National Girls and Women in Sports Day

Tomorrow will acknowledge National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD), an exceedingly important day, set aside by former President, Ronald Reagan, focused on providing recognition for women in sports and pushing for equality.

The occasion originated as a day to remember Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman, who sadly passed suddenly in 1986 of Marfan Syndrome whilst competing in a volleyball tournament in Japan, for her outstanding achievements and commitment to working for equality. Since then, the day has evolved into an event aimed at recognising all female athletes, whether this be at a professional, amateur, or purely aspiring level. NGWSD was first observed in 1987, the year following the passing of Flo Hyman, and tomorrow will mark its 39th annual birthday.

There is an extensive history behind the participation and involvement of women in sports, for example, 1900 signifies the first year that women were allowed to compete in the Olympics. Out of the 997 athletes at that years Paris Olympics, only 22 were women, who competed in 5 different sports categories. 38 years later, Babe Zaharias became the first woman to play on a PGA (Professional Golfers Association of America) tour.

More recently, 2012, at the London Olympic Games, was the first time that women were authorised to compete in all of the same Olympic sports as men, following the addition of boxing. Beyond these crucial moments, there are many other key dates to consider, some signifying fundamental moments in history for the progression of women’s involvement in sports and others acknowledging the female trailblazers that paved the way for women in sport.

The day was, additionally, meant to celebrate the progress that was made following the passing of Title IX in 1972, a law providing equal access to sports for girls in the United States (US). The signing of Title IX into law by President Richard M. Nixon required American society to perceive a woman’s right to participate in sport as equal to that of a man, prior to this legislation, women’s opportunities for competitive physical activity were exceedingly limited.

Title IX explicitly states that, “No person in the US shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance”. The implementation of this law has enabled considerable advancements to take place in combatting against gender discrimination in education and opening doors for girls and women in sporting opportunities, something unavailable to many past generations.

The successful outcome of Title IX is evident, and there are many statistics available to support this statement. Prior to Title IX, there were just over 300,000 girls and women playing sports in the US, a figure that only makes up a mere fraction of the nation’s population. This could be partially explicable by the poor infrastructure in place to support women wanting to take up and explore sports, only 2% of college athletic budgets were spent on women’s sports, and athletic scholarships were effectively non-existent for women.

Fast forward to 2012, the 40th anniversary of Title IX, where it was reported that more than 3 million girls were playing high school sports and, in colleges, almost 200,000 women were competing in intercollegiate sports. In 2016, it was also disclosed that 2 in 5 girls played sports, a drastic increase from the 1 in 27 girls who played sports before Title IX.

So, tomorrow, on a day that celebrates the accomplishments of girls and women in sports and the positive influence of sports participation, how can you get involved in the observation?

One way in which you can get involved in observing the event is by simply educating yourself. Take the time to learn more about female athletes and their history, for example read about the female trailblazers in their respective sporting industries. Maria Teresa de Filippis was an Italian racing driver, who became the first ever woman to race in Formula 1, making her debut in the 1958 Grand Prix. In addition, it is also important to learn about the benefits of sports participation for women and girls. Two considerable health benefits of women partaking in sports include, may decrease a woman’s risk of breast cancer and may increase a woman’s bone mass, reducing the chance of developing osteoporosis. ?

In consideration of the information provided in this newsletter, the impact of Title IX has undoubtedly been one of an exceedingly positive and constructive nature, authorising substantial progression to take place in creating a space for girls and women in sports. There are still advancements that need to take place, however reflecting upon how far female participation sports in the US has already come, makes the future look promising. So, if you were considering taking up a sport in 2025, but were hesitant to do so, take this as your sign and continue to break down those boundaries.