By age 14, girls are exiting sports at nearly twice the rate of boys.
Why?
• Fear of feeling judged by others (68%)
• Lack of confidence (61%)
• Pressures of schoolwork (47%)
• Not feeling safe outside (43%)
WHY GET GIRLS IN THE GAME?
In the U.S. only 11% of CEOs of Fortune 500 companies are women. 94% of women in the C-Suite played sports, 52% at a university level. When female athletes enter a boardroom, they bring a powerful advantage.
Sports help get them there.
The discipline female athletes build through sport: preparation, perseverance, focus, and collaboration, directly mirrors the core skills of strong leadership that sets our girls up for lifelong success.
Yet, in 2023, only 32% of girls ages 6-12 participated in sports, compared to 52% of boys. Not only does social stigma keep girls from playing sports, but there are fewer opportunities and high-cost barriers associated that many families can't afford.
HOW DOES ASPHALT GREEN HELP?
Asphalt Green partners with schools in low-income neighborhoods that have limited access to organized sports. We administer the league at low cost to schools and free for the participants, and we provide kids with free uniforms, professional referees, equipment, and instructional clinics led by Asphalt Green coaches.
In 2025, Asphalt Green awarded $1.2 million in scholarships to athletes looking to join Asphalt Green sports, helping offset costs for families facing financial barriers to sport participation.
In 2026, Asphalt Green is excited to continue its successful expansion of programs, bringing back its second season of girls-only Community Soccer League.
The AG Basketball program has seen over 25% year-over-year growth in girls' participation in the past two seasons and has nearly doubled its financial aid capacity for the girls' program.
HOW YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
By donating to Asphalt Green, you help expand access to sports for girls across New York City. Your support to our community sports programs enables more girls to start sports at a young age and stay active longer, fostering confidence, teamwork, and leadership skills along the way.
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References:
Bruce, Maryann. “Why Former Athletes Often Become Exceptional Business Leaders.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 25 Nov. 2025, www.forbes.com/sites/committeeof200/2025/11/25/why-former-athletes-often-become-exceptional-business-leaders/.
Cadzow, R., & Strength in Numbers. (2025). From Sidelines to Center Court: Empowering Women Coaches and Girls in Youth Sports, A Regional Study in Southeast Michigan and Western New York. Women’s Sports Foundation.
“Do You Know the Factors Influencing Girls’ Participation in Sports?” Women’s Sports Foundation, 11 Oct. 2019, www.womenssportsfoundation.org/do-you-know-the-factors-influencing-girls-participation-in-sports/.
EY Global. “Why a Female Athlete Should Be Your next Leader.” EY, MIT OpenCourseWare, 23 Sept. 2020, www.ey.com/en_au/athlete-programs/why-a-female-athlete-should-be-your-next-leader.
“More than 1 Million Teenage Girls Fall ‘out of Love’ with Sport.” Women in Sport, 17 July 2023, womeninsport.org/news/more-than-1-million-teenage-girls-fall-out-of-love-with-sport/.
“New National Report Sheds Light On Girls’ Sports Participation.” Women’s Sports Foundation, 28 Oct. 2020, www.womenssportsfoundation.org/press_release/new-national-report-sheds-light-on-girls-sports-participation/.
“Women CEOs in America 2025.” Women Business Collaborative, Women Business Collaborative, 15 Nov. 2025, www.wbcollaborative.org/women-ceo-report/.