Sport for girls 'not feminine enough'

FORTY PER cent of girls drop out of sport by the time they are 14 partly because they are self-conscious about their bodies. Research from Loughborough University into girls' attitudes to sport also found that they were put off sport by the media image that it is unfeminine.

A study of 3,000 girls in 52 secondary schools suggests that simple improvements such as curtains in the school showers would help keep girls' enthusiasm for physical education.

Yesterday, the Youth Sport Trust announced a new initiative, the Girls in Sport Partnership, to stop teenage girls dropping out of sport.

Dr Sue Campbell, the trust's executive director, said: "We have discovered that girls are increasingly vulnerable to negative body images. Showers and PE kit are real issues for young women. Having to shower in front of 25 other people is very difficult at that stage of development."

Professor David Kirk of Loughborough University, who carried out the research, said that schools had to ensure that girls did sport in a friendly environment. "Girls won't play sport if they are humiliated and told they are no good. If you are feeling sensitive about your body, that is the last thing you want," he said.

His research found that teenage girls' physical esteem was lower than that of boys. It also suggested that girls were less interested in winning than boys and more interested in self-improvement and keeping fit.

Competitive sport with its focus on aggression is often seen as a male preoccupation, Professor Kirk says. He suggests that schools should offer a wider range of sport, including activities such as aerobics and dance, as well as traditional team games such as netball and hockey.

The 52 schools include 26 of the Government's new sports colleges and 26 partner schools. Several schools have already started running recreational sports after school for those who do not make it into the school teams, with the emphasis on fun rather than competition. Other schools are reviewing their shower arrangements and physical education kits and others are planning extra rewards for girls' sporting achievements.

Existing research has shown that girls who play sport and exercise regularly are less likely to suffer from depression or eating disorders and tend to have higher self-esteem. There is also evidence that regular physical exercise throughout the school day improves concentration on academic work.

Estelle Morris, the School Standards minister, who attended the launch and who played hockey for Manchester as a schoolgirl, said that she had been very aware of girls at school who were not enthusiastic about sport. "One of the difficulties is that there have always been enthusiasts about sport telling girls who are not enthusiastic why they should do it. Every girl can benefit from sport."