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Women's sports Wikipedia

Women's sport(s) include all-female sports competitions and leagues. Women's level of play in all sports rose during the late 20th century, as women and girls were allowed and finally encouraged to devote themselves to training and practice. Title IX supported women athletes' efforts in the U.S. Women now achieve a high level of technical skill and competitiveness unknown to previous generations. More women athletes now have "a strong work ethic, motivation to train on their own, intensity, and a mentality that can focus on the game."<ref>http://www.womensoccer.com/biogs/heinrichs.html</ref>

Women have had to fight for the right to be athletic competitors in antiquity and modern times. In the Ancient Olympics, women were not originally allowed to compete or watch competitions. However, a separate women's athletic event, the Heraea Games, was eventually developed.

In western modern history, few women competed in sports until the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries; women athletes were frowned upon by society. That began to change in many countries, partly due to the women's rights movement. Women's participation, as fans or athletes, is still generally lower than men's. The reasons for this are not well-researched.

Some sports organizations make no division between gender. For example, high schools might have only one soccer team, and the few girls who are willing to play on a co-ed team often do so in spite of discouragement.

Even as women advance in sports, they are less likely to be represented if the more the sport is considered a "contact" game. For example, as of 2005, female boxers are still relatively uncommon, in contrast to female runners.

• http://www.wsf.org.uk/products/index.php| "Women in Sports" is a UK-based quarterly publication, with news, action pictures and articles for the "UK's elite sportswomen" and girls.

United States
Atlanta Polo Museum
Scheduled for opening in 2007. All items on exhibit until scheduled opening. See http://www.uswpf.com for more information.

Athletes

• Famous Women Athletes

• Title IX|Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act (Title IX)

• http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/s/j/sjf187/olympics/6.html| Heraea Games

Last Modified:   2006-10-01