Why Can't They Play

• For schools and clubs planning and communicating around soccer tryouts.
• As part of wider efforts to make soccer more inclusive of groups who haven’t previously chosen to participate or felt welcome.
• As a tool to help players develop their own youth-led solutions to make the game more inclusive.

• The graphic novel format makes the content really engaging for coaches and teachers.
• The format also makes this a resource that can be passed on to young people.
• Using storytelling helps teachers, coaches, and students to build empathy for young people who have different life experiences.

• Tryouts are a key moment in kids’ soccer journeys, but the work to ensure everyone feels included in soccer needs to be done across all aspects of a club or school soccer team.
• What are other key moments where you think you are not including particular groups, or are perhaps seeing spikes in drop outs?
• What other training, resources, or organizational changes could you use to help make your soccer fully inclusive of everyone who wants to play.
• This resource is just a sample of a longer graphic novel where more issues and solutions are explored.

RE.sport is a research-driven initiative housed in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education at the University of Toronto. This groundbreaking project unites youth voices, community sport leaders, and academic experts to reshape Canada’s sport and physical activity system — making it more inclusive, accessible, and empowering for all young people, especially girls and those facing systemic barriers. To learn more visit projectresport.com.

Strong Girl Publishing is dedicated to producing books that inspire, educate, and empower young people — especially girls — through stories that are inclusive, relevant, and action-oriented. Their mission is to change culture through literature, to imagine a world in which every girl, every kid, has the confidence and support to claim space, whether in sport or beyond. To learn more visit stronggirlpublishing.com.