The Chronicle of Higher Education (March 23, 1994)

To the editor:

In his opinion piece on gender equity in sports ("A reality Based Plan for Achieving Gender Equity in College Sports," March 2), Matt Lorenz states that "personal experience and empirical data", should be critical considerations when faced with gender issues.

I would suggest that, as with all issues of equity in our society, history has shaped our "reality." Our participation rates for females may be lower because opportunities are less available, attitudes are provincial, or athletic organizers are predominantly male focused. We should not assume that females are not interested or invested.

An internally commissioned gender-equity task force in Montgomery County, Md., found that participation rates for females in comparable sports was 49.71 per cent in 1989-92. This figure would suggest that if opportunities are made available, "they will come." It took 20 years for Title IX to influence activities at the local level, but in 1994, for the first time, fast-pitch softball tryouts at my daughter?s high school drew more girls that did boy?s baseball (despite the fact that fast-pitch softball had never been offered by local recreation department?s youth program until the spring of the same year.)

A "national participation index" is only a logical solution if the opportunity to participate is made generally available. Title IX has generated the potential to participate, but a generation of male focused leaders in youth sports programs, may of whom are well-meaning volunteers, have been slow to change their priorities. Youth leagues are not pure indicators of interest if, for example, girls are told that only baseball rather than fast-pitch softball is available or that girls can be cheerleaders for the boys? youth football and basketball teams.

For the first time, equitable opportunities for females at the collegiate level are beginning to prepare a pool of talented and well trained athletes who can reverse the trend of the 80?s in which the percentage of female coaches in female sports actually declined. Intercollegiate athletics provides the foundation to build youth sports programs by providing female athletes who can be both role models and skilled coaches for our nation?s youth. This may be the most important resource in changing the status quo upon which Mr. Lorenz bases his argument.
Jay R. Shotel

Member of Superintendent?s Task Force on Gender Equity
Montgomery County Maryland Public Schools
Professor of Education
George Washington University, Washington, DC

jshotel@gwu.edu