In a study of 400 women executives from four continents, 94% had played sports as girls.^[34]

The majority of these leaders said that skills learned in sports helped them be more successful in their careers.

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There is an indisputable connection between sports and success.

Playing on a team is not just about knowing how to shoot, dribble, and pass. It’s also about knowing how to show up on time, how to be a teammate, how to stay focused under stress, how to win (and lose) graciously, how to set and achieve goals, and how to follow directions.

“I’m a big believer that sports are a great place for young people to learn courage. Sports force you to make decisions in real time and live with them. There are consequences to winning and losing...I don’t believe it is a coincidence that so many successful women executives today were active—and in many cases are still active—in sports. — Meg Whitman^[35]

In order to recognize skill-building opportunities, you must remember that a girl’s behavior is a result of her past and current experiences.

As a master skill-builder, you as a coach are uniquely set up to teach all types of skills to your athletes. Once these skills are learned, you will uplift girls on and off the field. When you look at the behavior of a girl as an opportunity for skill-building, you are able to teach so much more than just the technical side of sports.

Behavior tells a story, and a girl’s actions give insight into what she’s going through. The environment in which she lives, the people who surround her, and the cultural influences to which she’s exposed all impact her behavior.

But you can’t define a player by her behavior, just like you wouldn’t define a player by her ability to score a goal. Instead, you as a coach need to recognize that, as with any ability, behavior can be changed, strengthened, and developed over time. Think back to the growth mindset.

As a coach, you must always look at your players through this lens, with an understanding of what you see and an acknowledgement of how this ties back to things you cannot see.

Keep Girls in Sport

LESSON FOUR

EVERYTHING IS A SKILL

CURRICULUM: 58% Complete

In a study of 400 women executives from four continents, 94% had played sports as girls.^[34]

There is an indisputable connection between sports and success.

In order to recognize skill-building opportunities, you must remember that a girl’s behavior is a result of her past and current experiences.