Nearly half of young women doing sports consider giving up

This is despite the fact that sports are known to often have a positive psychological effect. As part of their recently renewed partnership, ABN AMRO, the main sponsor of Ajax Women, and Ajax will be focusing on reducing these psychological barriers in society at large, which often manifest at a young age. Their goal is to promote equal opportunities in sports, and encourage women from their teens to not only take up sports but also to stick with them as they grow older.

Psychological obstacles to doing sports

According to the survey, lack of time is the most common reason given for quitting sports. However, psychological factors are also important, and are a more common reason for stopping than physical or social aspects. For example, nearly a third of women actively participating in a sport indicate that they no longer get any enjoyment or happiness from it. A majority of young women named psychological factors as the reason, or one of the reasons, for stopping, including lack of enjoyment or challenge, or insecurity. The survey also reveals the impact of negative emotions: half of all young women who have given up sports tend to avoid sports when they feel down. For almost half the group who have given up, negative feelings are in fact a direct reason for not taking up sports again later.

Greater self-confidence and better mental health through sports

However, the survey also shows that sports can be a powerful tool in overcoming psychological obstacles. For many young women, it is about more than just being physically active. Sports boost their mental health and increase their self-confidence. A massive 79 percent of young women indicated that their reasons for taking part in a sport lie in the positive mental health effects. This proportion is significantly greater than among men (71%). Sports help them to clear their mind, improve their mood and boost their mental strength. One in three women do sports specifically to feel psychologically stronger, which is significantly more than the proportion of men (25%). and 65% of women indicate that sports give them greater self-confidence. A majority of women also experience a lift in mood from sports when they feel down, as well as a release from emotions and frustrations.

According to Loïs Schenkel, coordinator of Ajax’s academy for young talent, the survey underlines the importance of better understanding the psychological barriers that prevent women from participating in sports, and how to eliminate them. “This survey shows that psychological barriers play an important role in the decision by young women in our society to give up sports. Together with ABN AMRO, we intend to support them from a young age in building their self-confidence and to help them overcome any obstacles standing in their way. By eliminating barriers, we can help them rediscover the joy of doing any kind of sports. This will benefit them for the rest of their lives.”

Partnership with a shift in focus

The survey revealed that one in three young women draw their motivation from examples in the area of sports, and 83% feel it is important for athletes to speak openly about mental health. Earlier this month, ABN AMRO and Ajax renewed their long-standing partnership, with the bank as the main sponsor of Ajax Women until mid-2028 at least. They have been partners for more than 30 years, with the focus during the past decade on the main sponsor role with Ajax Women. During the years ahead, the focus in the partnership between ABN AMRO and Ajax will be explicitly on creating equal opportunities and eliminating barriers for young women.

ABN AMRO’s Head of Partnerships, Events & Foundations Sander Bestevaar explains,“Our sponsorship strategy is focused on promoting equal opportunities and creating a level playing field. We want to work with Ajax to eliminate barriers that prevent young women from actively engaging in sports. By putting forward female role models and making sports more accessible, we hope to inspire young women to take up sports and stick with them, so that they experience both the psychological and physical benefits.”

About the survey

The survey includes responses from people actively engaged in sports, people who used to engage in sports and people who do not engage in sports. Questions concerned their current sporting habits, motivations for taking part in sports and – where applicable – their reasons for giving up. The central research questions behind the survey were: What are the most important barriers and motivations that young women experience around participating in and sticking with sports? What part do psychological aspects play, either as an obstacle or as motivation?

ABN AMRO and Ajax will use the insights gained to help reduce psychological obstacles and promote equal opportunities in sports, with the focus on teenage girls, to prevent lack of self-confidence from bothering them as they grow older.