July 29, 2026-During the World Cup, Soccer Forward hosted a workshop at the Central Park FIFA Arena on July 16 to spotlight one of the most pressing issues in youth sports: keeping girls in the game and equipping the coaches who can make it happen.
The numbers are striking. Up to 51% of girls drop out of sports by age 17, with the sharpest decline occurring around puberty. Yet the benefits of staying in sports are profound. Girls who participate report 1.5 times higher levels of meaning and purpose than those who never play. Soccer offers far more than physical activity, it creates space for belonging, friendship, confidence and identity during some of the most formative years of a young person’s life. We also know the environment matters enormously. Inadequate coaching and a lack of female role models are consistently cited as two of the leading drivers of dropout, which the workshop addressed.
Developed with support from Soccer Forward’s Kang Women’s Institute, the workshop brought together coaches from partner organizations in the local area such as the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) to explore how to get girls in the game, keep them in the game and support them through it.
With over 100,000 youth soccer players––both boys and girls––and more than 25,000 volunteers, the non-profit Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) stretches from Montauk Point, Long Island to the Canadian border, east of Route 81. ENYYSA encourages the healthy development of youth players, coaches, referees and administrators. All levels of soccer are offered––from intramural, travel team and premier players as well as Children With Special Needs. No child who wants to play soccer is turned away. ENYYSA is a proud member of US Soccer and US Youth Soccer. For more information, please log on to http://www.enysoccer.com/