These 10 Organizations Give Girls Access To Sports, And They Deserve A Round Of Applause

In partnership with the Women’s Sports Foundation, Always awarded $500,000 to schools and organizations across the country that provide girls access to sports.

Did you know nearly half of girls in the US drop out of sports during puberty? Even though when girls continue to play sports, they gain confidence and critical life skills like teamwork and resilience.*

That’s why Always and Walmart are helping the following schools and organizations that provide access, opportunity, and encouragement to puberty-aged girls in sports with their #KeepHerPlaying Youth Grants:

1. Memphis Inner City Rugby

Location: Memphis, Tennessee

Sport: Rugby

Memphis Inner City Rugby believes that sports can cultivate the personal growth of young girls living in underserved communities. Serving more than 500 girls since 2012, this organization has helped girls pursue rugby by providing training five days a week. Using the Keep Her Playing Youth Grant, Memphis Inner City Rugby will renovate their home field and purchase proper equipment, including tackling shields, pads, sports bras, and uniforms. 

"The experience of being a female rugby player is important because of the example I can set for younger girls: You can be more than what tradition and history suggests you can be." —Ariel, 17

2. Angel City Sports (ACS)

Location: Los Angeles, California

Sports: Goalball and Para-Rowing

Angel City Sports (ACS) helps girls with disabilities develop a greater sense of independence, self-efficacy, and empowerment through their various clinics, events, workshops, and classes. By giving them an opportunity to compete in sports, ACS breaks gender stereotypes and negative perceptions associated with girls with disabilities. ACS will use the Keep Her Playing Youth Grant to create two new activities, Para-Rowing and Goalball, which they intend to add to the list of competitions for their upcoming Angel City Games in December 2021. 

“Being surrounded with athletes like me and playing sports show me that anything is possible. I have courage now.” —Emily A., 9

3. Sloane Stephens Foundation

Location: Studio City, California

Sport: Tennis

The Sloane Stephens Foundation provides girls access to mentorship programs, academic support, and social-emotional tools, all of which help cultivate confident, female leaders. Supporting 1,100 girls, the organization also provides free or reduced school lunches through their Love, Love Compton program. Using the Keep Her Playing Youth Grant, the Sloane Stephens Foundation will install permanent lighting over their tennis courts so girls can safely play during evening hours.

"I love the encouragement. We are a family and we give each other tips on how to be better. No one laughs if we make a mistake, we just push each other to be better." —Lila, 12

4. Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation (WHGF)

Location: New York, New York, and Detroit, Michigan

Sport: Gymnastics

The Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation (WHGF) provides high-quality, free, and affordable gymnastics instruction to inner-city youth who otherwise would not have access to the sport. Serving approximately 200 girls, the WHGF also gives girls guidance on good nutrition, time management, and teamwork. WHGF will use the funds from the Keep Her Playing Youth Grant to purchase new gymnastics equipment in the hopes of growing their programs and increasing participants.

“I used to watch the Gabby Douglas movie over and over and over again. She inspired ME to do gymnastics. It’s a fun sport for me.” —Tatiana, 12

5. First Tee of Northwest Arkansas

Location: Lowell, Arkansas

Sport: Golf

First Tee has helped young girls stay in sports for 15 years. Serving approximately 8,000 children, the organization breaks down barriers to entry by providing instruction to develop golf skills, free access to facilities, and equipment. The organization also maintains their outreach efforts to underserved communities. First Tee will use the Keep Her Playing Youth Grant to improve their facilities, including a covered area for their outdoor patio, sidewalks to the practice range for wheelchair accessibility, and a permanent canopy over hitting zones. 

"I have been able to see how the core values we learn and teach at First Tee come into play for those who have big goals they want to meet: respect, confidence, determination." —Makenna T., 17

6. Biltmore Preparatory Academy

Location: Phoenix, Arizona

Sport: Softball

Biltmore Preparatory Academy is a Spanish immersion school serving children in kindergarten through eighth grade. Through their physical education programs, the school aims to provide all students the training that will help them develop the skills needed to participate in team sports. With the Keep Her Playing Youth Grant, Biltmore Preparatory Academy will renovate their softball field to meet regulation requirements, as well as provide a facility that will allow them to grow and develop their softball program.

“Biltmore sports introduced me to the sport I currently play and love: volleyball. Being a part of the team showed me hard work and perseverance within a great group of people.” —Avery B., 14

7. Boys and Girls Club of Benton County (BGCBC)

Location: Bentonville, Arkansas

Sports: Volleyball, Basketball, and Flag Football

The Boys and Girls Club of Benton County (BGCBC) provides sports programs that build a sense of belonging and self-confidence for 407 girls. For many of these girls, the athletic programs offered by BGCBC are their only chance to participate in sports. Beyond that, BGCBC also provides a health, education, and self-esteem enhancement program called SMART. BGCBC will use the Keep Her Playing Youth Grant for facility and safety upgrades in order to increase female sports participation and to ensure they provide a safe, positive, and fun environment for youth to participate. 

"Playing volleyball at the Boys and Girls Club helped me become a better volleyball player, teammate, and friend. It prepared me for school sports and the seventh-grade team." —Samantha, 13

8. Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF)

Location: San Diego, California

Sport: Adaptive Track and Field

Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) believes that all young girls deserve to play sports. Following their mission, CAF has established programs that allow more girls to play, including the High School Adaptive Sports Program. Through their partnerships with other adaptive sports organizations, they provide equipment, coaching, training, and competition travel grants to young girls. Using the Keep Her Playing Youth Grant, CAF will purchase new equipment and increase their visibility so they can reach out to more girls interested in sports.

“When I’m on the track, I always feel empowered and I always feel strong. The High School Adaptive Sports Program allowed me to learn in an environment where I knew I could do anything.” —Ella R., 17

9. MS 363 Lady Lions

Location: Bronx, New York

Sport: Basketball

The MS 363 helps girls stay in sports by providing them a place where they can play in an area where outdoor spaces are limited due to crime. Through basketball, they encourage girls to participate in physical activity while teaching life lessons applicable on and off the court. Using the Keep Her Playing Youth Grant, MS 363 will upgrade facilities, uniforms, and equipment to provide girls with a safe and quality experience. 

“Sports has helped me find new friends in my teammates when I probably would never have spoken to the girls before basketball. Now we are best friends. My teammates are my biggest supporters.” —Chrismeylin S., 14

10. Hudson River Community Sailing (HRCS)

Location: New York, New York

Sport: Sailing

Hudson River Community Sailing (HRCS) is a nonprofit dedicated to keep girls playing sports through their sailing education, which opens a pathway for girls to pursue STEM careers and helps them develop the confidence needed to thrive in the workforce. With the Keep Her Playing Youth Grant, HRCS will enhance their programming by upgrading their sailing equipment and expanding their programming to girls with physical disabilities.

“This [HRCS] is definitely the thing that has had the biggest impact on my life. Sailing teaches a lot about teamwork and leadership skills.” —Sadia, 18

Join Always and Walmart by encouraging girls in your life to stay in sports. And visit walmart.com/always to learn more about the #KeepHerPlaying campaign.

*One Poll, 2021. Quantitative nationally representative US sample. n=3000.

**Always will donate five cents per pack of Always period pads or Tampax tampons purchased at Walmart between 7/1/21 and 7/31/21 to the YMCA.

All images via Women's Sports Foundation unless otherwise stated. Quotes have been edited for length and/or clarity.