OK—if anyone on the message board wants to argue that we have somehow started treating females equally with males—go ahead—it doesn't happen. Maybe we can make ourselves feel better with numbers and such, but life is still sexist.
Now, are there more males attempting sports than females? Yes! What I think is interesting and worth considering is how much BIOLOGY and ENVIRONMENT are involved in this.
Do boys NATURALLY aspire to be athletic or are they socialized to do so? And are girls NATURALLY less likely to want to pursue sports?
Even though this discussion is in Club Soccer, let me offer a high school example.
When I started coaching high school soccer, I started a girls program. We had NINE girls that first season. The boys team had some success in my first years—14-5 one season, 15-4 the next. The boys interest soared.
Now at the same school, the girls program has been highly ranked and successful for the past three years while the boys program has floundered some. In this town, girls are playing soccer like mad. Numbers for girls are UP.
OK—I would argue that sports is naturally more "male," but when females see a REASON to participate, things even out some. At the college and pro levels, the REASON has not caught up for females; males see a reason to be athletic in college and pros daily.
Socially, females are not rewarded or encouraged for athleticism as males are.
