We know that sports participation provides many benefits to youth that they can take with them, from childhood through adulthood. But research shows that 70% of youth athletes drop out of sports by age 13 due to burnout and pressure (National Alliance for Youth Sports.) Even more concerning is that by age 14, the dropout rate for girls is twice that of boys! (The Aspen Institute)
The Athena Program is centered around a "rising tide lifts all boats" philosophy. By supporting the players, coaches and parents to help keep girls in the game, clubs will also benefit in distinction, retention and reputation, which will yield growth.
The Athena Program helps create a supportive and fulfilling environment to keep girls in the game, while addressing the three primary challenges that cause girls to quit sports:
- Stress/Burnout
- Pressure
- Access
Our program helps players set personal goals and recognize achievements beyond the sport, fostering a sense of purpose, accomplishment and joy.
The Athena Program takes a holistic approach with clubs, coaches, players and parents to address critical issues of pressure, burnout, and stress with education, dialogue, practice and resources. And, a portion of proceeds from The Athena Program go towards underfunded individuals and teams, to address the access issue, which is largely socioeconomic.
The program benefits clubs by helping engage players, parents, and coaches, to improve both player and coach experience, which increases club success, retention, and reputation. This also creates a unique distinction and value proposition for clubs to offer their players (and parents) in an increasingly competitive marketplace.