(Editors note: This is part one of a four part series looking at girls high school sports)

My mom was an athlete among a family of athletes (her dad and two of her brothers were division I college football players). Growing up, she spent endless hours at the park competing with the neighborhood kids in a variety of games. But going to high school in the early 1960s, her school sports options were limited to being a cheerleader (which she chose over being majorette) and gym class. When they played basketball in Phys Ed., she was chosen to play the position of rover, which meant she could play on both ends of the court. To avoid overexertion, her teammates were restricted to one end: offense or defense.

Girls sports have exploded since those dark ages of a half century ago, thanks to the Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, a federal law that states: "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance."

I interviewed area high school girls head coaches.

Part 1 looks at the evolution of girls sports.

QUESTION #1: What sport(s) did you play in high school?

SANDY VALLEY SOFTBALL COACH CORTNEY GEIGER (2009 Sandy Valley graduate): I played volleyball (setter), basketball, and softball (second base). My senior softball season was the first year Sandy Valley had ever made it to the state Final Four.

CARROLLTON BASKETBALL COACH CHANDRA MYERS (2005 Garaway graduate): Volleyball (middle hitter), basketball, and track (discus, and was a shot put state placer).

TUSCARAWAS CENTRAL CATHOLIC VOLLEYBALL COACH KRISTEN TRIVOLI (2000 Tusky Valley graduate): Volleyball (middle hitter) and basketball.

DOVER SOCCER COACH ANGIE PINION (2000 Reynoldsburg graduate): Once I got to high school, I only played soccer (right mid or right defender). I played for the school in the fall and played club in the spring.

NEW PHILADELPHIA VOLLEYBALL COACH CARLA PRY (1988 Canton McKinley graduate): I was a setter on the volleyball team and I swam in high school (freestyle, 100, 200, 500, relays), and went on to swim in college.

DOVER VOLLEYBALL COACH BETH MATHEWS (1987 Carrollton graduate): I played volleyball (my position changed each year depending on what the team needed), I was a forward on the basketball team, and pitcher on the softball team.

TUSKY VALLEY GIRLS AND BOYS CROSS COUNTRY AND TRACK COACH SANDY DEBOS (1984 Tusky Valley graduate): I had a wonderful childhood with wonderful parents (and two older brothers), and was in every sport and lesson imaginable from piano lessons, baton, dance, gymnastics, basketball, cross country, and track. I was outside all the time, and did not see most Disney movies until I had kids of my own. In high school, I ran cross country, played basketball for a few years, ran track from the 400 up and was on the gymnastics team all year (which was not a school sport).

DOVER BOYS & GIRLS SWIM COACH BRENDA WHERLEY (1983 Dover graduate): I swam on the Y swim team, Dover did not have a high school team yet.

QUESTION #2: What has been a good change/evolution for girls athletics in general since you were in high school?

COACH TRIVOLI (TCC Volleyball): I think girls have more opportunities to excel in athletics.

COACH WHERLEY (Dover swimming): A very positive change for girls' athletics since I was in high school is the variety of sports now available to girls. Such a great opportunity for girls to be involved in many different sports.

COACH MATHEWS (Dover volleyball): The evolution of girls' athletics has changed dramatically since the 80s. The equity of opportunities and facilities/equipment has been dramatic. I can remember wearing old warm-ups the boy's team no longer wanted for basketball and one softball season we did not play one home game because maintenance could not get the field ready on those days. Those inequalities would not fly in today's world. Today, girls are respected for choosing to get involved in athletics without stereotypical labels being attached. They are fierce competitors and passionate about their sports.

COACH PINION (Dover soccer): I think the support for girls athletics has increased since I was in school. I love seeing the large student section at our big games. Once people come to a game who are not as familiar with soccer, let alone girls soccer, are surprised at the fast pace, skill, and aggressiveness of our team.

COACH GEIGER (SV softball): A good change that I have seen in girls athletics is that female athletes are slowly becoming more recognized and supported for their talents. It would take a team making a good run during tournaments before the stands would be filled at an event. Although the stands aren't filled during all regular season games, teams and individuals are receiving more recognition.

COACH PRY (NP volleyball): A good change for girls sports is that their skills have improved such a great deal, that the public seems to be more willing to come and watch. The recognition by fans and the public that girls sports is competitive and exciting to be part of. Girls are now being recognized for their athleticism and accomplishments that they have earned.

COACH DEBOS (TV track and cross country): Tusky Valley has always been great as far as female athletics go. I think the biggest change in my sport is strength training. The kids are strength training more than they used to because they see the benefits that it provides even to distance runners. The stronger they are, the faster they will be and the fewer injuries they will have. Obviously Title IX has been great for female athletics, especially with the COVID-19 and many of the college sports being discontinued.

MACS THOUGHTS:

* Many of us that graduated in the 1980s can relate to Coach DeBos childhood of being outside all the time, and we somehow survived without cellphones to connect us to our parents. Like her, I was periodically stuck inside for tortuous piano lessons!

* Girls have vastly more opportunities nowadays. Many high schools like mine didnt have softball until the mid-1980s, and soccer until the mid-1990s or later, which are now two of the most popular girls youth sports.

* I am sure many female athletes of past generations can greatly relate to the second-class treatment that Coach Mathews described.

* Both the perception and recognition of girls sports has vastly improved over the decades. Coach Pry brought up an important result of this growth: "Young girls now have many athletic role models that they can look up to and emulate."

In Part 2 tomorrow, coaches will share about the growth in their specific sports.

Read the rest here:

Aljancic: Looking at the evolution of girls sports - New Philadelphia Times Reporter