BarcelonaThe documentary The coming of age it starts with a devastating figure. Four out of five girls leave the sport before the age of 16. The audiovisual piece follows the experiences of twelve girls who for two years have been part of the 21st Century High Performance Center with the aim of pursuing the dream of becoming professional basketball players. “Investigating the cases of female athletes who persist can give us guidelines to understand what happens to those who drop out,” says Mar Rovira, who has led a comprehensive report on the dropout of basketball among girls.
“Abandoning sports is particularly worrying because it has a direct impact on physical development and leads to a loss of sources of self-esteem, autonomy, personal satisfaction and a decrease in values such as teamwork that help in the future of any person,” warns Rovira.
At what specific stage does abandonment occur? The study points out that the transition from primary to secondary school, the age range of 12 to 13 years, is one of the most critical moments. But, in the case of girls, the decline is more abrupt when they reach the age of 16-18. In any case, the abandonment contrasts with the high interest they show in the need to do sport, because 90% of girls and boys between 14 and 16 years of age say they are aware of the importance of practicing it. The report notes that there is no single cause, but detects four major variables: time management, family, motivational climate and gender inequality.
“Men’s sport continues to have more media visibility and is more viewed by families, and this is a cocktail that undermines girls’ interest in terms of culture and sports education. In addition, in the structures of clubs, federations and decision-making bodies, we continue to encounter a majority of men, so the female perspective in sport is excluded from the big decisions”, sums up Rovira.
The documentary, produced by Endesa and with the collaboration of the Superior Sports Council and the Catalan and Spanish basketball federations, aims to inspire girls. “We are doing something wrong as a society when such a high percentage leaves such a good thing for their personal development. We need more spaces that combine sport with studies, where women can be empowered”, says Javi Torralba, head of Century XXI .
2023-07-01 19:53:44
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