Meet the Nonprofit Narrowing the Drop-Out Rate Among Young Girls in Sports

After-school sports are more than just a hobby: they’re teaching our children lifelong skills that will serve them in the long run. In fact, research shows that 94% of women in C-suite leadership roles played competitive sports throughout their youth.

There is a major correlation between playing sports and success later on in life. While the longer girls play sports, the more likely they are to hold a formal leadership role at the executive level one day, teen girls are dropping out of sports at an alarming rate these days. In fact, by age 14, teenage girls are two times more likely to quit sports than boys their age.

While the reasons for stepping away from sports vary greatly, prohibiting factors like confidence and body image concerns are common—which is why Bras for Girls, a nonprofit that donates new, high-quality sports bras and provides educational materials to young women aged 8 to 18 in underserved communities, is doing work that’s more important than ever.

According to a 2016 study cited by Bras for Girls, 47% of young girls polled reported that their breasts impact their participation in sports and exercise. Additionally, in a 2021 study, 39% of teen girls between the ages of 15 and 19 report lack of breast support as a reason for limiting their physical activity.

“I grew up without a lot of financial resources, and the ability to participate in sports and ultimately run in college changed my whole life trajectory,” Sarah Lesko, MD, MPH, Executive Director and Board President of Bras for Girls, tells SI Swimsuit. “The knowledge that something as straightforward as a sports bra can make the difference for a girl, to be the reason she stays in sports, motivates me every day. A sports bra is a simple intervention that can make a world of difference. Our work changes lives, one young athlete at a time.”

While Bras for Girls initially launched as a program under the Oiselle apparel brand in 2017, four years later, it became its own nonprofit organization. Over the years, Bras for Girls has distributed more than 270,000 bras in all 50 U.S. states—and in 2025 alone, 88,000 girls received sports bras, with a focus on Title 1 school outreach to help the most vulnerable populations.

“Bras for Girls partners with financially underserved teams, schools and community groups,” Dr. Lesko explains. “The demographics speak for themselves. Title 1 schools have larger percentages of racial and ethnic minorities, which means that these young athletes do not have equal access to the gear they need to participate in sports. Bras for Girls works to address this inequity by supporting the youth most in need.”

In addition to distributing donated sports bras directly to schools and programs in need, Bras for Girls also hosts in-person bra fitting events, which Dr. Lesko finds to be the most rewarding aspect of her work with the nonprofit. She says that for over a third of the girls the organization meets with, the sports bra they receive from Bras for Girls is their first ever sports bra, which makes for an incredibly impactful moment.

Bras for Girls event | Courtesy of Bras for Girls

“We are profoundly honored to be in those spaces, educating girls about their bodies and empowering them with knowledge,” she adds. “Every distribution and education event energizes me and reminds me of the importance of our work.”

Despite equipping more than 200,000 girls with sports bras over the last nine years, Dr. Lesko says there is still plenty more work to be done. “The need is remarkable,” she says, noting that even though Bras for Girls partners with more than 35 different brands that donate inventory, it’s impossible to keep up with the requests that come in through their website each day.

In addition to volunteering time and resources, those interested in helping the cause can make a monetary donation directly on the Bras for Girls website. Additionally, Bras for Girls is a charity partner for the upcoming New York City Marathon on Sunday, Nov. 1. Meet the 2026 runners and donate to the cause here.

With 2027 on the horizon, Bras for Girls will soon unveil a new standards-based curriculum on sports bras and sports bra fit, which will be free for teachers, coaches and community programs to download on the nonprofit’s website.

“Our goal is that every girl gets the education and equipment she needs, at the time she needs it,” Dr. Lesko says. “In 2027, we hope to reach 5,000 classrooms and teams with our curriculum, so that these teachers, coaches and girls can confidently and comfortably play sports.”

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