A Girl s Guide to Achieving in Sports and Athletics Frances A. Karnes Kristen R. Stephens Royal Fireworks Press Unionville, New York
Dedication This book is dedicated to Mary Ryan, Emma, and Betsy Karnes and to Karen Kozak, who wish to encourage girls and young women to become involved in sports. This book is also dedicated to all young female athletes and to the adults who encourage them. Copyright 2012, Royal Fireworks Publishing Co., Inc. All Rights reserved. Royal Fireworks Press First Avenue, PO Box 399 Unionville, NY 10988-0399 (845) 726-4444 FAX: (845) 726-3824 email: mail@rfwp.com website: rfwp.com ISBN: 978-0-88092-901-1 Printed and bound in the United States of America using vegetable-based inks on acid-free, recycled paper and environmentally-friendly cover coatings by the Royal Fireworks Printing Co. of Unionville, New York.
Table of Contents Introduction...1 Why is This Book Important?...1 The Value of Sports for Girls...1 Title IX and Advocacy...2 Finding the Right Sport...2 Health Issues...2 How to Use This Book...3 Types of Sports...4 Girls and Young Women in the Athletics Timeline...6 Profiles of Famous Female Athletes...14 Inspiring Quotes...22 My Sports and Athletics Journal...25 Youth Sport Organizations...47 Books about Girls and Young Women in Sports and Athletics...55 Websites on Women s Sports...66
Acknowledgements Many people have assisted in the development of this book, and for that we are extremely grateful. The support staff at The Frances A. Karnes Center for Gifted Studies at The University of Southern Mississippi and Duke University who assisted in manuscript preparation are to be commended. Our publisher, Royal Fireworks Press, and the excellent editorial department offered great ideas and skills in finalizing this volume. We wish to give our appreciation to the tremendous teachers, administrators, and other school personnel who continue to give us encouragement and support for writing books focusing on their needs and challenges. Our families continue to be our constant source of support and encouragement. To John, Leighanne, Mary Ryan, John Morris, Emma Leighanne, Betsy, Brooks Karnes and Rich, Jack, David, and Karen Kozak, along with Alan Stephens, our deepest appreciation is given to all of you. The special guidance of Ray and Christopher J. Karnes and Karen and David Stephens will always be with us.
Introduction Why is This Book Important? Sports and athletics are so often seen as predominately male activities. Although girls and women are becoming more involved, there are still those who have not had the female role models they need in order to have positive examples in all dimensions of sports and athletics. This book aims to provide girls with inspiration, and information, to encourage them to participate, and eventually to excel in sports. The Value of Sports for Girls Sports can offer girls and young women many positive results. By participating in regular exercise and physical activity, girls can directly contribute to their own health and well-being. In addition to improving health, sports can also offer valuable stress relief. By channeling physical energy into a positive goal, girls can learn how to manage the stress encountered in other areas of their life, and in the future. For many girls, participating in athletics also provides an opportunity for improving self-esteem, as focusing on, and achieving a positive goal, can give a sense of pride. Girls participating in team sports can closely interact with their peers, improve social skills, and teach them how to work with others toward a clearly defined goal. Athletic competitions offer chances to meet other girls and young women with similar interests. Competitions offer an opportunity to see other young women compete within a sport which can inspire them to improve their own skills. Anyone involved in athletics learns the importance of diligence and hard work toward a clear goal. This kind of diligence can ensure success in other areas of life also. There is much to be gained! 1
Title IX and Advocacy Girls have the right to participate in sports. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, ensures that girls cannot be discriminated against in any state-sponsored athletic program. Because of Title IX, girls sports began receiving more funding, and a greater number of girls began participating in all sports. Many schools now offer athletic programs and teams specifically for girls. Opportunities for sports and athletics are available to girls through their school, community, and religious organizations. With this wide array of possibilities, they have many opportunities to find the sport or athletic program that is right for them. If girls cannot find a sports team that reflects their interests, there should be help to take action toward organizing new opportunities. Girls themselves can organize new clubs or teams in order to compete with peers and practice together. By taking responsibility and organizing clubs or teams, girls can become