Dove Body Confident Sport Resources for Coaches & Athletes

 

Sport can be a powerful force in a girl’s life. Yet, around the world, 45% of teenage girls are dropping out of sport – at twice the rate of boys – because of low body confidence.

That’s why Dove, the world's biggest provider of self-esteem and body confidence education, has teamed up with Nike, the biggest champion of athletes and sport, to launch the “Body Confident Sport program,” to build body confidence for millions of girls and make sport a place where they feel like they belong.

Body Confident Sport is a first-of-its-kind, scientifically proven set of coaching tools to build body confidence in 11–17-year-old girls. It was co-developed by Dove and Nike, in partnership with world-renowned researchers and experts – the Centre for Appearance Research and the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport – and includes input from girls and coaches from six countries, including France, India, Japan, Mexico, the U.K., and the U.S.

Body Confident Sport provides coaches with the materials they need to increase girls’ body confidence, body image, and self-esteem through sport. This initiative was created to help girls and young people of all gender identities feel more comfortable being active and participating in sports. The aim is to empower coaches and athletes around the world to celebrate the truly awesome things active bodies can do.

By coupling coach education with an easy-to-use program curriculum and guides, coaches will be equipped with the knowledge, tools, and inspiration to build body-confident athletes.

Body Confident Sport is a global initiative that aims to stop girls from dropping out of sport because of body image concerns. It includes two programs: Body Confident Coaching and Body Confident Athletes.

The programs were designed collaboratively between girls and coaches, with leading experts and brands in body image and sport. They are informed by the latest scientific research and have proven to work.

Body Confident Coaching is a web-based, self-guided program that provides coaches with the knowledge and skills to create positive body image environments for their athletes.

Body Confident Athletes is an in-person, coach-led program that provides girls with the knowledge and skills to feel body confident when playing sport.
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The programs are complementary, but they can stand alone. For example, a coach might complete Body Confident Coaching before delivering Body Confident Athletes to their athletes; but, this is not compulsory nor necessary.