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Dr. Sutton on keeping girls in sports
BY NEW YORK FAMILY
Sports have always been the go-to when it
comes to fi nding an outlet for your children
to unleash their unceasing energy. But it is
more than just having them run around and get active.
Sports play a key role in building your child’s
confi dence and set them up for success in the classroom,
as well.
However, studies have shown that today’s generation
is the least active in history and girls are
increasingly dropping out of sports because of
some of the many obstacles they confront when
it comes to playing the game. We caught up
with sports expert Dr. Karen Sutton, who
spoke to us about why young girls are dropping
out of sports, how we can encourage
them to stay involved, and the campaign
“Keep Her In The Game,” which helps girls feel
strong and confi dent about getting out there and
playing sports!
What is “Keep Her In The Game” all about?
“Keep Her In The Game” is about empowering
young girls to stay in sports — either athletically
or professionally. I hope that girls will gain an understanding
of how sports change during adolescence:
the ins and outs of sports bras, deodorant,
re-training muscles and managing your period during
sports.
Coaches and parents need to understand that
younger female athletes respond to a positive tone
in coaching, understanding the “why” behind
drills, and enjoy a group camaraderie. As a surgeon
in a fi eld of 6 percent women, sports gave me the
courage and tenacity to feel confi dent in a typically
male profession. Surgery requires diligence, intelligence,
ability to multitask and leadership, and I
honed these qualities as an athlete throughout my
life. Sports empowered me to push myself to succeed
in my career and life.
Studies have shown that girls are dropping out
of sports at 150 percent the rate that boys do by the
age of 14 and 17 years old. Why is this and what
are some key factors involved?
A study done by Refi nery29 and Gatorade
showed that key factors for girls dropping
out of sports include social stigma, lack of access,
safety and transportation issues, costs
and a lack of positive role models. Social stigmas
can exist where girls may feel less confi -
dent in sports when the spotlight is typically
on the male athletes. Additionally, girls have
a two-to-eight-times increased risk of anterior
cruciate ligament injuries in pivoting and cutting
sports. During adolescents there is a weakness in
posterior muscles (gluteus medius and hamstrings),
which can protect the A.C.L. from injury. Girls are
at higher risk for patellofemoral pain syndrome and
stress fractures.
How are these studies about girl’s involvement
in sports conducted?
Surveying a diverse group of girls ranging from
age 8 to 18 and understanding what is limiting their
role in sports despite the work of Title IX.
How can we encourage girls to stay in sports?
Create a nurturing environment: It’s important
to remember that girls respond to their environment.
Young girls in sports respond best to positive
tone, encouragement and team camaraderie.
Dr. Karen Sutton.
PHOTO BY LUKAS FROM PEXELS
They prefer a group setting with teams that
offer camaraderie, support and friendships. They
want to understand the whys behind certain plays
or decisions. If a team has a bad practice and the
players hang their heads after, having a coach criticize
and curse out players will not be well received
nor achieve a productive result.
Monitor progress: I like Oprah Winfrey’s approach.
Keep a journal of your progress against immediate
short- and long-term goals. This applies to
sports, academics and your career. With respect to
athletics, start by working with the team to come
up with a saying that all can rally around. Determine
your individual and team goals, then chart
how you’re doing — whether it’s more playing time,
working hard in practice or enhancing skills. Bring
your coach, trainer and teammates into the loop, so
all are invested in your goal-setting.
Why is it so important for children to be involved
in sports? Aside from health benefi ts, do
these disciplines contribute to their development
of life skills?
Being on a team helps girls build confi dence in
their abilities, meet challenges, overcome adversity
and connect the dots between hard work
and results. On-fi eld experiences can carry
over to the classroom, among friend groups and
even into the workplace. A 2017 Ernst & Young
survey of high-level female executives found that
90 percent played sports. Among women who held
C-suite titles, the proportion was even higher — 96
percent.
The rate of girl’s participation in sports has been
dropping. What can we hope to see for the future
with girls in sports and what is being done now?
We can hope to see positive role models in sports
and careers and that playing sports increases success
in the classroom, as well. Communities have to
provide positive female role models in coaching and
sports leadership roles. Nonprofi ts, such as Sporty
Girls and Girls on the Run, promote sports and activities
in girls for a healthier generation.
Do you have daughters yourself? Or nieces? If
so, how do you as a parent encourage them to take
up sports and stick with them?
I have a daughter who is 3 and three sons — 6, 7
and 9 years old — who are very active. My daughter
likes to hang with the big boys, play in the
backyard, attempt kicking soccer balls, and
shooting a basket, etc. I give her developmentally
appropriate skills to have fun while trying
that out: lower basket, smaller basketball. It’s
important to pay attention to developmental
milestones. I also give her verbal cues — “Girls
are so strong, girls are fast” — and her brothers
encourage her, too.
How would you deal with a child who swears
to hate a certain sport? How long should a kid
stick with an activity before quitting.
We’re so focused on perfection and drills. Carve
out practice time each week for a fun activity. Varsity
and travel teams are not the right fi t for everyone;
consider joining house leagues and participating
in intramural sports.
Sutton is a sports medicine surgeon with expertise
in arthroscopy of the shoulder, knee and hip.
She is an associate attending orthopedic surgeon
at Hospital for Special Surgery and head team physician
for U.S. Women’s Lacrosse, chief medical offi
cer for Federation of International Lacrosse, and
team physician for US Ski & Snowboard.
Schneps Media TVG July 25, 2019 15