Having both a son and daughter that have participated in sports I know that they are two totally separate ballgames so to speak. I hate to admit it but having a girl in sports is so much different, actually harder than a boy. But thankfully things are starting to change and companies like Always and Walmart are even taking the initiative to help make that change.
As you may know, in June, Always launched Always #LikeAGirl – Keep Playing, focused on the link between sports and confidence. It’s been well-documented that girls who participate in sports report higher levels of self-confidence, but new Always survey data shows that half of girls will quit sports by 17 and nearly 7 in 10 girls reported that they don’t feel encouraged by society to play. When Always examined where that feeling stems from – community support, parental encouragement, funding – they knew they needed to do something to keep girls in the game.
Always just announced a new relationship with Walmart, which will allow them to provide crucial resources to teams around the country and contribute to the goal of keeping girls in sports. As part of the Always #LikeAGirl – Keep Playing initiative, the “50 States, 50 Teams” program will support one girls team in every state - before the year is over, fifty teams will receive the resources needed to keep their girls playing.
The program launched with the reveal of the first team transformation in Hulbert, Oklahoma. This summer, Always and Walmart met with the Lady Riders junior high girls basketball team to hear about their sports experiences and empower them to keep playing by providing the equipment, uniforms and facility upgrades needed.
Coinciding with the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio, Always® is partnering with UN Women to help girls build and maintain their confidence through sports. In the U.S., Always® will support Girls on the Run programs and work with retailers to help keep girls in sports.
The experience was captured in the uplifting video which you can view here:
Always and Walmart “50 Teams, 50 States” Program
As part of the Keep Playing #LikeAGirl program, Always is working with retailers to get the word out and help keep girls in sports. As an example, today, Always® and Walmart® announced they are working together to provide much-needed assistance to keep girls in sports across the US. Together, they will provide one girls teams in each of the fifty states with resources like new equipment, uniforms or a facility upgrade to help give girls the confidence to Keep Playing #LikeAGirl. Building on the Always® #LikeAGirl – Keep Playing movement, together, they will reinforce the link between sports and confidence and provide coaching tips to help keep girls motivated to participate in sports through support for coaches, educational materials and access to experts.
“Always® and Walmart® have something powerful in common – we’re both working to make a difference in women’s lives,” said Annie Walker, vice president, over the counter merchandising, Walmart® U.S. “We’re proud to support the Always®’ ‘50 Teams, 50 States' Program, supporting local communities in which we operate and giving schools the help they need to keep girls playing #LikeAGirl.”
Find out more at - http://always.com/en-us/about-us/our-epic-battle-like-a-girl
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