White girl aged 6-8 on a balancing beam

Case Study: Should I Stay or Should I Go? British Gymnastics

Published

Women in Sport undertook a research project to support this need and investigate what influences girls aged 11 to 13 years to keep taking part in gymnastics. The project explored whether products British Gymnastics have put in place, specifically TeamGym and MY Club, are helping to retain female gymnasts and to establish the role significant people such as parents, friends or coaches play within girls’ lives at this age.

Report Contents

  • What we wanted to know
  • Who we talked to
  • What did we find
  • British Gymnastics initiatives
  • Influence of coaches

 

I like that gymnastics gives me a separate side of life. I have other friends

Recommendations

  • Continues to develop initiatives such as TeamGym and MY Club in line with girls’ values and motivations.
  • Develops more support for coaches who deliver gymnastics to 11-13-year-old girls.
  • Considers how social media can be further used as a tool to keep girls engaged with the sport they love (with appropriate safeguarding restrictions in place).

Download the report