Abstract
BACKGROUND: Less than one third of American children meet physical activity guidelines, with well-established disparities by gender. Sports are one of the best investments for promoting youth physical activity, but both rural and Hispanic girls participate in lower numbers and enter at a later age than their counterparts. There is a dearth of literature on sport participation factors among Hispanic girls living in rural areas, particularly among those living in border regions. This study aimed to examine sport participation experiences among rural, predominantly Hispanic girls from the perspectives of girls, parents, coaches, and program staff. METHODS: Data were collected in 2024 using semi-structured interviews with girls (n = 15), parents (n = 18), and coaches/staff (n = 4) in a predominantly rural, Hispanic county in Southern California, United States. The Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and the ecological-based Framework for Understanding Youth Sports Participation (FUYSP) guided analysis. The research team used an iteratively developed codebook to code, thematically analyze, and synthesize the data. RESULTS: Sport participation factors were found at multiple levels of FUYSP influence, including the public policy/awareness (professional role models), community (access to sports programming, gender expectations, economic challenges, hot weather, shared value in supporting youth), organization (resources, high cost to families), interpersonal (perceived benefits of sports participation, quality coaches, lack of time/scheduling, parental support), and individual (attitudes and beliefs, personal growth, perceived competence, social connections) levels. SDT-related factors (e.g., competence, social connections) were incorporated into the individual level of FUYSP. CONCLUSIONS: Findings highlight the intersectionality of geographic, gender-based, and cultural factors associated with rural, Hispanic girls’ sports participation. Efforts to promote positive, sustained sports participation among this population should focus on understanding and addressing unique community needs while maintaining a community-wide approach that galvanizes existing resources and support. Increasing access to youth sports can provide additional opportunities for physical activity; address disparities in physical activity levels by gender, ethnicity, SES, and geography; and subsequently improve overall health among this population. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-025-25686-6.