Girls' team numbers are dropping just as the football is getting better

I would start by asking the players what their experience feels like now rather than assuming the drop-off is a football problem. At U14, school pressure, friendships, confidence and other interests can all change quickly. The football environment cannot solve every part of that, but it can avoid making things harder. Look at whether the players still feel they belong, whether attendance expectations are realistic during busy periods, whether they have a voice in the team, and whether the challenge is helping them grow or making involvement feel increasingly stressful. Keep the challenge, but make sure they can see a way into it. I would avoid treating every missed session as a commitment issue or trying to persuade somebody that football must remain their biggest priority. Retention improves when players feel valued, not trapped.