Jumpstart Partners with She's4Sports

By: Jumpstart Staff

January 27, 2022

At Jumpstart, we are committed to championing gender equality in sport. We are working to remove barriers to participation in sport and recreation — both physical and financial — and are supporting industry research to help better understand the needs of girls in sport. The Rally Report, released by Canadian Women & Sport in partnership with Jumpstart, found that 1 in 3 Canadian girls drop out of sport in adolescence — a significantly higher rate than their male counterparts. With girls leaving sport for many reasons, the absence of equitable representation and role models for girls in sport is regarded as one contributing factor. That’s why we’ve partnered with She’s4Sports, a Canadian sports organization that launched in 2016 to increase the representation of diverse women in sport media and build opportunities to keep girls in sport.

“Jumpstart is proud to help keep girls enrolled, engaged, and active in sport for life,” said Scott Fraser, President of Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities. “We help support programs like the Girls in Sport initiative because, for kids of all abilities, the opportunity to play is about much more than getting active – sport teaches important life skills like courage, confidence and teamwork.” 

As part of the partnership, She’s4Sports and Jumpstart have launched an educational video series How WE Play to reach girls entering their adolescence. The series will highlight the experiences and achievements of sport leaders and athletes who identify as women, LGBTQ+, and non-binary. Brigette Lacquette, Erin Ashley Simon, Erica Wiebe, and Kayla Alexander are among those who will be featured in Season One of How WE Play.

“A report produced by Canadian Women & Sport shows that 1 in 3 girls drop out of sports by their late teens. This is a huge problem that the sports industry must try to fix. Through this series, I want girls to not only learn about the health and social benefits of sport but also see role models who look like them — and know one day that they can accomplish their dreams in sport too,” Ainka Jess, Founder, She’s4Sports.

Follow Jumpstart and She’s4Sports on social media to see How WE Play videos as they are released!

Visit the Girls in Sport page to learn more about Jumpstart's work towards an equitable future in sport.