GSA: Sport & Fitness for Life

Girls’ Schools Association

THESE GIRLS DO SPORT & FITNESS FOR LIFE

Sport and PE in GSA schools is as much about wellbeing and general fitness for everyone as it is about traditional team sports and fixtures.

It’s ok to be sporty in an all-girls’ environment.

Both have important long-term benefits for your daughter, whether it’s developing essential team and leadership skills or helping her find a fitness activity she can enjoy for the rest of her life.

There is a culture of involvement.

Whatever team you’re in, you’re part of the squad.

Nevertheless, we are proud that GSA schools produce more than their fair share of top-performing sportswomen, including Olympic medallists.

We asked sports directors what makes GSA girls’ schools so special.

They said:

There’s a positive attitude that’s good for girls’ physical and mental well-being.

The girls are stars in their own right.

Girls are more inclined to do sport at break and lunch time in an all-girls environment.

There’s twice the opportunity to join in, because all the facilities are for girls.

TEAM SPORTS - SKILLS FOR LIFE Playing a team sport is about acquiring skills for life as well as scoring goals and winning trophies.

It’s an opportunity for your daughter to improve her self-esteem, make friends, develop communication, team-working and leadership skills, discover a sense of loyalty and commitment and become more resilient.

In our experience, girls enjoy team sports more readily in an all-girls environment where they may be more inclined to feel it’s okay for them to join in, whatever their ability.

Girls are encouraged to play at all levels and to celebrate being on the C team as well as the A team.

Team sports are an excellent way of becoming strong and adaptable.

Being part of a group of individuals working together to achieve success is really rewarding. I have acquired skills in leadership, resilience, understanding others, and used them not only in sport, but also in my academic and day-to-day life.”

Student Harriet Dickens Bolton School Girls’ Division Harriet represented GB in the U17s LEN Women’s European Junior Water Polo Championships 2021

TOKYO MEDALLISTS Congratulations to the most recent GSA alumnae to become Olympic medallists: Kate French - modern pentathlon, gold Hannah Mills – sailing 470, gold Grace Balsdon – hockey, bronze Sarah Jones – hockey, bronze Anna Toman – hockey, bronze

ALUMNA KATIE SNOWDEN REPRESENTED TEAM GB IN THE 1500M AT THE 2020 OLYMPICS IN TOKYO. PHOTO: CHRIS COOPER

Y11 STUDENT ELENA BARTALOTTA IS RANKED SECOND IN GREAT BRITAIN IN THE U15 WOMEN’S 800M.

ALUMNA CAMILLA ARGENT IS A STUNT DOUBLE AND SPORTS COACH.

ALUMNA AND UNIVERSITY STUDENT SOPHIE LEWIS IS TRAINING FOR THE 2022 COMMONWEALTH GAMES WITH THE GB CYCLING U23 SQUAD.

ALUMNA REVEE WALCOTT-NOLAN IS BRITISH 1500M 2021 CHAMPION AND REPRESENTED GREAT BRITAIN IN THE TOKYO OLYMPICS.

ALUMNA COURTNAY OSBORNEWALKER WAS SELECTED OUT OF 500 CANDIDATES TO JOIN JOE WICKS’ THE BODY COACH TEAM.

ALUMNA ELLIE ROBINSON MBE IS A PARALYMPIC GOLD MEDALLIST (SWIMMING) AND WORLD RECORD HOLDER. SHE WAS VOTED JUNIOR SPORTS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR WHILE STILL AT SCHOOL.

ENJOYING WHAT YOU DO IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS WINNING GOLD We celebrate both

SPACE-HOPPING ALL THE WAY TO THE FINISH LINE AT SOUTH HAMPSTEAD HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS DAY.

YEAR 13 STUDENT SOPHIE FLINT IS A MEMBER OF THE U18 ENGLAND HOCKEY TEAM.

ALUMNA GEORGIE LEECH AND HER TEAMMATES BECAME THE YOUNGEST WOMEN TO ROW ACROSS THE ATLANTIC OCEAN IN 2021, RAISING OVER £15K FOR CHARITY.

Our annual conference for girls interested in a sports-related career is run in partnership with a range of schools, universities, sports industry and health professionals, top sportswomen, and organisations such as the Youth Sport Trust.

Research suggests that the largest increases in girls’ participation in sport tend to happen in single-sex contexts.

The Effectiveness of Interventions to Increase Physical Activity Among Adolescent Girls: a Meta-analysis by Biddle, Braithwaite & Pearson

Thirteen medallists in the Tokyo and Rio Olympic & Paralympic Games were alumnae of, or pupils at, GSA schools

“The school competes at the highest levels in a number of sports yet offers the opportunity to take part in those sports, and a variety of others, with a focus on enjoyment, fitness and wellbeing. The benefits of resilience, the ability to motivate themselves, a healthy competitive spirit alongside friendship through shared team experiences will be with the girls long after they have left.”

Fiona Platts (parent), Benenden School

LIFELONG FITNESS, SOWING THE SEEDS A good school can sow the seeds for a lifetime of physical activity.

It’s a well-known fact that teenage girls sometimes lose interest in being active; GSA schools address this by providing girl-only environments which reduce girls’ levels of anxiety about body image and performance.

Our schools are introducing more opportunities for girls to experience a wider variety of physical activity and games alongside the usual high level of traditional sports. Dance and dance-based cardio sessions, fitness studios and pilates are making exercise fun for more girls than ever before.

The majority of GSA schools give non-competitive fitness activities equal status with competitive team sports.

“Dance is such a diverse physical activity.

Anyone can take part in dance at school, no matter what their fitness level. It’s active, fun, creative and allows freedom of expression – the perfect activity for good health and well-being.”

Maddy D, Upper Sixth, Queenswood School

Girls’ Schools Association

Visit www.gsa.uk.com/schools for a list of GSA schools

Girls’ Schools Association Suite 105 108 New Walk Leicester LE1 7EA This brochure is printed on FSC certified paper

Tel: +44 (0)116 254 1619 Email: office@gsa.uk.com Twitter: @GSAUK #GSAUKsport www.gsa.uk.com 10/2021