leaders in their schools, communities, and religious organizations. Finding the Right Sport Every girl and young woman has unique talents and abilities, and they can use a variety of factors to determine the sports that interest them most. Some have a friend, family member, or teacher who can get them interested in a sport, and can teach them how to play and practice. For some girls, individual sports can offer a chance to stand out and work independently. For others, team sports are more attractive. Choosing what type of sport one would like to participate in is an important decision, but it is also important to keep in mind that athletic participation can last for as long or as briefly as one remains interested in it. Sometimes it is a good idea to try out many athletic opportunities before settling on the ones initially enjoyed the most. Health Issues Everyone should use appropriate safety measures when participating in sports and athletics. Some sports require special safety equipment, and it is important to get the best advice for 2
this. Everyone, girls or boys, should do all they can to avoid potential injury. It is also important to talk to a doctor or other health care provider to help girls decide which sports might be right for them. How to Use This Book This book begins with a brief history of successful female athletes, followed by an athletic timeline. A journal is also included so that girls and young women can record their thoughts on such topics as their favorite female athletes, role models, favorite books about sports, individual accomplishments in sports, training programs attended, opportunities for sports in the school and community as well as any advice one would give girls wanting to excel in sports. After the journal, there is a listing of informational organizations, books, and websites. These resources can give you the opportunity to study more closely the history of women in sport, current issues in the field, and gather inspiration to pursue a lifelong interest. 3
Types of Sports American Football Archery Auto racing Badminton Ballooning Ball-rush Bandy Baseball Basketball Beach handball Beach soccer Beach rugby Beach volleyball Beach wrestling Bocce Bossaball Bowling Broomball Camogie Canadian football Canoe polo Cesto-ball Cheerleading Climbing Color guard Cricket Curling Dan ball Diving Dodge-ball Equestrian Fencing Field hockey Figure skating Fist-ball Floor-ball Football Foot-volley Freerunning Gaelic football Gaelic handball Gate-ball Goal-ball Golf Gymnastics Handball Harrow football Hornussen Hurdles Hunting Hurling Ice hockey Ice Skating Inline hockey Kabaddi Kabucha toli Kayaking Kickball Korfball Lacrosse Laser tag Lot ball Martial Arts Mesoamerican ballgame Motocross Netball Paintball Parachuting Pesapallo Petanque Piloting Polo 4
Racquetball Ringette Rinkball Rink hockey Road hockey Rock climbing Roller hockey Rounders Rowing Royal Shrovetide football Rugby Sailing Scuffle-ball Sepak Takraw Shinty Skateboarding Skater hockey Skiing Skittles Slamball Sledding Snowboarding Soccer Softball Speedball Speed skating Spongee polo Square-ball Surfing Swimming Synchronized swimming Tchoukball Tennis Tennis polo Throwball Track & field Trampolining Ultimate Frisbee Underwater football Underwater hockey Underwater rugby Viperball Volleyball Wally ball Water polo Weightlifting Wheelchair rugby Wrestling 5
Girls and Young Women in the Athletics Timeline 600-800 B.C. Spartan women were instructed in physical education, specifically running and weight training in order to be able to produce healthy children. 1550s Mary, Queen of Scots, commissioned the building of a golf course. She also is credited with coining the name caddies. Mary grew up in France where military cadets would assist her on the course by carrying her clubs. It is believed that Mary brought the game and the caddies with her to Scotland where golf continues to this day to be popular. 1704 Sarah Kemble Knight made an unchaperoned horseback ride from Boston to New York and documented the journey in her journal. This journal was published posthumously to great acclaim. 1811 First women s golf tournament was held at the Musselburgh Golf Club in Scotland. 1867 The first women s golfing organization was established at St. Andrews, Scotland. 1881 American sharp-shooter, Annie Oakley, defeated her future husband, Frank Butler at a shooting competitionthe first in a long career for Annie. 1884 Maude Wilson and Lillian Watson competed in the first Wimbledon Lawn Tennis final, with Maude Wilson eventually securing a victory. 1895 First U.S. women s amateur golfing championship was held. 1896 The first women s intercollegiate basketball game was played between Stanford and Berkeley. Men were prohibited from attending the game because social rules deemed it inappropriate. 1900 19 women competed in the Paris Olympics in golf, croquet, and tennis. 1912 Women s events, swimming and diving, were introduced in the Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden. 6