“Since the passage of Title IX in 1972, the number of girls playing sports has gone from one in twenty-five to one in three. Yet some people still cling to the notion that girls are simply not as interested in sports as boys. Research by the Women's Sports Foundation, however, proves otherwise: a recent study of pre-adolescent boys and girls (those between the ages of 6 and 9), shows that they are equally interested in playing sports.” (Importance of “Sheroes” for Young Female Athletes)
Having the experience of coaching youth girls from the age of 5 through 10, I found that girls can be just as exciting as boys when they want to. I mean this by some girls are just playing because their parents are making them, but then there are others that show that drive and determination. On my kindergarten team we had only two girls, my daughter and another. The other girl was a bigger girl but boy when you told her to get in there with the boys she’d show them up, I didn’t want to be the boy she was aiming for. Then you have my daughter who just wanted to socialize and sit the bench whenever she could.
I’ve always said if I were to receive a coaching position in boy’s high school basketball, I would rather take them to a women’s college game than a men’s game. Why? Because I believe if you take them to a men’s game there is a lot of dunking and flashiness going on. Whereas the women’s game seems to focus on the fundamentals and execution of the game. Girls need to be involved in sports, because sports teach kids more than just to be active (if you have the right coach).
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