Women’s Sports Foundation: Play to Lead
The Power of Play: How Sports Shape Women Leaders
March is Women’s History Month. The Women’s Sports Foundation’s research published in 2024, Play to Lead: The Generational Impact of Sports on Women’s Leadership, highlights the powerful connection between sports participation and leadership development. This groundbreaking study examines how playing sports fosters essential skills like teamwork, confidence, and resilience across multiple generations of women. The findings reinforce that sports are not just about competition—they are a critical tool for advancing gender equality in leadership. However, barriers to access remain, particularly for girls from marginalized communities. Ensuring that all girls have the opportunity to play is essential for cultivating the next generation of female leaders.
The Study: A Cross-Generational Look at Leadership Through Sports
WSF’s Play to Lead study analyzes data from women ages 20–80, spanning seven generations, to understand the long-term effects of sports participation. It is the first of its kind to investigate the impacts of policy-driven changes, most notably Title IX, on women’s leadership both inside and outside the sports world. The findings highlight how sports develop crucial leadership traits such as teamwork, resilience, and confidence—skills that translate into success in business, education, and beyond.
The Key Takeaway: When Girls Play, They Lead
One of the most powerful insights from this study is that girls do not need to become elite athletes to reap the societal benefits of sports. The leadership lessons learned from playing at any level provide a strong foundation for future success. The research confirms that women who played sports as children are more likely to assume leadership positions as adults, showcasing the long-term value of early sports involvement.
Addressing the Barriers to Access and Recent Title IX Developments
Despite the undeniable benefits, barriers to sports participation persist—especially for girls from marginalized communities. WSF’s report, 50 Years of Title IX: We’re Not Done Yet, revealed that girls of color, girls with disabilities, LGBTQ+ youth, and those from low-income households face significant obstacles in accessing sports. The Play to Lead study underscores the urgency of removing these barriers to ensure that all girls have the opportunity to develop the leadership skills that sports provide.
In 2025, Title IX remains a focal point in discussions about gender equity in sports. Recent policy shifts and legal challenges have sparked debates over protections for female athletes, transgender participation in sports, and funding disparities. Some proposed changes threaten to roll back key provisions that have historically supported girls' and women’s sports, making advocacy more critical than ever. The Play to Lead report reinforces the need to protect and strengthen Title IX to ensure that all girls—regardless of background—have equitable access to the benefits of sports participation.
A Call to Action: Keeping Girls in the Game
Sports are more than just games; they are an engine for full gender equality in leadership. As WSF’s research shows, ensuring that all girls have access to play is critical for cultivating the next generation of leaders across industries and communities. The Women’s Sports Foundation remains at the forefront of this movement, working with experts in sports, education, business, and mental health to expand opportunities for girls to thrive in athletics.
By investing in equitable access to sports, we are not just shaping better athletes—we are building a future where more women lead in all areas of society. The message is clear: when girls play, we all win.
#KeepPlaying
https://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/articles_and_report/play-to-lead/