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City Girls Not Team Players, Study Finds

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The Associated Press

Published: October 10, 2008

NEW YORK - Girls who live in urban areas participate in sports at lower rates than urban boys or suburban girls, says a new report from the Women's Sports Foundation.

Thursday's "Go Out and Play: Youth Sports in America" report found that in urban areas, 59 percent of third- to fifth-grade girls were involved in at least one sport, compared with 80 percent of urban boys. That compared with 81 percent participation for suburban girls and 89 percent for suburban boys.

"A level playing field exists for suburban boys and girls," said researcher Don Sabo of D'Youville College in Buffalo, N.Y. "However, urban communities are often faced with a lack of space and resources. When funds for sports are found, boys seem to come first."

Girls' athletic participation has increased since Title IX was passed in 1972, but a gender gap remains in many communities. The report indicates much of the disparity is rooted in economic inequalities.

Some 7.3 million youths participated in high school sports in 2006-2007, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations. The number of girls exceeded 3 million for the first time.

Still, the teenager participation rates were significantly lower than their younger counterparts.

The report, using data from a 2007 Harris Interactive survey of 2,185 youths in the third through 12th grades and 863 parents, found that youth sports activity was linked to healthier, more content families. But many parents, especially blacks and Hispanics, reported that schools did not provide the same opportunities for daughters as sons.

Many suburban girls' interest in sports and opportunities to play were on par with boys. The greater parity in suburban communities shows that the gap can be closed, Sabo said.

"We really need to tap the potential of sports to help kids develop healthy lives," he said.

Tribune reporter Mary Shedden contributed to this report.

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