Arsenal Women and Lioness star Chloe Kelly has teamed up with Dirt Is Good to fight the decline of girls stepping away from outside play.
Kelly, together with teammates Alessia Russo and Beth Mead, has launched never-before-seen pictures from her childhood to highlight how outside play helped form her illustrious profession.
The initiative was triggered when new findings commissioned by Dirt Is Good (Persil) revealed that almost six in ten UK dad and mom (58%) performed freely outside often as youngsters, in contrast to only one in three girls at the moment (33%).
It reveals that girls lose curiosity in playing open air on common by age eight, with almost one in 5 disengaging between the ages of seven and eight. One in ten girls by no means often performs outside in any respect.
Dirt Is Good partnered with Arsenal Women to encourage girls to rediscover free, unstructured outside play – one thing Kelly loved in her childhood.
Growing up in Hanwell, she developed her love of soccer playing within the cages of Windmill Park in Ealing, a neighborhood outside house she credit with serving to her turn out to be the participant she is at the moment. The web site has been recognised with a commemorative plaque of the England hero.
Kelly credit these early experiences when reflecting on how she rose to the very high of the ladies’s sport. She scored the winner in Euro 2022 and the decisive penalty to retain their title in 2025.
The 28-year-old’s story serves as a robust reminder of how important outside play and entry to group sport are for younger girls throughout the nation.
Dirt Is Good has subsequently launched the ‘It Starts Outside’ campaign, exhibiting unique, nostalgic childhood pictures of the Arsenal squad to spotlight how early outside play shapes future athletes and assured, inspiring younger ladies.
Sport England recognized extra damming statistics, similar to girls being 22% much less seemingly than boys to be lively open air outside of faculty, a gender hole that exists throughout areas.
Dirt Is Good Masterbrand Director, Saffron Inkster mentioned: “This research highlights the growing gap between the outdoor childhoods many parents remember and the reality for too many girls today.
“Free, unstructured play outside builds confidence, curiosity and resilience – yet girls are stepping away from it far too early. Through It Starts Outside, we want to challenge that shift and remind families that getting outside, getting stuck in and getting dirty can be the beginning of a lifetime of confidence and selfbelief.”
Billie Graham, Women and Girls Football Development Coordinator at Arsenal within the Community, added: “We’re passionate about creating opportunities and access into football for women and young girls through safe spaces and fun environments for them to thrive.
“So many journeys begin with the hours spent getting out and playing freely, inspired by role models like Alessia, Chloe, Beth or any one of our women’s players. We hope to continue breaking down barriers for young girls stepping into the game for the first time.”
