Why is Girls On The Run Important?
An unfortunate fact of which we’re all aware: Women and girls are marginalized every day. So, would it surprise you to hear that most girl’s confidence begins to drop by the age of 9? In fact, one study reported that girls’ confidence drops by a staggering 30 percent between ages 8 and 14.
To compound the issue, girls’ physical activity starts to decrease around age 10, which often leads to further confidence drops. In a Jama Pediatrics study, females engaged in less heart rate-raising physical activity than their male counterparts in all demographic categories. Among girls, other studies have shown that relational bullying is common and can cause feelings of exclusion during a crucial time in social development.
In GOTR, girls learn to set realistic goals in life and athletics and pursue them week after week at each practice. At the end of the program, they complete a non-competitive 5K run to challenge themselves, prove what they are capable of and celebrate their accomplishments.