Published on January 20, 2026

A Guide to Supporting Young Female Athletes - Part I

Image of two physical therapy providers wrapping a young female athlete's ankle.

Part I: Building Confident, Resilient Athletes

Did you know that by age 14, twice as many girls as boys quit sports? There are many reasons for this. Some of the biggest are fear of being judged, low confidence, school stress, unsafe environments, social pressure, and unfair treatment.

We also know that playing sports helps girls in many ways. It builds confidence, improves body image, reduces anxiety, and helps with success in school and careers later in life. These are benefits we want all young women to have. So how do we make sports a more positive experience? How do we remove barriers and help girls succeed both on and off the field?

There are many ways to support young female athletes, so this guide is split into two parts. This article focuses on how girls’ bodies change during adolescence and how those changes affect coaching. A Guide to Supporting Young Female Athlete, Part II focuses on how to fuel their sport and athletic lifestyle.

How Growing Bodies Affect Training

As kids grow, boys and girls develop differently, especially after puberty. These differences are influenced by genetics, environment, body fat, and training volume. In some sports, like gymnastics or cross country, very high training levels can even delay puberty.

Ages 4–8: Learning to Move

For the youngest athletes, training should focus on learning basic movement skills. Practices should be short (about 30–45 minutes), with lots of variety. Use games like tag or obstacle courses to make learning fun. Keeping sports enjoyable at this age helps kids build a lifelong love of movement.

Ages 9–11: Building Skills

As kids get older, training can become a little more intense, but it should still focus on proper technique. Add short bursts of effort, like relay races or faster drills. Sport-specific skills can be introduced slowly and then sped up over time. This helps improve endurance and speed while keeping kids safe.

Physical Changes During Puberty

Around age 11, boys begin to produce more testosterone. This leads to bigger hearts and more red blood cells, which increases how much blood the heart pumps out and helps carry more oxygen to muscles. Because of this, boys can often run faster and longer than girls at this stage.

Girls, on the other hand, have lower aerobic capacity during puberty. This means they may tire more quickly during long or fast activities. Girls can still improve with training just like boys, but these differences are more noticeable during adolescence.

Because of this, young female athletes should first focus on building endurance, then work on speed later.

Ways to build endurance include:

  • Steady exercise: Moving at a comfortable pace for 20–60 minutes, like swimming or jogging.
  • Interval training: Short bursts of hard effort with rest in between.
  • Tempo training: Working at a “comfortably hard” pace for 15–20 minutes.
  • Sport-specific drills: Activities like scrimmages, shuttle runs, or passing drills that raise the heart rate.

Injury Risk and Coordination Changes

During adolescence, girls grow quickly—about 20% of their adult height is gained during this time. Rapid growth increases the risk of bone injuries and can temporarily affect balance and coordination. Practicing the motion can help improve their coordination.

Because of changes in muscles, hormones, and coordination, young female athletes have a higher risk of certain injuries, such as tendon issues, concussions, and ACL tears. Coaches should focus on:

  • Proper technique
  • Strength training
  • Injury prevention programs

Physical therapists can be great partners in helping keep young athletes healthy.

Emotional and Mental Changes

Puberty also brings emotional changes. Mood swings are common, and girls may start to doubt their abilities—even if coaches or parents see strong potential. This is where positive reinforcement is critical.

Focus on:

  • Praising effort, not just results
  • Celebrating progress and learning
  • Talking about what the body can do, not how it looks
  • Encouraging teamwork and leadership

The words adults use matter. Appreciate the body for its abilities, including your own. Be mindful of how your words support gender stereotypes which can affect confidence for a very long time. Supportive language helps build confidence and breaks harmful stereotypes about girls in sports.

How Parents, Coaches, and Mentors Can Help

As researcher Stacy Sims, PhD, says:

“Parents can be better equipped to instill confidence in their young athletes than anybody else.”

Here are some simple ways to help:

  • Appreciate the body for its abilities, not its appearance
  • Support different body shapes and sizes
  • Focus on skills and strength
  • Keep sports fun, especially for beginners
  • Use positive, encouraging language
  • Be mindful of how gender stereotypes can affect confidence

By creating a positive, supportive environment, we can help young female athletes build confidence, resilience, and a love for sport that lasts a lifetime.

Laura Crower, D.P.T., C.S.C.S., is a physical therapist and certified strength and conditioning specialist at MyMichigan Health.