The Girls Who Play Sport Are the Women Who Lead

This week marks International Women and Girls in Science Week, a global recognition of the vital role women and girls play in shaping the future of STEM. It’s a moment to reflect on progress, challenge ongoing barriers, and push for more opportunities. But the conversation can’t stop at science.

The data is clear—girls who play sport are far more likely to step into leadership roles later in life. Whether in boardrooms, laboratories, or political offices, sport lays the groundwork for resilience, confidence, and the ability to compete at the highest levels. Yet, we are still seeing too many girls walk away from sport long before they reach their full potential.

If this week is about championing women’s leadership in science, then we must also ask: Are we doing enough to keep girls in the environments that shape them into future leaders?

94% of women in executive leadership once played sport.

That’s not a coincidence. It’s a roadmap.

Sport doesn’t just shape stronger bodies; it builds sharper minds. It’s where women learn to make decisions under pressure, push through setbacks, handle the brutal reality of competition—and thrive in it. It’s where they develop the confidence to take up space, own their abilities, and raise their game when it matters.

The statistics don’t lie. Nearly every woman at the top of business, politics, media, and industry once stepped onto a pitch, court, or track. And yet, we are still watching girls drop out of sport at an alarming rate. If sport is the pipeline to leadership, then losing girls from sport isn’t just a participation problem—it’s a future leadership crisis.

So the question isn’t whether sport matters. We know it does.

The real question is: What the hell are we doing about it?

The Great Drop-Off: Where We’re Losing Future Leaders

By age 14, more than half of all girls have quit sport. By 17, it’s over 70%.

They don’t lose interest. They’re pushed out.

• They don’t see women leading in sport. If they don’t see it, they don’t believe they belong.
• Self-consciousness and body image pressure kick in. The scrutiny on female athletes is relentless.
• Opportunities aren’t equal. Facilities, funding, and support still favour boys in most communities.
• Outdated stereotypes still exist. Sport is still seen as “for boys,” and we’ve let that narrative survive far too long.

Every girl who walks away from sport is a future leader we never see.

The Proven Pathway: From the Pitch to the Boardroom

The data backs it up—sport isn’t just a game. It’s the best leadership training programme in the world.

• 94% of women in C-suite positions played sport.
• 52% of female executives played at university level.
• 80% of female FTSE 500 execs describe themselves as ‘competitive’—a trait sport hones.

They learned resilience. They learned strategy. They learned how to step up in high-pressure moments.

And now they run the world.

Yet, if we don’t fix this drop-off, we’re cutting off the supply chain of future female leaders before they ever get started.

What’s Next? What Do We Actually Do?

Enough talk. We know the problem. What’s the plan?

1. Keep Girls in the Game—No Excuses

• Equal funding and facilities. No more short-changing girls’ sports. No more second-rate pitches and last pick for gym time.
• Female athletes in the spotlight. Girls need to see women leading in sport, not just a footnote in the news.
• Confidence-focused coaching. The right support system stops girls from dropping out when self-doubt creeps in.

2. Shift the Narrative—Redefine Success in Sport

• Sport isn’t just about winning trophies. It’s about mental toughness, resilience, and leadership—the skills that shape careers and futures.
• Schools, clubs, and parents need to push this message hard: Sport isn’t just for athletes—it’s for future leaders.

3. Bridge the Gap Between Sport and Leadership

• Mentorship programmes connecting female athletes with women in leadership roles. Show them the link between the pitch and the boardroom.
• Scholarships and sponsorships that ensure no girl quits due to financial barriers.
• Workplace recruitment programmes that actively seek out female athletes, recognising the leadership skills they bring.

This Isn’t Just Sport. It’s Leadership Training. It’s the Future.

If we don’t fight to keep girls in sport, we don’t just lose athletes—we lose future CEOs, founders, trailblazers.

If 94% of women in leadership played sport, then every girl who quits is another potential leader we let slip through the cracks.

Are we okay with that?

Are we willing to let the next generation of female leaders disappear from the game because we didn’t fight hard enough to keep them in it?

Because if we are—if we let this cycle continue—then we are actively holding women back.

The girls who play sport today are the women who will lead tomorrow.

Let’s make sure they get there.

Until Next Time,

Shane