Why Title IX is important to me
Today is the 49th anniversary of Title IX, which states:
No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.
I will always be grateful that Title IX gave me the opportunity to play sports. Our school had a volleyball and track team for girls, but I wasn’t very good at either. Because Title IX required equal numbers of opportunities for girls and boys, when the law was applied to sports, a girls’ basketball team was started just as I entered high school. I not only got to play the game I thought I would only watch, I was a pioneer for my high school.
I am proud because our first teams were successful. I am more proud of the way we learned the game as teenagers and kept trying despite our many mistakes, and despite laughter and jokes from fans who weren’t quite sure what to make of us.
But I am most proud of the way a random group of girls with a common interest became teammates and represented our school.
And I am most thankful for the lessons I learned that have carried me through my career, parenting and life.
Youth sports look nothing like they did 49 years ago
There is great disparity when it comes to sports. Some children live in communities or neighborhoods where there are few opportunities to play. Organizations like the Women’s Sports Foundation, which was founded by Billie Jean King, are working to change that, so every girl who wants to play has the chance.
On the other hand, many children start playing sports before they even begin school. Parents with children as young as two or three can pay a fee for them to spend time with a ball.
A few kids play organized sports throughout their childhood, and a very few (3%) go on to play college sports.
And far too many kids drop out before they even get to high school. Parental involvement, overzealous coaches, burnout and injury are a few of the reasons. But the biggest reason kids drop out is they aren’t having fun—the reason they should be playing in the first place.
As I’ve written about previously, for many kids, starting early means ending early. And that means they will miss out on some of the most important benefits sports can offer, the lessons that would serve them well in college and in their career.
Why do I care?
I stopped playing decades ago. My daughters are well out of high school. My husband left coaching to referee. I could stop thinking about youth sports. But when parents of toddlers ask me when they should start their children in sports, when they voice concerns that their child will be left behind if they don’t start in pre-school, it makes me sad. Sad for the parents, sad for the children and sad for the future of youth sports.
I assure them they are not the only ones who aren’t happy with the demands of our current youth sports system and encourage them to seek out like-minded parents and coaches.
It’s a great privilege to have the opportunity to play. But it is my hope that parents and coaches think more critically about when to start kids in sports and how to balance sports with their child’s other needs and interests. Much can be learned from sport but if kids drop out before they’re old enough to benefit, what has been gained?
Tap into resources and support
If you are a parent interested in providing a positive sports experience for your child (or you know some young parents), take a look at my blog topics. I share personal lessons as well as resources from sports and health organizations, and authors who write about youth sports.
If you like what you see, I hope you will subscribe to my blog, like my Facebook page and share what you find with others. Thank you!