Table 3.

Caregiver responses: lower-order themes and data units within each higher-order theme.

Lower-order theme:	Data units:
Higher-order theme: improved physical activity motivation and behavior
Physical activity opportunities	Learning to be more physically active Becoming more active Discovered she loves running as an activity Outdoor exercise Looked forward to running Running has gotten better Loves running with her friends Found she is good at running More active in the outside than before Understands how important daily physical activity is to her well-being Energetic from the workout Training for, committing to, and completing a 5 k Wants to run track now Excited about exercise Understands the value of being active She has a new love for running Enjoys the movement activities during each session The exercise helped give her balance with the virtual school day She's focusing on fitness Being able to run longer distances Learning to be active by running Helped her gain physical strength as she recovered from an injury Lots of fun exercise Love to run Now enjoys exercising Learned that she really enjoys running and that she can do it My daughter values physical activity as a way to release stress Getting more physical activity She has better endurance
Higherorder theme: social development
Building friendships	Making new friends (numerous entries) Formed long-lasting friendships Connected with friends Seeing friends virtually or in person Time spent with friends Brought her closer to girls she otherwise would not have been able to get to know Made lifelong friends that she calls her sisters
Opportunity for social interactions	Interacting with girls More outgoing Came out of shell Conversations with teammates Helped her open up more Positive interactions with her peers
Feeling a part of the group/team	Team spirit Sense of community Feeling of belonging Group activities Being part of a team and lifting each other up Made her feel like a welcome part of a group Built a strong camaraderie with the other girls Loved how everyone cheered and uplifted each other A fun sense of belonging Team building Bonding with the other girls
Higher-order theme: psychological growth
Achieving Goals	Striving toward a goal such as 5 k Setting goal for 5 k
	Meeting/exceeding goal for 5 k Pushed self to achieve running goals Got better at accomplishing goals Felt a strong sense of achievement after running the 5 k She was able to complete it (5k) without stopping and felt successful in her efforts Able to prove to herself that she could do more than she initially thought possible Learned that she can push herself to accomplish big goals
Gaining confidence	Willingness to try new things More confident about running Gained confidence Now confident enough to volunteer to speak in group Zoom meetings She has the confidence that she can tackle any challenges Confidence in running the 5 k
	Confidence demonstrated by her growing comfort in engaging in new activities Confidence with being a leader She doesn't doubt herself so much anymore on the first try Now has the mindset that girls can be strong and do anything! More confident with exercising She knows she can do hard things
Higher-order theme: emotional growth
Being able to express feelings	Talk about feelings More open More outspoken Learned how to better communicate her feelings More willing to share and speak publicly Learned to make her voice heard Voices her opinion more Talking about her feelings when she gets frustrated Using positive words to speak with those who upset her, or she disagrees with She is more articulate about her emotions More open to talk to me Expressing her feelings Talk about emotions more freely She has emotionally matured since doing GOTR
Adopting a positive outlook	Positive thinking Being optimistic Using positive self-talk Positive attitude Motivated Using positive language about herself Learning about positivity and being uplifting A lot of positive encouragement Positive self-statements/positive thinking skills Learned how to think more positively
Feeling proud of accomplishments	Sense of pride for finishing 5 k Proud of overcome a hard physical task (5 k) Proud to have run as far as she did Proud of herself to finish her 5 k her way Proud she completed the 5 k without quitting Pride in running longer distances
Higher-order theme: life skills development
Learning life lessons	Star Power (learned how to activate her Star Power) Strategies to cope with stress Choosing good friends Learned to enjoy the success of others rather than only celebrating her own achievements
	Used some of the lessons to work through problems with her little sister Learning about making healthy choices Understanding of empathy Tries to brainstorm ways to positively problem solve when a problem arises Coping skills for stressful situations Looking out for your friends Learned to be more of a leader Learned more about her feelings and some things to do to make her feel better when she's anxious Gave her a chance to develop a positive body image She has a better understanding of true friendships and how to cope with life's challenges Emphasis on heathy lifestyle both physically and mentally Learned dedication, positive thinking and improved self-esteem Toolbox for navigating emotions, peer relationships, and social dynamics Helped my daughter socially, emotionally, and physically She's aware of her health choices and mental break options in keeping herself happy Gained quite a bit of empathy Improving social skills Learned how to communicate more clearly She learned she is able to push herself beyond what she was able to do before. Learned strategies for helping her stay calm
Helping others	Learned about giving back Community service project Sense of civic engagement Donating to charities Encouraging teammates Providing words of encouragement to the other girls Thinking about her communities Helping her community Community project helped her feel empathy for others Be supportive for each other Ran extra laps with her friends in order to support them
Higher-order theme: positive coaching influence
Positive coaching influence	Trusted coaches Coaches were positive role models Loved her coach Encouragement she gets from the coaches Interacting with adults outside the family Having coaches who were engaged and interested in listening Enjoyed the positive feedback and encouragement from her leaders Felt safe in speaking her opinion and that's cause the leaders fostered that environment
Higher-order theme: closer family connections
Closer family connections	Stronger connections with parents and siblings Running together
	Discuss lessons with mother Going on a weekly jog as a family Running with her mom at the 5 k More positive and patient with her family We have been taking daily walks as a family to remind us all to be more active This has been something we could do together She had some hilarious conversations that gave the entire family a laugh—something we all very much need right now! She came home one day from GOTR and we had a conversation about how girls apologize too much, and I LOVED this conversation!
Higher-order theme: having fun
Having fun	Enjoy the program Enjoy running Enjoy the girls Being silly Having fun in the program
Higher-order theme: sense of normalcy during the pandemic
Sense of normalcy during the pandemic	Gave her something to look forward to each week Getting outside Being with girls aside from virtual school Allowed for safe and positive interaction with schoolmates Spending time with a small group of girls in a comfortable and honest setting Made her feel like she was living some normal moments. Grateful to have a covid-safe option when so many activities are canceled She appreciated the time to do something NORMAL in this not-normal year Having a social and active outlet during pandemic GOTR experience helped her feel much more connected to the school community at a time of stress and loneliness