Historically, sports were generally and erroneously seen as an activity reserved for men. In recent decades, however, women have broken these barriers by excelling in sports, making it easier for future generations of females to partake in any sport of their choosing without gender bias.
There are various well-known sports girls can play, including tennis, soccer, and gymnastics.
This article will be centered on the top 20, outlining their benefits and the reasons why girls choose these activities. Read on to learn more.
The Best Sports for Girls to Play
20. Figure Skating
Figure skating is grouped among the hardest popular sports. It is one of the most loved sports in the Winter Olympics and demands physical strength, grace, and poise.
Figure skating is a group sport that may require a partner or a team. It mostly involves performing jumps, spins, lifts, and synchronized movements (when working with a partner). All these must be executed with a look of ease.
Figure skating is not for the faint of heart; it requires perseverance, dedication, calm, and physical commitment.
Unlike other sports, it looks so easy and fun because, for the most part, you’re gliding through the ice; you may even forget that you’re exercising!
The ideal age for a child to start figure skating is three years old. It is therefore an excellent sport for a strong, brave young girl because it teaches that one can look poised, elegant, and graceful on the outside while being tough as steel and hard as nails on the inside.
19. Netball
Netball is very special because it has always been predominantly a female sport. Former coaches and players use it as a way to give back to society by sharing their knowledge and experiences.
This said, in recent years, men have taken an interest in the sport and are becoming more and more involved. Netball is also slowly getting popular and has over 20 million players worldwide.
18. Handball
Handball is a sport that demands a lot physically and mentally, requiring players to grasp numerous rules. Handball improves muscle tone in the arms, legs, and core and fosters flexibility and coordination.
It’s a good outlet for parents in search of an avenue for their less coordinated daughters to improve their skills while making sure they’re having lots of fun and making new friends.
17. Hockey
Girls hockey is a rapidly growing youth sport in the United States. It is a very fast-paced game that requires concentration and offers an effective way of quickly burning calories.
Playing hockey is excellent for working out leg muscles, quadriceps, adductors, glutes, hamstrings, and core muscles. Strong core muscles are important to maintain balance while skating.
Moreover, hockey, being a team sport, teaches teamwork and its importance for victory.
16. Softball
Softball caters to athletes who love baseball but prefer a slower-paced version. It demands focus and great hand-eye coordination.
Almost all the muscles in the body receive a thorough workout during a game, from the upper body muscles when swinging and trying to strike a ball to the lower body muscles when running on the field.
Softball teaches young girls the value of teamwork, effective communication skills, and tolerance.
They learn to trust their instincts and adopt a combative attitude when necessary.
With time, these skills will prove themselves valuable as they mature and navigate their daily lives.
15. Cricket
The foundation of a good cricket team is cooperation, trust, respect, determination, and hard work; making it ideal for parents with young children.
Cricket encourages young girls to have fun while instilling in them lifelong moral values.
It has a fan base of over 15 million people in the United States of America alone, which guarantees a certain level of financial reward for a good, dedicated player.
Cricket is an engaging and fun game that promotes physical and mental fitness. It imparts the ability to accept defeat gracefully and offers opportunities to meet new people and make new friends.
14. Cue Sports
The most known indoor sports are those that require a cue stick. Both genders like it, but women find it particularly appealing due to the feeling of power and dominance.
While cue sports are not as physically demanding as other sports, that doesn’t mean that they do not constitute a form of exercise.
These games sharpen the mind and forge critical thinking skills. They also provide a way to start a youthful one while burning calories.
13. Cross Country
Cross country, as its name suggests, involves racing over natural landscapes such as dirt or grass, either individually or as a group.
During winter, cross-country runners run their races indoors. It is very cost-effective, requiring just a good pair of running shoes.
There is also no age limit for participation as long as the individual is physically fit.
Girls can easily participate in cross country as the foundation of the sport is running. With time and consistency, it is only a matter of time until one gets physically fit.
Cross country strengthens the heart muscles—the faster you run, the harder your heart works, the stronger it gets.
Additionally, it is a great way to shed or maintain weight.
12. Swimming
Nowadays, more and more girls are taking an interest in swimming. This is primarily because swimming is a predominantly solo sport that involves no physical contact with opponents.
It is the ideal sport for individuals who prefer working independently and are not afraid to put in the hard work.
Not only does swimming forge determination and focus, but it is also very good for cardiovascular health and helps keep you in great physical shape.
Swimming is often considered both budget-friendly and expensive On a non-competitive level, it is very affordable.
However, when your daughter decides to go professional, the money starts adding up.
11. Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a fun-packed, exhilarating sport that combines elements from various sports, especially hockey.
Anaerobic fitness (repeat sprint ability), speed, agility, and flexibility are very important attributes for lacrosse players.
During lacrosse practice, coaches hone these attributes through dedication and training.
This will later help them to develop stamina, hand-eye coordination, and fine motor skills.
Lacrosse is an expensive sport and requires a certain amount of financial backing.
It is ideal for young girls who appreciate team dynamics and possess the means.
10. Golf
Golf appeals to many girls seeking interesting sports with less physical intensity than trendy options such as basketball, soccer, or even tennis.
