Playing Sports
Pick a sport you enjoy and learn the basics. Try a sport you've never played before or go with one you know already. Do some research on the rules, equipment, and number of players. Consider the sport's overall difficulty, required supplies, and practice location to narrow your options. Make your choice based on what seems the most fun and easy to pick up! Popular sports include soccer, basketball, softball, track and field, cross country, field hockey, volleyball, and gymnastics. For example, if you've never played hockey, trying to pick up ice hockey may be more challenging than field hockey, since you will need ice skates and protective gear. Try playing multiple sports! You can even play on non-professional, community teams.
Purchase your gear so you can start to play! Search online for things like "Basketball gear" or "Field hockey supplies" to find out what equipment you need to play. Then, purchase your gear at a sports store, either online or in person. You will need proper footwear, protective gear, and a ball for most sports. For example, buy cleats, shin guards, socks, and a soccer ball to pick up soccer. If you want to play softball, buy a glove, bat, and softball. You can also ask employees at sporting stores to help you gather gear.
Practice playing the sport in your free time to strengthen your skills. Learn the basics by watching online tutorials and games. Practice your moves in your backyard, or visit a local park, gym, or YMCA and recruit your friends or family to play with you! You may need to practice for a bit to develop your skills, so don't fret if you don't get the hang of it right away. For example, to learn volleyball, practice how to spike, bump, and serve. Try out playing opponents across the net. If you aren't enjoying the game after practicing a sport for a while, try a different sport!
Try out for a local school or community team when you feel confident. Search online for things like “Local soccer team,” or “Community girls softball” to find teams to try out for. Look for both school and community teams. Research how competitive each tryout may be to narrow your options. When you find a team in your area that seems to match your skill level, try out for the team! For example, if you just started playing basketball, a community team based on your age group may be a better starting place than the varsity team at your high school. Instructions and information about how and when to try out for the team should be available on each team's website. If not, look for a contact number and call for more information. If you aren't quite confident enough to try out, keep practicing! Play with your friends, watch sporting games, and look into online tutorials.
Attend each practice on time. After you make the team, expand upon your skills during weekly practices. Make sure you are always on time for each practice and that you attend as many practices as you can. This will continue to develop your skills and show your reliability and accountability to your coach and teammates. Occasional absences happen, like if you are sick or if there is a family emergency. Let your coach know as soon as you can if you know you will not make it to a practice. If your schedule allows it, you can show up 10-15 minutes early. This shows your coaches you care about being on time, and it will give you a few minutes to chat with other girls on your team.
Stop playing and notify your coach, parents, or doctor if you are injured. Playing through an injury can make the damage worse. If you are injured during a practice or game, stop playing, sit on the sideline, and assess the damage. Go to your doctor or the hospital if your injuries are serious, like if you hit your head, strain a muscle, or break a bone. Make sure you give yourself adequate time to heal! Healing time will vary based on injury. Your doctor will let you know an approximate heal time. They will also stabilize your injury, like wrapping your knee for ligament damage. You can prevent injuries by stretching, using proper form, and taking breaks when needed.
Getting a Sporty Look
Apply minimal or no makeup for a natural look. Between workouts, practices, and games, sporty girls don't have time for makeup! Go natural and don't wear any makeup. If you want to wear a little, you can wear a little mascara or a matte lipgloss. You can also dust a little bit of compact foundation to even out your skin tone. Sporty girls don't wear much makeup because they may sweat it off in gym class or at practice. Makeup and sweat can lead to clogged pores and acne.
Tie your hair in a ponytail for a sporty style. You likely tie your hair up for workouts and practices, so just rock it as your daily style. You'll have more time to squeeze in another warm-up stretch! Pull your hair back at the top of your head, and secure your hair with a hair tie. Ponytails make cute, sporty styles for a variety of hair lengths. If your hair is really long, feel free to braid your ponytail so it's sort of loose.
Put on an elastic or cotton headband if you want to hold your hair back. Headbands keep your hair out of your face and hide frizz and stray hairs. Grab a colorful, patterned, or neutral headband, in either stretchy elastic or soft cotton materials. Place the headband onto your head, and push it back about 0.25–0.5 inches (0.64–1.27 cm) past your hairline. You can wear elastic headbands during practices and games. Try cotton headbands for day-to-day looks. Headbands are great to keep your hair back if your hair is short and can't fit in a ponytail.
