In Slovenia, sport isn’t just about results. It’s about people. That became more than clear during the local conferences and national presentation organised by the Sports Union of Slovenia (SUS), where one big topic took the spotlight: How do we keep young people, especially girls, involved in sport?
The conversations took place at SUS facilities in Ljubljana in March and May 2025, as well as earlier at the National Congress of Sport for All in Celje in November 2024. But these weren’t your standard, lecture-heavy conferences. They were spaces for real dialogue, where coaches, educators, volunteers, and decision-makers reflected on what truly matters — creating spaces in sport where everyone feels they belong.
It started with questions
Why are teenage girls leaving sport?
What can we do to help them stay?
And how can clubs respond — not someday, but right now?
The sessions began with an introduction to the STAY! project and quickly turned into much-needed discussions about issues that are often ignored. Participants spoke openly about body image, menstrual discomfort, social pressure, and the lack of female role models. A recurring message emerged — we need to shift towards environments that are more supportive, flexible, and inclusive, especially for girls.
What stood out?
There were many insights, but some key points left a strong impression:
- Girls benefit from having more than one way to stay involved. Roles like assistant coaches, referees, or event organisers were a huge success in the Slovenian pilot clubs.
- Coaches need more than just sport-specific knowledge. Many shared that training in communication, empathy, and understanding adolescent psychology is essential when working with youth.
- The pilot clubs that implemented STAY-inspired methods saw better team cohesion, retention, and overall motivation.
Most importantly, everyone agreed that when girls feel supported and trusted, they don’t just stay — they thrive.
So, what comes next?
The answer is simple: action.
Slovenian clubs didn’t leave things at discussion. They committed to real steps forward.
- They plan to use STAY! methodology in their programmes, including flexible training and mentoring.
- The STAY! e-learning platform will be integrated into internal coach education.
- Clubs will raise awareness in schools, municipalities, and online, so that more people understand why dropout happens and how to prevent it.
- Cooperation between clubs, schools, health institutions, and local authorities will help create a well-rounded support system for young people.
- And finally, long-term solutions require long-term support. That’s why there was a strong call for sustainable funding and policy alignment.
Why this matters
Whether you were a policymaker, a coach, or a young volunteer, these events showed what STAY! is really all about. It’s not just about keeping kids on teams. It’s about helping them grow, build confidence, and stay connected to sport in ways that matter to them.
When we include their voices and support their choices, sport becomes more than training — it becomes a community.
Download here:
Local Conference SUS OK-Booklet Local Confrenece SUS OK presentation Local Conference SUS STAY Presentation
