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Women in Sports – Then & Now

Women in Sports Change the World

Over the course of a century, women have made leaps and bounds in the world of sports, as well as basically every other aspect of life. For centuries, women were told they couldn’t do anything associated with strenuous activity or mental exertion as it was feared this would disrupt the female reproductive cycle and one’s ability to have children. This all changed in 1922 when women were allowed to compete in the Olympics. February 5th is National Girls & Women in Sports Day, so let’s take a look at how far women have progressed in the world of sports.

In the Beginning…of Women’s Sports

In the early days of women’s sports in the US in the 1920s, there was often a difference between the sports white women played and those black women played. While women were finally permitted to play, white women were encouraged to play sports considered leisurely activities, such as tennis and swimming. These women were also encouraged to focus more on fashion and their looks rather than being exceptional athletes. 

During this same time, black women were following a path dedicated to track and field, as they were restricted from places such as country clubs with tennis courts and pools. The line between white female athletes and black female athletes would begin to fade as World War II approached in the early 1940s. This led to the restrictions placed on women being dismantled as men went to war and women of all races ran the country at home. 

Despite such progress, women were still being told they couldn’t play sports or they had to choose between playing sports or being considered attractive by men. It would not be until 1972 when the women’s civil rights movement reached a peak that women en masse would be taken more seriously. Throughout the history of sports, women have had to fight for every inch of progress to be seen as equals. Today, they are closer than ever, thanks to the struggles and efforts of past and present women.

Some of the Great Moments

Women have had some of the most remarkable sports moments in US history, such as Flo Jo smashing Olympic records in 1988 and leaving a trail of dust against anyone who dared compete against her. You will be hard-pressed to find anyone who was not eagerly anticipating the results of some of the most nerve-wracking, heart-pounding moments in women’s sports. Here are just a few of the greats.

One of the most iconic moments of women’s sports was the 1999 Women’s World Cup. While the team played to sell-out crowds each game, it was the final game played at the Rose Bowl that would unite a country and make this group of women into living legends. They played to a sold-out crowd of 90,000 people, which was unheard of for women’s soccer at the time. Millions of people watched the game on television from all over the world, and entire generations of women would be changed forever in this one moment by showing all women, both young and old, that they can create magic in sports just as much as men. 

You can’t have a greatest moments in women’s sports list without honoring Billie Jean King in the Battle of the Sexes. Billie Jean King was a women’s rights activist since she was a child. She held the No. 1 ranking for five years of her career in the late ‘60s to mid-‘70s. It was at the height of her career that well-known, former tennis great Bobby Riggs began to make his typical misogynist comments about women being inferior to men. As a formerly tennis ranked No. 1 himself, he continually provoked Billie Jean to play against him. When she finally accepted, 90 million people would watch the event live from all over the world. When she won, it was the biggest blow to sexism and misogyny women in sports had ever experienced to date. 

If you still question whether or not women have the ferociousness and toughness to play sports competitively, take a look at Kerri Strug in the 1996 Olympics. The Olympics were in the US, and the US women’s gymnastics team was up against the undefeated Russians for gold. Kerri’s vault would determine whether the US beat the Russians for gold for the first time in Olympic history. As she completed her first vault attempt, she heard a crack as she landed. She ultimately had to decide whether or not to complete her second vault to secure the win against Russia. In a moment that would change the history of women in sports, she agreed to continue. Despite the pain and do-or-die Olympic pressure, she took a deep breath, executed her vault, stuck the landing, collapsed in pain and won the gold for the US. This four-foot, nine-inch Olympian showed women and men all over the world that the courage and strength of a lion comes in all shapes and sizes. 

The Struggle Is Still Real

While women have made tremendous strides in sports, they still have not yet reached equality. One of the most glaringly obvious points of inequality is the pay difference in sports. If you examine professional sports for both men and women, from basketball to soccer and beyond, women are paid significantly less than men. And in proper female athlete tradition, women continue to fight back. 

Another way women still have to fight to prove their abilities is directly related to an ever-present sexist mentality lingering in all sports. Women still have to fight to be judged solely on their performance rather than on the way they look. Still, today, when many sports commentators discuss women’s sports during games, matches, events, etc., they still talk about their uniforms, their hair, their nails and nearly every other aspect of the female appearance. This is simply unheard of in men’s sports. 

These are only a few examples of the issues women still face in sports that men do not have to even consider. Women who played sports in the past and those who play them now may appear quite different on the surface, however, at the end of the day, women still have to fight to be taken seriously and to be treated as equals. Yet, with each new generation of dynamic and explosive female athletes, such as Mo’Ne Davis, women are one step closer to accomplishing the dreams of millions for a century. 

We Support Women in Sports

We are proud to support women in sports by sponsoring several women’s college basketball teams, including Iowa State, Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska. Our program donates to Coaches vs Cancer and Big Brothers Big Sisters based on free throws made and assists completed by each participating team. You can see our ongoing tally of the results on our website. If you are an athlete, a coach, or a sports director requiring a safe and climate controlled space to store your sports equipment all year, check out our storage facilities today.