Wear jerseys, T-shirts, and crew neck sweatshirts for a sporty style. Wear sports jerseys of your favorite players or your own jerseys from previous teams or seasons. Pick out other baggy style T-shirts for a tomboy look. Purchase crewneck long sleeve shirts and sweatshirts for thicker layers. Sporty brands include Under Armor, Nike, Adidas, and Champion, to name a few. Most major department stores have an athletics section you can shop from as well.
Wear athletic leggings and shorts to match your active life. Leggings are super comfortable and great for on-the-go girls. Style them with jerseys, T-shirts, or sweatshirts. Wear athletic or gym shorts on warm days. Both leggings and shorts come in solid colors and funky patterns. You can easily wear these to school, when running errands, or to practice! You can get athletic leggings in cotton or cotton-polyester-lycra combination. Cotton leggings are a bit softer, and the blends are quick-drying for sweaty workouts.
Wear sporty shoes like Converse or sneakers. Sporty girls live active, on-to-go lifestyles, and their feet must be comfy! Purchase athletic footwear for your sports, like cleats or running shoes. Then, get a pair of daily shoes like Nikes, Adidas, or Reebok. You can also go for sporty sandals like Chacos. You can choose shoes in bright colors! Sneakers come in all sorts of colors like pink and neon, and patterns, like polka dots, and zig-zags.
Leading a Healthy, Sporty Lifestyle
Eat 3 healthy meals a day. Healthy foods will keep your body fueled with the nutrients and minerals it needs. Eat meals with lots of fruits, vegetables, protein, and whole grains, and eat 3 meals a day. Aim for at least 5 servings of vegetables and 4 servings of fruit. Avoid foods high in cholesterol, salt, fat, and sugar, like junk food, fast food, candy, and soda.
Drink about 8 to 10 glasses (2 L) of water each day. Carry a water bottle with you throughout your day, and refill it at water fountains as you finish it. Keeping hydrated is required for active girls! Make sure you drink extra water on days you have practice or games. Drink water until you don't feel thirsty. The amount will vary depending on how much you sweat, though you can drink around 4 cups (1 L). Your body will thank you!
Exercise about 4-5 days a week to stay in shape. Sporty girls work out nearly every day, between practice and gym time. Stretch before and after your workouts to keep your muscles flexible and prevent injury. Do aerobic exercise to get your blood pumping every day for 30-90 minutes. You can also work on your balance, speed, and endurance. Try things like swimming, basketball, and running. You can take a work-out class or recruit a friend to be your gym buddy. EXPERT TIP Laila Ajani Laila Ajani Fitness Trainer Laila Ajani is a Fitness Trainer and founder of Push Personal Fitness, a personal training organization based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 10 years as a trainer and exercise specialist, Laila has expertise in competitive athletics (gymnastics, powerlifting, and tennis), personal training, distance running, and Olympic lifting. Laila is certified by the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA), USA Powerlifting (USAPL), and she is a Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES). Laila Ajani Laila Ajani Fitness Trainer Women shouldn't worry that weight training will drastically change their bodies. Female clients sometimes worry that weight training will make their bodies "bulky", or less feminine. However, due to biological factors, it's hard for females to put on the same amount of muscle mass as males. It's unlikely you'll achieve a bulky look unless you're overdoing it at the gym.
Sleep about 8-10 hours a day. You need proper sleep to stay alert and do your best, either in school or during a game. Lack of sleep results in slower response time and low energy. Go to bed early, and set your alarm for at least 8 hours after you go to sleep. Avoid exercising 2-3 hours (or more) before bed. It can be difficult to sleep if you just worked out or came back from a late game.
Get an annual physical from your doctor to monitor your health. Your doctor can check your growth and nutrient levels to make sure you are healthy. Ask your doctor for tips on stretching, exercise, and healthy foods.
Make friends with other sporty girls. In addition to your other friends, you can befriend the other girls on your team since you have a common interest. Introduce yourself, and talk to them before and after practice. You can watch sports games together and talk about your favorite players. You can also make friends with other girls who go to your gym.
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