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The environment surrounding the world of sports can be intimidating – and that’s where the positive influence of a great coach comes in.
Positive coaching for women and girls in sports is an invaluable part of keeping them playing the games they love and we know that coaches can be key in building body confidence. Our research shows that 74% of girls say their coach was why they felt more confident. Yet, 71% of girls said they’ve also felt discouraged by their sports coach – showing the impact coaches can have on girls’ self-esteem – and just how important coaching education really is.
The importance of body confidence in sports
The benefits of sports in youth are far-reaching. Young people who take part in physical activity during their teenage years experience higher body confidence and better mental health as they grow up. But 45% of teenage girls are quitting sports – and body dissatisfaction is the #1 reason why. As a coach, you’re in a unique position to help boost the self-esteem of young athletes, encourage them to feel confident in their bodies, and help keep girls enjoying the many benefits of sports.
Where coaches come in
What makes a great coach?
Positive coaching for women and girls in sports is an invaluable part of keeping them playing the games they love. A great coach is someone who empowers and encourages young people by:
1. Celebrating the amazing things their bodies can do, rather than what they look like
2. Creating a psychologically safe environment where body shaming isn’t tolerated
3. Being careful with language to avoid comparisons and unhelpful labels
4. Leading by example and speaking about your own body with respect
5. Championing all body types to show that there is no “right” kind of body for sports
How to build body confidence in girls
Building body confidence in young girls is about helping to shape how they think about themselves, their bodies, and their worth over time. Think about:
• Normalizing body changes during puberty with open conversations
• Helping them see that most “perfect” bodies online aren’t realistic
• Avoiding appearance-based compliments
• Encouraging movement for joy and freedom rather than results
As part of our commitment to empowering women and girls, we worked with Nike to co-create the Body Confident Sport program. Our free, evidence-based tools are designed to help coaches make sport a positive space for girls to shine.
As part of this, Body Confident Athletes is an in-person program that can be delivered by coaches and gym teachers, covering a number of topics like the impact of body image in sports and how to feel confident in your body.
Body confidence coaching in action
We asked some of the coaches who’ve used Body Confident Athletes to tell us how it’s helped them inspire girls in sports to feel more body confident. Here’s what they said:
"I have a 9-year-old daughter in various athletics [and so I] appreciate the time and effort spent on this topic.... Great for general inclusion conversations as well. Thank you for what you're doing!" – Tad, High School Coach
"This can be a difficult topic for males to handle when dealing with our athletes and I loved the insight and insider knowledge." - Cole, Middle School Coach
"There's tremendous value in just discussing the topic, it keeps it front of mind [especially] the importance of not commenting on students' appearance, even if in a positive way” – Marian, Middle School Coach
Tools and resources for coaches
Ready to help young athletes feel unstoppable? Whether you’re a volunteer, teacher, parent, guardian, caregiver, sibling or an official sports coach – the Body Confident Sport program is for you.
Download the tools you need to become a body confidence champion here.
Frequently asked questions
As well as physical health, the benefits of sports for kids and young girls include higher self-esteem, better body confidence and learning crucial life skills such as teamwork and leadership.
1 in 2 girls quit sports by the age of 14, meaning that they miss out on the many benefits of playing sports. Body image and sports are closely linked, with many girls feeling like they don’t have the right kind of body for sports.
Glad you asked, because there’s no such thing as girls’ sports. Girls can excel in any sport they put their mind to, whether that’s a team sport like football or basketball, or something solo like track and field.
Every Dove purchase you make helps keep girls playing the sports they love. We donate $0.05 for every Dove product
you buy to organizations working to improve girls’ body confidence and self-esteem.*
*For every item purchased at Walmart from now until Dec. 31, 2026, Dove will donate $0.05 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, and for every item purchased at other retailers Dove will donate $0.05 to Boys & Girls Clubs of America, with a minimum quarterly donation of $100,000, maximum quarterly donation of $125,000 and maximum full year donation of $500,000 to each organization, respectively. For more info, see here.
Explore more
Body Confidence in action
Discover our mission to keep girls playing the sports they love.
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