By Ada Adamczak

The rate of young female participation in sport has been dropping for ages now with around 40% of young girls dropping from sports activity by the age of 18.

As Scportsscotland states. “Almost half of adult women in Scotland (43%) participate in little or no sport at all and 79% of girls aged 8-15 did not see being fit and healthy as important.”

However, the matter is not left without any concern. Scottish Women in Sport believes that it is important for girls to get interested in sport as fast as possible and is doing their best to keep their interest after they leave school.

Phyllis Mcleish, a SW/S Trustee believes that the education plays a huge role in making people understand the struggle.

“It’s not even when it comes to school but right before that as well. Schools definitely need to push girls into sport and arts.”

Sport is believed to be a good factor for changing the life of kids. Pam Hunter, the Scottish Sports Futures chief executive believes that sport can be a starting point for a better life for them.

“We are using sport as a hook to engage with kids in deprived areas in Scotland, being like a pilot for them, to inspire them to make more positive life choices. But also showing them that it can be another way of life for them, and educate them as an individual as well as learning the game of sport.” she explains.

Young girls are struggling to find a good sport for them, or believe that physical activity is not for them. The job of those organisation and charities is to show those girls the world in which they will be welcomed to explore themselves. It will be easy for them to find what they like and what they are good at, to make sure that they will do what they truly enjoy, and not what they are forced to do.

The Minister of Sports, Aileen Campbell believes that media has a huge impact on how others see women.

“The fact is that we need to see more visibility of women in sport across the back pages of our printed press as well as broadcast in our television and radio. That is the way in which we can overcome some of the barriers.”

Even though the numbers are still low when it comes to participation in sport for women girls and women, Scotland is doing all that it can to make it better. And all the charities believe that one day girl will be able to be seen as equal as boys and be able to easily participate in anything they want.

She advises, “If you want to do something give it a try. If you do a lots of things, you will find something you are good at and when you do find that thing just commit to it and give it you best.”