dd wishes she was more sporty

She can definitely start rowing now (though she will have to pass a swimming test, for obvious reasons). Rowing clubs often don't take people on until they are approaching their teens because of how the body develops (ours didn't anyway and that was a pretty serious club, Steve Redgrave trained there). I started at 12 and was rowing at a pretty high level by 14. Be warned though, it can take a lot of commitment to be in with 'the crowd' (think 6 days a week plus competitions) and I have a feeling it probably cost my parents a lot of money. My parents made friends there though and I had a very tight knit group of girls from there. I actually quit when I was 17 though because I wanted to spend my evenings out with friends, rather than on a freezing cold river and was much happier for it. Grass is always greener... Perhaps something like rugby/football might be slightly less onerous on time. Equally, interests change so much at this age, the 'sporty' girls she's friends with may well change over the next few years, especially with university coming up.

You can improve at anything with practise and strengthening your muscle groups two of my friends are dyspraxic and only come to sports and physical hobbies late in life - but they work at it. Their process to improve was a lot slower and you're surrounded by people who naturally find it easier and pick up new skills quickly.

So improving core strength helps loads but also you have to get into a mindset where you aren't hard on yourself. Can laugh off fumbles and pick your self up. You know your own process and you crack on. I hated sport when I was young but found joy for it at uni where I was able to laugh about it and didn't feel judged and had a team to celebrate my improvements with.

Adults who were never sporty at school but discovered it later tend to be into running, yoga or open water swimming. There are sports like roller derby which seem to actually target non-sporty people. If there are any glee clubs, the singing and dancing would bring her interests together.

She should start running, like a lot of people have said, maybe using couch to 5k. This will give her a bit more strength and stamina to open up more options. She doesn't have to commit to always being a runner, but it's a great place to start.

A friend of mine joined a rowing club in her 40s as a rookie, so there is hope for her.

I don't quite understand what you want...does she want to play sports with her sporty friends or just hang out with them when they aren't playing sports? If she wants to play sports with them, then why doesn't she join in and play sports with them? If you are going to go to the effort of finding her a sport to do at a local club then she won't be with her sporty friends other than when they are just hanging out, so how would that be different to the current situation?

Ladies soft ball cricket would be a great start, it's fun and very varied in abilities.

Our local gym has sessions for teens

Or couch to 5K app

I've always been useless at sports. I have no coordination and hate any kind of competitive sport. That's fine, that's who I am. I have other skills!
However, I've always been active. I'm obsessed with walking, I can go on a bike ride. Can't your daughter just do active things with her friends that are just fun? For example, playing basket ball or tennis at the park (just messing around, not a serious match), going for a walk or a jog. Or a bike ride?
I also don't understand this thing about her liking sporty people. They're not all the same. Sporty people I know are all quite different.

What sports has she tried, there are some great suggestions on here - park run being world wide she can do that anywhere.

There are a whole hosts of sorts and some people are better on solo spots rather than team sports.

How wonderful that your dd does want to be sporty, its a great way of staying fit and socialising, meeting new people etc

do you have stuff like pickle ball near to you? running clubs? Cycling clubs? gyms? adult swimming classes?

Just get her to choose something and go for it.
My friend started Tae Kwon do in her 30's and got her black belt. Lots of friends started running and cycling. You're never too old.
As well as having a connection with friends, doing more sports will benefit her hugely mentally as well as physically.

DO you have a local netball team? Ours is always looking and its a great team sport.

Keep trying different sports to find one that fits with her.

could she also get into refereeing or something else related to sports if playing doesn’t work.

I would highly recommend climbing. There are indoor gyms, they can be very sociable and then when she is older there will be outdoor activities to do with friends, bouldering etc. the climbing community are great people and usually built around great friendships. Climbing is brilliant because it's about learning and challenging yourself and you don't need to be brilliant at usual sporty things like having lots of stamina.

Some people are just not sporty, whether from lack of interest, poor co-ordination or whatever.

Your DD surely can be friends with people who are sporty without playing sport? It seems a little mean saying, in effect, her best friends are too quiet and serious and she wants to hang out with the sporty girls because they are more fun. If these sporty girls want to be friends with your DD and your DD wants to be friends with them, surely a friendship will evolve ?

Your DD could play a particular sport/join a a team and not click with the people in that sport/they may not hang out together, etc.

Right mine isn't sporty but became good at tennis, it's a great social sport and will take beginners. It's not too fast moving at beginner and she can build from there. Tennis clubs are usually nice social places too. Something you can do together is Yoga, it will help her balance etc

She can also try a women's cricket team for example.

Marshal arts and fitness groups (pilates/yoga) would help her to build her strength and wellbeing. I expect she'd like to join in conversations about attending an activity regularly and see some results (toned muscles).

Another vote for couch 2 5k and parkrun.

you say you’re not in the uk, parkrun is international (except France) so find your nearest one. You could both go and start walking it to get started

She’ll see tangible results and it will build confidence and fitness for all sport

Oh and I was in late 20s when I discovered 'my thing'. Of course 16 is not old!

I was like your daughter in the sense that I sucked at all sports. I can't catch or throw a ball, was always the last in any race, can't jump high or far and the first time I tried easy aerobics, I fell over my own feet.
But as it turned out, was quite a natural at weights. Then I started bodypump and after doing that for a while, got fitter and started enjoying also other group fitness classes. I'm now a fitness instructor.

As others have said, she should look around and find some sport she enjoys and is actually good at, I'm sure everybody can find something. This will make a massive difference and she will get better in other sports as well.

One of my sons started rowing this year. He's 19. In what world is 16 too old?

Her physical stamina isn't good because she has never played sports. If she wants to get closer to rowing friends then it sounds like that is the sport to take up. Can she do it out of school first to get some skills and confidence? Before joining the school club?

And, as a wider point, does your DD struggle to enjoy things she isn't good at? A hobby should just be fun, no need to be any good! Can you help her see some things that way? Many academic kids struggle with not being good with things, and then struggle when life doesn't always go their way as an adult

Another vote for martial arts, its great for balance, coordination, and memory processes. You can progress at an individual level, and its skills can then be used to improve in another sport. It's also quite cool. DD did karate. She was very much the 'cool' girl at her girls' school. She hadn't done much team sport up until then but became a B team for hockey and A team reserve player. She eventually became a PT.