It has been proven that playing sports regularly has great benefits for people’s health and well-being, both physical and mental. On the one hand, the practice of sports reduces the risk of suffering from obesity and developing diseases associated with sedentary lifestyles and overweight. But also, through sport people can acquire social skills, increase their self-esteem, reduce stress, and especially in children and young people, learn values such as teamwork, dedication and the importance of effort to achieve goals.
However, according to figures from the Ministry of Sport, there are still significant gaps between men and women in Chile with respect to the regular practice of sporting activity. According to the National Survey of Physical Activity and Sports Habits for the population aged 5 years and over (2021) of the Ministry of Sport, men -between 11 and 17 years old- who state that they do not practice any type of physical activity or sport represent 71.8% of those surveyed, while among women -same age- this percentage reaches 84.9%.
That is why one of the objectives that the Sports area of the Luksic Foundation has set itself recently is precisely to generate spaces in safe places so that more girls and young people in Chile fall in love with sports and can incorporate it into their lives. This is currently being done through the development of free field hockey and soccer sports schools in 14 municipalities in the country, in the regions of Antofagasta, Valparaíso and Metropolitan.
“We are convinced that through sports we can promote a healthy lifestyle and foster socioemotional skills that are fundamental for the development of boys and girls. In each training session we see how the field becomes a space where companionship, empathy and teamwork abound,” said Paulina Ulloa, head of operations of the Foundation’s sports area.
Sports in figures
During 2022, 272 girls were enrolled in the field hockey schools, which operate in the communes of Calle Larga, Peñalolén, Lo Prado and Independencia, and are aimed exclusively at girls between 11 and 14 years of age. The soccer schools, which operate in the Metropolitan Region and the commune of Antofagasta, enrolled 68 girls and adolescents.
“The challenge is to continue promoting the practice of these disciplines, as well as to extend the invitation to more girls to dare to participate and demonstrate that sport is for everyone. In our schools they will be able to make new friends, learn new sports skills and, above all, have a great time doing physical activity,” Ulloa emphasized.
To date, 140 girls and adolescents have enrolled in the soccer and field hockey schools for 2023. Registration will be open until April 30 at https://bit.ly/3VIam7C. Don’t miss out!