Golfers walk from hole to hole, which is good exercise for the whole body. It also cultivates focus and concentration while promoting creative thinking.
However, golf is exclusive and does not offer as many financial rewards for females as other sports do.
9. Martial Arts
Martial arts benefit women for several reasons, one of which is as a tool for self-defence.
In a world where women don’t often feel safe, martial arts offer a certain level of confidence and security while teaching self-discipline, a valuable virtue.
Many individuals erroneously believe any form of combat sports should be reserved for men, but many ladies have succeeded in these fields.
8. Gymnastics
This is a very popular sport amongst young girls, and early engagement is very key to excellence.
Parents are therefore encouraged to enroll their daughters in classes so that they can incorporate gymnastics into their weekly routines. This will help them to maximize their potential as they mature.
Gymnastics is a demanding sport that requires sacrifice and intense commitment.
It instills values of hard work and perseverance in young girls, teaching them that all their goals are attainable through determination.
Gymnasts develop discipline and independence as they get older. They’re also very charismatic, which is very necessary as their sport is rooted in teamwork and synergy with their teammates.
7. Track and Field
Classified under the broader category of athletics, track and field centers on intense exercise such as sprinting, jumping, and throwing.
This sport is remarkably diverse, as it encompasses diverse disciplines such as sprints, hurdling, long jumps, pole vaulting, and more.
This diversity makes it easier for athletes to discover their unique niche and excel within it.
A lot of benefits are attached to track and field. Aside from the financial incentives, participation in these sports enhances physical fitness and speeds up metabolism.
Running, in particular, accelerates the formation of new brain cells, which is excellent for memory.
Additionally, track and field sports are accessible to everyone because they require minimal equipment.
It is viable for parents who desire their children to participate in sports but are working with a budget.
6. Badminton
Badminton is a globally renowned sport that is very popular in China. Like tennis, it is a racket sport that can be played indoors or outdoors.
It is a full-body workout that engages muscles such as the hamstrings, quads, calves, and buttocks.
Playing badminton improves stamina and strengthens the core.
However, this sport is quite expensive; from the equipment to the costs of training, it has limited access.
For parents who have the means, it is an excellent sport for their daughters.
Badminton teaches us to pursue goals relentlessly and helps build self-esteem.
5. Table Tennis
Commonly known as ping pong, this sport is open to people of all ages without gender restrictions.
The best part of table tennis is its inclusivity, as individuals of varying ages can compete against each other without physical constraints.
A 50-year-old can compete with someone 30 years younger as long as they are in top physical form.
Success in ping pong relies on speed, agility, and endurance.
Players of this sport are challenged to build these physical capacities, which have the added advantage of keeping them in good health (strengthened core muscles of the upper and lower body muscles, burning calories, etc.).
Victory hinges on proficiency in technique, touch, and strategy.
4. Lawn Tennis
Tennis, a well-known sport, has gained considerable attention in recent years.
Athletes like the William sisters, Martina Hingis, C. Wozniaki, and other great female tennis players have proven that women can show immense prowess in tennis, thus stimulating young girls all over the world who are interested in tennis to pick up the racket.
This sport enhances metabolism, sharpens reflexes, and boosts strength, flexibility, and endurance.
Tennis is a low-impact exercise, which is great for young girls who prefer individual play against one opponent.
It also requires less running compared to other sports.
However, it can be quite costly: the equipment, court fees, private lesson fees, and the amount used on tournaments alone are quite enough to discourage parents with limited resources.
3. Basketball
Basketball counts as one of the top sports for girls, especially in the United States.
Basketball cultivates upper-body strength, speed, endurance, and hand-to-eye coordination—key elements every basketball player must have. It also promotes teamwork, which is very important for winning.
There is enough money to be raked in through women’s basketball, making it attractive to young ladies seeking financial stability.
It is also very accessible to girls, regardless of their social status.
With just a basketball, access to a complete court, suitable athletic shoes, and an opponent, girls are good to go.
2. Soccer
Soccer (also called football) is a universally known game, with the FIFA World Cup being the most followed sports competition in the world.
Its level of popularity makes it an easy choice for girls. In any school or youth association, you will easily find soccer enthusiasts.
It’s an inclusive sport that provokes mutual interests and teamwork. Soccer is very impartial and alleviates parents’ physical involvement.
Playing soccer brings lots of benefits; it increases cardiovascular health, builds muscle and bone strength, and helps one to think on the run.
It can also forge endurance and agility, self-discipline, concentration, and perseverance.
All these intervene in the daily lives of female soccer players and contribute to their personal growth.
1. Volleyball
Volleyball is a globally beloved team sport that is particularly popular among young girls in not just the United States but around the world.
Like every other sport, volleyball has many physical benefits that include muscle building and toning, weight loss, increased balance, speed, and coordination.
Volleyball is grounded in teamwork and constant communication, making it easy to construct long-lasting friendships.
It also requires minimal equipment, which makes it accessible to young girls of various backgrounds and skill levels.
Final Thoughts
The sports mentioned above are highly recommended for young girls.
For the most part, they’re inclusive, offering opportunities for young girls of different backgrounds to participate.
However, in some cases, when funding is insufficient, some girls find themselves having to give up their dream sport.
