Studio You and Nike are teaming up to reimagine the U.K.’s one-size-fits-all PE model with a more inclusive, girl-led approach to movement

Studio You, England’s digital exercise platform for teenage girls, has partnered with Nike to launch a video series of more than 100 bite-sized lessons with tips and guidance for young girls and gym teachers to inspire confidence and enjoyment in physical activity.

At the heart of the initiative—supported by This Girl Can and funded by The National Lottery—is a commitment to reimagining physical education through a more personalized and inclusive lens. The effort comes amid data from the Youth Sport Trust showing a 30% decline in girls’ enjoyment of PE between the ages of 8 and 16.

“We’re flipping the script on what we presume girls want from PE, with girls’ voices and choices allowing them to lead the way in what they want their lessons to look like,” senior campaign activation manager Dani Ward said in a release. “Traditional sports and competitive activities may engage some girls, but a one-size-fits-all approach is leaving behind the 55% of teenage girls who aren’t meeting their recommended activity levels. Working with both girls and PE teachers, Studio You and Nike aim to inspire positive behaviour change, helping more girls develop a love for movement, for life.” 

According to research from Studio You and Nike, the majority (87%) of girls who had a negative experience in PE disliked their typical gym options, and 81% reported a lack of confidence in participating. 

On the bright side, many girls are clear about what motivates them to move.

Among girls surveyed, dance (39%) and fitness/workouts (29%) ranked as the top preferred activities. Fun emerged as a powerful driver, with half of all girls reporting they feel most excited and energized when enjoying themselves during a PE class. The majority (79%) of girls say they value fun in gym class, while inclusion (59%) and an engaging teacher (53%) are also important factors. Among those who disliked PE, 68% found the lessons too difficult, and 34% prefer a more gradual approach to learning new activities.

“Nike is committed to powering the future of youth sport because an active next generation means a healthier and more equitable future for all kids,” Nike’s global GM of future of youth sport, Dan Burrows, said. “We know girls, especially, face complex cultural and social barriers to getting and staying active. Our partnership to launch the Studio You x Nike hub will continue to advance the platform’s proven results to increase girls’ participation and is vital to creating a future where all girls can enjoy their PE experience.” 

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The new sessions were shaped directly by girls themselves, drawing on insights from a national survey, small focus groups and a core team of girls who co-designed the content. Studio You and Nike also partnered with Disability Sports Coach to ensure the inclusion of disabled trainers to demonstrate adaptive movements. In addition to fitness and movement, the initiative also highlights mental fitness, meditation and breathwork.

Teachers can access the U.K.-based platform here. 

Beyond the classroom, Nike is hosting its 2025 After Dark Tour, inviting women to race safely at night in 10Ks and half marathons across global cities including Sydney, Shanghai, Seoul, Mumbai, London, Los Angeles and Mexico City.

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Emely, Amir, Trinity, Lily were abuzz waiting for Christel Araujo, a professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology, to lead a new workshop at the Children’s Aid at the Lexington Academy.

Organized by The Coca-Cola Company, all the teens knew for sure was that they were in for an unforgettable experience. Araujo started the workshop by sharing her nearly two-decade career in the fashion industry. It was a masterclass squeezed into an afternoon, covering the art of fashion design, design briefs, color research and branding.

Then, it was the teens’ turn to get creative. Tasked with producing their own designs, the teens received a single prompt from Araujo: “What does kindness look like?”

With that, they set to work on their designs. Along the way, Araujo offered her guidance, encouraging each teen to lean into their own brand of creativity.

“I had never thought of myself as a designer, so it was amazing to see my concept come to life,” says Emely, who studies software development at her high school.

The staff at Children’s Aid East Harlem Community Center were just as intrigued.

“First came the doodling,” says Marjorie “Midge” Caparosa, a program director, arts initiatives at Children’s Aid. “But as they drew, I watched them slowly start to gain a better understanding of what it means to spread kindness. We also connected with Christel, who happens to be an alumna of the same fashion design high school that two of our students will be attending High School of Fashion Industries in New York City.”

After the workshop, Araujo showed the teen designers how to refine their drawings and enhance their concepts using digital manipulation programs.

Their hard work paid off when Trinity, Amir and Lilly’s designs were selected for a cozy new line of winter hats, gloves and socks. During the colder months, shoppers were able to stock up on these accessories in the “Kindness Shoppe” inside Coca-Cola’s traveling Holiday Caravan. The caravan travelled coast-to-coast making stops in Boston, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Portland, Los Angeles and many other big cities, showcasing the teens designs to thousands of people around the country. But the teens’ journey wasn’t over yet.

Seeing Designs Realized: A Trip to the Rose Bowl

A few months later, Trinity, Amir and Lilly boarded a plane to Los Angeles to see their designs in person. They attended Coca-Cola’s Holiday Caravan kickoff event, where their new “Kindness-inspired” winter accessories debuted at the Rose Bowl stadium.

“When they saw the final versions of their designs on the finished products, I was so pleased,” says Midge.

“The kids’ designs were truly professional. And having their work represented on this scale made them feel more confident and prouder of their creations.”

At the event, the teens participated in exclusive meet-and-greets with Los Angeles-based DJ duo Ship Wrek as well as Bobby Finke, an Olympic gold medalist in swimming, and Jordyn Barratt, a skateboarder who most recently represented America at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.

“I never dreamed I’d have the chance to be a part of something like the Coca-Cola Holiday Caravan,” says Trinity, who has been a Boys & Girls Club kid since kindergarten.

