The following article comes from the Aspen Institute’s State of Play Baton Rouge report. The report assesses the opportunities and barriers for more children to access sports and physical activity in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana.

Louisiana ranks second to last in the U.S. in sports participation rates for girls (39%), behind only Mississippi, according to the National Survey of Children’s Health. Far more Louisiana boys (55%) participate in sports. A similar gender gap exists in Baton Rouge.

High school sports participation opportunities at East Baton Rouge Parish Schools are dominated by boys (63% of roster spots) compared to girls (37%), according to 2021-22 data, the most recent available. That year, 11 of the 15 EBR Schools high schools offered sports (86 girls teams vs. 84 boys teams).

But five high schools had at least two times more male participants than female (Broadmoor Senior High School, Glen Oaks Senior High School, Istrouma High School, McKinley Senior High School and Tara High School). This is partly due to large football rosters, but significant gender gaps existed in sports played by both boys and girls, such as basketball and soccer.

Girls are four times more likely than boys to indicate they do not regularly play sports, according to our youth survey. That gap impacts physical activity rates. Barriers we heard that girls face to play sports and be physically active include:

Concern about appearance and body image
Social stereotyping and harassment
Limited role models
Perceived lack of skills
Study and work pressures
Family commitments
Sport programs are too focused on winning
Costs to play

In our youth survey, girls were about two times more likely than boys to say they don’t play because sports programs are too serious. Girls also more frequently reported fears of injury, a belief they are not good enough to play, and financial barriers to participate.

Some middle schools and high schools within East Baton Rouge Parish Schools charge fees for children to play. The amounts vary depending on the schools. “Even the schools who do charge, they know if there’s a kid who can’t afford it, there’s a donor who will pay what they need for required items,” said Christina Anderson, former EBR Schools athletic director.

Girls were also more likely than boys to have waivers allowing them to avoid P.E. class in school. “Interest in girls sports is declining because interest is not nurtured in health and P.E. classes,” said Clarissa Johnson, EBR Schools supervisor of health, physical education and athletics. “No one wants to get dressed or look silly in front of the boys. Girls will say, ‘I don’t want to do this,’ or ‘I have a headache,’ and teachers let them sit down. We have to make it fun for girls.”

Solutions

Hold separate boys and girls P.E. classes

Johnson is trying to change P.E. classes at EBR Schools from coed to single-sex after success with girls-only classes while working in other Louisiana school districts. Johnson said she too often sees students in P.E. classes being taught physical activity on Chromebooks instead of participating. “I think we would get more out of the girls if they were in their own class, and they would learn more,” she said. “You can focus on those girls and what their interests are. Get off the Chromebooks. Show them physical activity. Don’t just write about physical activity. I used to create lesson plans only for girls. You lean into what they’re interested in. That’s much harder with coed classes.”

Provide sports bras to female athletes

Boys wouldn’t play tackle football without a helmet. Teenage girls shouldn’t play any sport without a sports bra. As girls experience puberty, one reason they turn away from sports is they lack access to a sports bra — an essential piece of athletic equipment, but one you’re not likely to receive if you can’t afford it or don’t know where to look. Identify funders who will sponsor sports bras for school and community-based teams. Teach girls about the value of sports bras and acquire them through The Sports Bra Project atwww.thesportsbraproject.org.

More regularly track sports participation rates for girls and ask questions.

Schools and parks and rec officials should review annual participation data so it’s possible to ask pertinent questions of coaches, school administrators and girls. Why are so few girls playing? What opportunities could be created to change that? What sports would they like to play? Who in the community could coach or organize these opportunities? Without data, even asking these questions on behalf of girls becomes out of sight, out of mind.

Invest more broadly in female sports, such as flag football

To be clear, success does exist for some Baton Rouge girls in sports. For instance, the rise of Kim Mulkey and the LSU women’s basketball team is elevating the competitive level of high school girls basketball in Baton Rouge, where Southern Lab and Parkview Baptist won state titles in 2024 while University High, Woodlawn, Madison Prep and Denham Springs were all runners-up. In 2024–25, Louisiana becomes the 45th state to host girls high school wrestling championships. Soccer and volleyball are popular sports for Baton Rouge girls who can access them. But too many are still left behind. Given football’s popularity in Louisiana, adding girls flag football as a high school sport in Baton Rouge makes a lot of sense. Flag is currently being piloted by the New Orleans Saints in 10 schools across Orleans and Jefferson parishes with the hope of sanctioning the sport in the future across the state. Twelve states have sanctioned girls high school flag football, and the sport will be part of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Jon Solomon is Community Impact Director of the Aspen Institute’s Project Play initiative. Jon can be reached at jon.solomon@aspeninstitute.org.