Inspiring girls in sport with Sports Day the Girls' Way

From the Ottawa Charge women’s hockey team to the Rapid Football Club, women’s sports are on the rise – yet girls are more likely than their male counterparts to drop out of sports early or not try them at all.  

But when 600 elementary schoolgirls sitting on the floor at the TD Place arena recently chanted “I can do it! I can do it!”, it felt like that was about to change.  

The girls were participating in the OSEG Foundation's Sports Day the Girls' Way, presented by CAA North & East Ontario (CAA NEO).  

The chant was something that resonated because it came from the heart, said speaker Caitlin Charter, Membership Campaign Specialist at CAA North & East Ontario.  

"To be able to experience and try a new support sport surrounded by female role models, support and no judgment, is an incredible opportunity,” she told the audience.  

"While you're trying a new sport, if you fumble the ball or you don't do something right the first time, tell yourself you can do it and truly believe it, repeat it until you can because you can do it, you just need to let go without pressure."  

The annual event brought together girls from 12 schools across Ottawa to learn from role model volunteers and sports organizations. Throughout the day, the girls had the opportunity to try their hand at tennis, soccer, basketball, wheelchair basketball and flag football.  

According to the Canadian Women & Sport's Rally Report 2024, more than one million Canadian girls are missing out on the benefits of sports, with more than one in five girls leaving sports during their adolescence. Despite this, seven in 10 girls report that sport has had a positive impact on their mental health.  

Sports Day the Girls Way serves as the doorway to inclusively discovering sports, with a day dedicated to teamwork and celebrating girlhood.  

Championing women in sports 

With the goal of encouraging girls to try and stay in sport, they heard from Canadian athletes at all levels. A panel featured Ottawa Charge forward Rebecca Leslie, wheelchair basketball Paralympian Kady Dandeneau, executive director of Lay-Up Micaëlla Riché and Team Canada flag football alumni Mathilde Renaud. Ottawa Charge fan experience associate, Payton Harrison, moderated the panel, sharing her experience working behind the scenes with the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL).  

The panel discussed the benefits of sports, the importance of having good coaches, and the various options available to women in sports, ranging from sports marketing to professional competitive careers. The role models shared how they discovered a love of sports and spoke passionately about the women who encouraged them along the way.  

Opportunities like Sports Day the Girls' Way provide a safe space to try something new and can create a lifelong love of sports, said Caitlin. 

"We're here to promote the importance of girls learning sports. So often, they drop out at an early age, but we want them to engage, have a good time, and do it in a non-judgmental zone where they can really feel empowered.”  

CAA NEO’s commitment to stronger communities includes Sports Day the Girls Way, the First Time Fans program to support under-resourced communities' access to sports and cultural events, and partnerships with several First Nations and Inuit community organizations, added Jeff Walker, President & CEO at CAA NEO.  

"We've been the presenting sponsor of Sports Day the Girls Way for three years now, and we love it. And the kids love it, too."  

CAA is a proud sponsor of Sports Day the Girls' Way, and created the First-Time Fans initiative to make sports more accessible to new Canadians and under-resourced communities.