Keeping Girls in Sport Might Be One of the Smartest Economic Decisions We Can Make

It’s a bold statement that’s backed by data.

In the article Playing to Prosper: How Sports Participation Leads to Long-Term Success for Girls, Canadian researchers Katie Lebel and Mikaela Dodig put numbers behind something many of us in this community already know in our bones: sport builds more than athletes.

Sports builds futures.

Here’s what their Canadian research found about women who sustain sports participation:

• 58% pursue graduate-level education — nearly eight times the national average
• 75% move into careers with above-average earning potential
• Women with graduate degrees now hold up to 84% of men’s human capital, and the gap narrows fastest among former athletes

That’s not a motivational poster. That’s measurable impact.

And it aligns with global data, too.

A Deloitte study found:

• 85% of women who played sports credit it for their career success
• That jumps to 91% among women in leadership roles
• And 93% among women earning $100K+ annually

If we simplify it, the pattern is hard to ignore:

Sport → Education → Earning Power → Leadership

At a moment when women’s sports are finally seeing real visibility — packed arenas, expansion teams, new leagues launching across Canada — this research is a reminder of what’s actually at stake.

This goes beyond fandom and confidence.

It’s about economic participation, closing gaps, and building leaders.

And it’s about what happens when girls stay in the game long enough for the compounding effect to kick in.

At SHE’S GOT NEXT, this is why we care so much about visibility, funding, and introductions. Because when girls play, they don’t just win games.

They win access.
They win opportunity.
They win long-term leverage.

And that pays off long after the final whistle.

Source- Playing to Prosper

Photos- Ryann Kristmanson @sh0tby.ry