close interaction with female role models whose own position may be seen as attainable can be particularly important in engaging female participants in sport and in building their own leadership skills when specifically designed sportbased programmes can provide a safe environment in which young women in particular can develop a range of skills and experiences through involvement in coaching officiating and a range of other roles murray such programmes can also be a particularly effective context in which girls and women can build strong and mutually supportive relationships kay sarnie et al