The changes may very well reflect broader lifestyle changes among women. Among team sports, female participation has increased most dramatically in soccer and basketball, where female participation has increased 57 per cent and 56 per cent respectively since 1991. Female participation grew more quickly than overall changes in total participation in these activities. This growth was almost the same as the overall growth of the sport. The choice of a more rigorous fitness regimen reflects a lifestyle defined by both work and child care.
More strenuous activities provide more exercise in a shorter period of time.
The time constraint may also be one of the reasons for the decline in female golf participation. It may also reflect a change in the attitude of parents about girls' participation in competitive sports. In addition to the number of participants and frequency of participation, the report provides demographics by age, gender, education, presence of children, metro areas, household income and region of the country.