This year marks the 45th anniversary of the passage of Title IX, the historic law that made access to sports in schools equal between men and women. In the 45 years since Title IX, the United States has made great strides in accomplishing its goals. In 1972 there were fewer than 300,000 girls playing high school sports. That number has surged and today over 3.3 million girls are running out to meet their coach once the school bell rings.*
Providing girls with access to sports has come a long way, but there is still work to do. Schools across California are failing to live up to some of the Title IX requirements (http://bit.ly/2uwDrKm), leaving girls without options for school-sponsored sports. This gap is especially pronounced for girls in under-resourced areas, as they have less than half as many opportunities to play on teams than girls in areas with more resources (http://www.goodinc.com/project/sports_matter).
When kids leave school, that access gap continues. In under-resourced communities, there is a significant lack of opportunities to participate in afterschool sports programs. That’s why we are working every day to ensure that all girls, especially those in underserved communities, can play sports with quality coaching during their afterschool hours.
We know that sports help kids develop lifelong skills, from patience and determination to healthy living. Since Coaching Corps began, we have given thousands of girls the opportunity to learn the great lessons that come from sports.
With your help we can continue to be a champion for girls in sports, from San Francisco to Baltimore. Sign up at https://coachingcorps.org/become-a-coach/ to become a coach and make a difference in your community today.
* Source: The National Federation of High School Sports
