Posted May 26, 2023 4:29 PM ET
CTV News file image of a basketball net.
A new Canadian study concludes that exercise has a remarkable impact on mental health, particularly among girls.
An all-female ice hockey association in Sydney has seen sign-ups rise steadily since he dropped the puck in his freshman year in the fall of 2018.
“I’m not sure what the magic is, but we’ve grown from about three local girls’ hockey teams in 2014, 2015 to 23,” said Christina Lamey, president of the Female Blizzard Association.
The federation will soon become the first in Canada to have its own arena for women’s ice hockey teams when renovations to the CBU Canada Games complex are complete.
It is an important project that also brings benefits off the ice.
“I think there are some statistics that show that most women CEOs have a sporting past,” Lamey said.
According to a recent study, 78 percent of girls who exercise report positive mental health, compared to 68 percent who didn’t.
The Canadian Women & Sport Rally report also found that exercise helps build confidence, reduce anxiety and improve emotional health.
“Feelings need movement, so going out and being in community with other people means we move our bodies. There is a connection between physical and mental health,” said Allison Sandmeyer-Graves, CEO of Canadian Women & Sport.
While there is no sport more beneficial than others, researchers say there may be benefits to keeping girls together on all-female teams.
“I think what’s important for any coach or any parent that has a daughter, in any scenario but especially when they’re in the minority on a boys’ team, is to really pay attention to how that girl is involved because it’s Inclusion and belonging are really critical factors,” said Sandmeyer-Graves.
The report also states that sport improves girls’ academic performance as well as body image and self-acceptance.
“We all look the same in hockey gear, so I think it allows girls to release all of their social pressures in their hockey activities,” said Lamey.
According to the study, the data also suggests that there is a clear need to educate sports leaders on how to create a trusting and healthy environment in which girls feel comfortable seeking support.
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