IN AUGUST 2024, NJ/NY GOTHAM FC LAUNCHED KEEP HER IN THE GAME, A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND SOCCER-BASED PROGRAM TO SUPPORT AND EMPOWER GIRL PLAYERS. Keep Her in the Game tackles the high rates at which girls quit sports by age 14 – and the reasons cited for why – by offering curated resources, coach and parent workshops, and mentorship with Gotham FC players.

It’s a historic moment in women's sports, and yet the U.S. is failing to keep girls in the game:

• By age 14, girls drop out of sports at twice the rate of boys.
• Girls have 1.3 million fewer opportunities to play high-school sports than boys.

....at a time when girls need the positive power of sport more than ever:

• 65% of girls pressure themselves to be perfect
• 78% of girls report doing “everything they can” to avoid messing up or failing at something
• 52% of 6th grade girls do not believe they are smart enough for their “dream job”

Gotham FC is compelled to act, starting right now, right here, by supporting the girls in our backyard and surrounding communities through Keep Her in the Game. In addition to helping girls* develop resiliency and a growth mindset that will help them face life’s challenges on and off the pitch, Keep Her in the Game offers our participants once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to feel a deep sense of belonging within the Gotham FC community. The program is designed to train and empower the trusted adults in girls' lives– their coaches and parents – with resources they can use to help their players thrive while also delivering moments of connection, celebration, and joy to all the teams we serve.

In partnership with New Jersey Youth Soccer and South Bronx United, together we will reach 1,000 girls in our first year of programming.

*“Girl” includes anyone who identifies as a girl, as well as non-binary and gender expansive youth.

Thank you to our partners:

Source: Women’s Sports Foundation

Source: The Girls’ Index™ 2023