How do we inspire in times like these?

In almost every part of the world the COVID 19 pandemic has caused tremendous disruption. There have been many lives lost, millions of jobs lost, businesses closed, routines dramatically altered, schools closed and moved to online learning, sports and extracurricular activities cancelled, and the list goes on. It’s hard to find hope because it seems far away and sometimes impossible. When we feel hopeless and overwhelmed, during these times, it becomes difficult to inspire. The pandemic leaves many of us feeling overwhelmed and hopeless.

Millions of those affected are young student athletes that are not able to play a favorite sport or pursue their dreams because of the pandemic. Seasons have been delayed, restricted, and in some cases cancelled. In Michigan, my home state, winter sports including basketball just received approval to begin competition on February 8th, 2021. It will be a condensed season, but let’s take a closer look at what they are missing during a regular season.

According to the NEA, (National Education Association) the US currently has 18,665 high schools. (16,944 public, 1,539 private, and 182 in US territories) Of those 18,655 high schools, approximately 8,000,000 students or 55% of the student population participates in sports. In Michigan there are 1,879 high schools. ( 1701 public and 169 private) Michigan ranks 10th in student enrollment, and 8th in the number of high schools in the US. Each high school has multiple sports and multiple teams. The MHSAA ( Michigan High School Athletic Association) lists sports ranked from most popular to least popular as follows:

Girls: volleyball, track and field, basketball, softball, soccer, tennis, cross country, competitive cheer, swimming, golf, lacrosse, bowling, skiing, gymnastics

Boys: football, track and field, basketball, baseball, soccer, cross country, wrestling, tennis, golf, lacrosse, swimming, bowling, hockey, skiing

The Michigan rate of participation is 617 athletes per 1000 students or 61.7%. That is 6 points higher than the 55% national average. Keep in mind, not all Michigan schools have every sport, but almost every high school has basketball. Basketball ranks third in popularity for both girls and boys. The rate of participation for girls is 69 athletes per 1,000 students. The rate of participation for boys is 90 athletes per 1,000 students. Why is the girls participation rate 21 points lower than the boys participation rate? How can we change that? Keep reading!

Michigan high school girls varsity basketball teams average 12 players per team. Their season usually starts early November and ends in early March dependent on how far the team plays in the post season tournament. During the regular season, there are approximately 75 to 80 combined practices and games. The game/practice total is based on meeting 5 times per week with breaks for Thanksgiving and Winter Holidays. Multiply the lower number 75 practices/games by the average 12 players per team and that equals 900. That translates into 900 opportunities for coaches to interact with every player, once per practice, per season. Again, coaches have the opportunity to interact with each player once per practice or game for a minimal total of 900 interactions per team per season. Multiply 900 by the total number of high schools in Michigan and that equals 1,683,000 possible interactions statewide. What an awesome opportunity to inspire!

And, what if in that one interaction each the athlete heard “ You are important, you matter, and you are a valuable part of the team”? Each player would hear that message 75 times per season. Suppose the message resonated 10% of the time. Each athlete would hear that message 7.5 times a season. And, just 10% of the Michigan state total of 1,683,000 would be 168,300. At only 10%, coaches have 168,300 opportunities to inspire young women. That’s pretty powerful!

Would this change lives? I think it would because sometimes it only takes once. Would that close the 21 point basketball participation gap between girls and boys in Michigan? Maybe….it is certainly worth a try. I like the odds of this changing lives one small thing at a time.

Up Next: What message do they hear?