Young Women in Sports

Sports have the ability to change lives. Participating in sports can teach people teamwork, leadership, resilience, and confidence. Sports can also create an outlet for kids with a tough childhood, tough family situation, or anything else they might be going through. Although strides have been made in the past years, gender gaps in sports still exist. Women and girls face discouragement when it comes to playing the sport they love. Many girls end up quitting sports because of this discouragement or lack of confidence. Sports have mirrored society and the sporting industry in making steps towards an equal future, however there is still a way to go. 

Sports have become more accessible and more extensive opportunities have been offered within the past two decades than before. Across the country, girls are participating in a wide array of sports programs provided by schools, communities, churches, and beyond. Even though there are more opportunities opening up, there is still a gender gap in participation among girls. In 2017-18, at the college level, women had 62, 236 fewer participation opportunities than men in NCAA sports. At the professional level, the opportunities are even more scarce, forcing women to play overseas. This may also be contributing to young girls quitting at a younger age because they do not see enough opportunity to play at a higher level. 

At Sylvania Sports Complex, we provide a space for young athletes to participate and ensure equality between girls and boys in our facility. We can all work towards ending gender gaps in sports. Visit this link to learn more about the gender equality debate, https://www.athleteassessments.com/gender-equality-debate/.

Yours truly, 

Michaela Eisenhauer