For the rest of the trip, the teens had a blast choosing and visiting their must-see L.A. destinations. From exploring a local university and eating out at West Coast restaurants, to seeing the Hollywood sign and the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

“The Kindness Project was an unforgettable, motivating experience that taught me to work hard and spread kindness as I go,” Amir says

Launching Future Careers with Confidence

Boys & Girls Clubs of America partners like The Coca-Cola Company make these skill-building and scene-changing experiences possible for millions of kids. Stepping out of the classroom and into a new environment can unlock a world of growth for young people. Embracing messages of kindness also encourages kids to engage openly with people whose life experiences differ from their own.

“For kids from East Harlem, going to California was a huge adventure. It was a bonding experience I don’t think would have happened back in New York,” says Midge. “They grew so much from the experience. It felt like everyone embraced their best self on this trip, comfortable and confident.”

While Trinity, Amir and Lilly’s career paths may diverge from fashion design, the critical thinking and project management skills they gained will be invaluable in any career. Lilly, who plans to become a veterinarian, agrees.

“The trip was a magical experience,” Lilly says. “I love that I got to be with my friends, meet new people and use creativity to promote kindness.”

LEARN MORE

About The Coca-Cola Company

For more than 75 years, The Coca-Cola Company has worked to strengthen local communities through its partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA). As a founding sponsor of Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Workforce Readiness Strategy, The Coca-Cola Company’s investment supports essential skill development, career exploration, employability skills and credentialing, and work-based learning opportunities for youth at 5,400 Clubs nationwide. Together, we’re helping to close the opportunity and job readiness gap by preparing the over 3 million youth who visit Clubs every day to become the future American workers, leaders and innovators of tomorrow.

Opening Doors to Brighter Futures

Being successful isn’t just about avoiding failure — it’s about turning setbacks into steppingstones. At Boys & Girls Clubs of America, we’re dedicated to helping young people build that same resilience. Through our life and workforce readiness programs, we provide the mentorship and real-world experiences youth need to transform challenges into opportunities.

“Let’s sign our six-year-old up for soccer!” you think one day, trying to be the good involved parent. It’s all fun and games at first, and there doesn’t seem to be much of a downside. Your child will get exercise, learn teamwork and cooperation, develop leadership skills, and get valuable time outside away from tablets and other screens. The games will be fun, and there will be snacks, Gatorade, and, of course, the orange slices. What could go wrong?

Fast forward two years, and suddenly you’re at practice until seven p.m. three nights per week and arranging to travel out of town for a weekend tournament in Jacksonville. Your house is in shambles, you’re living off of fast food, and your bank account is screaming at you to stop signing up for extra private training sessions and off-season leagues.

When did it get like this? Didn’t there once be a time when kids could casually play sports without worrying about whether they’d be able to get a college scholarship or go pro one day?

One frustrated mom on TikTok is wondering the same thing, and just unleashed a perfect monologue against what she calls the “professionalization” or youth sports.

soccer win GIF by America’s Funniest Home VideosGiphy

The mom, who goes by @LittleRedSchoolHouse on social media, has a daughter who takes ballet—and it’s driving her to the brink. “My daughter is in dance, and that’s great, she loves it. But she doesn’t want to be a ballerina, she doesn’t want to be a professional dancer. She just likes to go to her class and dance,” she says.

Yet, despite the casual nature of the class, the mom suddenly found herself signed up for a whopping three performances in a 24-hour period. The kicker is that her daughter would only be dancing for five minutes in each show.

“We have to be there for 12 hours so she can dance for 15 minutes.” And then there’s tickets to buy, costume fees, paying for her daughter to be in the performance (a separate fee from the usual tuition!), and a fundraiser to participate in to raise additional money. It’s a massive time and financial commitment from the family.

“I think we need to normalize kids being able to participate in activities and extracurriculars without professionalizing them as parents. For example, kids should be able to play soccer without having to go to league championships or weekend-long jamborees or away games,” she says. “They should be able to gain the skill of playing on a team, learning how to play a sport, being physical, having fun with their friends, getting out there and being active, without being forced into this, ‘More, more, more, go, go, go, go, you must be the best at it,’ sort of behavior.”

You can watch the whole, compelling argument here:

Parents poured into the comments to air their own grievances with the current state of youth sports culture:

“Travel teams are SO out of control.”

“What’s even crazier is if you don’t commit like this when they’re little they’re almost guaranteed to not make the school teams when they get to it at grade level.”

“I think it’s also ruined kids’ sense of self-worth and reality. Not everyone can go pro, and that’s okay, and it also makes kids think that only rich kids can go pro.”

“Privatization ruins everything. Public rec leagues and classes are age-appropriate, inclusive, and affordable. Kids learn skills and have fun, and they can change activities every season if they want.”

Adults aren’t immune to this same system and culture. We can’t even have hobbies anymore without feeling like we need to somehow monetize them into a side hustle or eventually go pro. So it makes sense that kids aren’t allowed to play sports for fun without having big ambitions of playing at the university level. This creates a paradox described well by a Vox article whereby only kids from families with the most resources even have a shot at playing at high levels. Only “semi-rich” families can afford the time and money it takes to stay involved with high-stakes leagues.

Running around, drinking Gatorade, and eating oranges. That’s what youth sports should be!
Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash

Some users chimed in to blame parents for pushing too hard and trying to “live vicariously” through their children. But the point of the viral TikTok was that parents are often in a bind where there aren’t any more casual options, and they have to choose between high-stakes activities or no activities at all.

Kids who want to obsess over being the best and chase the highest highs of their chosen sport should have those opportunities. But there should also be low-stakes activities available through public parks, churches, the YMCA, and other community centers. Until those options start coming back, kids and parents alike will be paying the price.