic courses; we must now do the same for their physical activity participation.
Providing a variety of chances for young people to embrace an active lifestyle in schools involves careful planning and student input. Every child can learn and enjoy much from a well-executed, high-quality physical education and sports program.
Providing an active beginning to live is not a “nice” thing to do, but a “necessary” thing to do.
