A major new study showing that one-in-five girls drop out of sports when they enter secondary school should “send alarm bells ringing all across the country”.

Sport Ireland is today publishing two new pieces of research it describes as “the most comprehensive studies in sport and physical activity across the island of Ireland”.

The studies show that physical activity levels are up across Ireland, with children and adults now more active than they were before the pandemic.

There is an increase in children playing sports – with nearly every primary school child in the country now playing at least once a week.

At primary school level, girls are actually slightly more likely to be playing sport than boys; however, there is still a huge drop-off rate when they enter secondary school.

The research found that girls are four times more likely to drop out of sport when they leave primary school, with one-in-20 boys dropping out compared to one-in-five girls.

"Alarm bells"

On Newstalk Breakfast this morning, presenters Ciara Kelly and Shane Coleman said the figure should “send alarm bells ringing all across the country”.

“There are ramifications for those girls - that third of young women - for the rest of their lives in terms of health, in terms of fitness and in terms of mental health because we know exercise is really important,” said Ciara.

“I do kind of get it though,” she said. “You know, I was a teenage girl a long time ago and there is an awful lot going on – your body is changing, you are getting periods, you are developing; you are becoming massively self-conscious and then they put you into tiny shorts or tiny skirts - and little white shorts very often - and you do feel awkward.”

Players from St MacDara's School during lineout coaching with Leinster Rugby Women's Development Officer Jennie Bognell. Image: Matt Browne / SPORTSFILE

Ciara said we need to do all we can to encourage girls to stay in sport in their early teens.

She said the drop-off is likely linked to very different experiences boys and girls have during puberty.

“Boys don’t get boobs,” she said. “Literally, when you turn about 13, people start looking at you differently; all ages of bloke - all ages - which is dreadful.”

“You are self-conscious, you are awkward and I have often said it before about the little white shorts they wear – when women exercise and choose their own things, they all wear black leggings but when they play sport as teens, they are asked to wear white shorts.

“Girls have challenges that have been invisible and never discussed and they need to be supported doing it because it is massively important.”

Sports

She said people are much more likely to give boys a football or rugby ball as a present at a very young age – and society’s failure to do the same for young girls makes team sports “kind of alien space” for them.

Shane said coaches of girls’ teams – himself included – have an important role when it comes to encouraging girls to stay involved.

“We also need to make it fun,” he said. “That is for boys as well, but we really need to make it fun because you know what, it is not the Premier League.

“I say that myself as a coach that sometimes gets too caught up in a game and stuff. We do need to make it fun.”