There are countless barriers when it comes to young girls continuing to play sport, and Liverpool FC are making an effort to eliminate as many hurdles as possible.
Sport forms the foundations of many of our lives, whether we watch or actively participate – and for us Reds, Liverpool are at the heart of it.
But research shows that girls are more likely than boys to drop out of sport and physical activity during their teenage years, with barriers to entry continually changing and evolving.
With this in mind, Liverpool partnered with sponsor Standard Chartered to launch the ‘Play On’ campaign, which encourages young girls to continue in sport.
The four-year campaign aims to combat the dropout of young girls in sport by showcasing the benefits of playing on the pitch and what it can do for their lives off it.
You may have recently seen a strong message from a number of first-team members from Jurgen Klopp‘s squad saying, “I Quit.” It was a sobering message that showcased the reasons why young girls step away from sport.
Klopp has played his part too, giving a team talk for his players to be brave and not give up – but he was not talking to the likes of Thiago or Jordan Henderson but instead inspiring the next generation of young women.
It is a powerful campaign and an important one too, removing barriers to entry is key to engaging young women and creating an experience they want to be part of for years to come.
Ben Latty, commercial director at Liverpool, explains: “We are so proud to be involved in this pioneering campaign, and to put our full support behind it.
“The first instalments of the ‘Play On’ campaign have grabbed headlines, and rightly so, and brought this important issue to the top of the agenda.”
The campaign comes ahead of the women’s World Cup this summer and it is brilliant to see Liverpool actively engaging in supporting girls to continue playing both at home and abroad.
A ‘Train the Trainer’ programme will launch in Asia and Africa, where coaches from LFC Soccer Schools and the Foundation will offer a coaching programme delivered exclusively to women and girls.
Who knows, one day one of them may grow up to be a Red.
