Today, 6.5 million girls nationwide participate in various sports—that’s a 37 percent increase since 1970. Females make up more than 41 percent of all high school athletes and 37 percent of all collegiate athletes. Title IX and the shifting attitudes toward girls’ participation in sport have created inroads for a whole new generation of athletes. While positive gains have been made, there are still some misconceptions about the positive aspects of females participating in sport. Gender & Sport Education Kit attempts to bridge the gap between those who support the continuing efforts for gender equity and those who fear that gender equity will come at the expense of male sport programs. The kit helps to resolve these misconceptions by demonstrating the benefits of gender equity for both sexes.

In addition, the Gender & Sport Education Kit addresses the issues of why girls may not try out for sports and why they often drop out at young ages. The kit also presents strategies for keeping girls involved in sport for longer periods of time. These strategies include

• creating a challenging environment,


• providing quality coaching,


• forming a welcoming atmosphere,


• building a healthy perspective on winning, and


• placing the focus on having fun.