Then in 1972, Congress enacted Title IX, a law that opened the doors for more girls to participate in school sports. Under Title IX, the number of girls participating in interscholastic sports has grown from about 300,000 in the early 1970s to 2.25 million in 1997. One result of the explosion in girls' athletics is that researchers and educators have started looking into the impact that sports and physical activity have on girls and women. The report found that participation in athletic activity ran help girls sail successfully through the physical and emotional storms that come with adolescence. It also lays the foundation for a healthier adult life with a reduced risk of developing many of the chronic diseases of adulthood, including heart disease and some cancers.
Sports give girls an educational boost too.
The council's report noted that female athletes often achieve higher grades than their non-athletic counterparts and are less likely to drop out of school and more likely to go on to college. Research shows that adult women are also becoming more active as well, participating in a wide variety of traditional activities and nontraditional sports such as mountain biking and ice hockey. As the November days get shorter, make a plan about the sport or physical activity you will be doing this winter to keep your body and mind in top condition. Tips for Parents More girls are participating in sports than ever before, but they tend to drop out much more readily than boys do. Girls tend to assess their general athletic ability more negatively than boys do.