Against the odds: Girls in urban areas face unique challenges in playing sports

.Katie Thomas has written two parts of a series for the New York Times looking at the unique challenges facing urban girls who want to play sports

Her first piece, about a middle school basketball team in Brooklyn, highlights challenges facing the girls who want to play. Thomas writes:

The Cougars of Middle School 61 in Crown Heights, Brooklyn have few of the basics that suburban public school girls have, including free transportation, uniforms and full seasons of regularly scheduled games. At M.S. 61 each road game is a logistical puzzle for Mr. Mariner, the dean of students who doubles (sans pay) as the coach of the school’s girls’ and boys’ basketball teams. Even when the Cougars arrive ready to play, games are sometimes canceled because the opponents – facing the same obstacles – cannot field a team. Parents rarely show up to watch. Mariner, by the way, won’t cut a girl from the team regardless of ability… and he has to clean the gym after he’s done, despite being the Dean of Students.

The other problem lies in how many girls can overcome the barriers to participation. In the suburbs, girls play sports at rates roughly equal to boys. A 2007 survey by Harris Interactive of more than 2,000 schoolchildren nationwide showed that 54 percent of boys and 50 percent of girls in the suburbs described themselves as “moderately involved” athletes.

Urban areas revealed a much greater discrepancy. Only 36 percent of city girls in the survey described themselves as moderately involved athletes, compared with 56 percent of city boys. This hints at the idea that class and economic circumstances weigh heavily on girls when it comes to sports. Marj Snyder, Chief Program Officer for the Women’s Sports Foundation, points out in the above clip, that studies show girls’ participation in sports can help them build career-critical team-building skills, help combat obesity and improve their academics.

In Brooklyn, Thomas tracked one immigrant girl named Soledad who, while a star on the team, was assigned by her family to pick up a cousin each afternoon from kindergarten and another from daycare instead of going to practice or participating in games. Child care responsibilities of teenagers – particularly girls, is a major obstacle to participation.

In most cases, boys in the family share no such responsibilities. So in more ways that one, traditional views of women’s roles continue to shape girls’ lives in ways that are unhealthy for them.

Thomas demonstrates that school athletics in suburban areas have come pretty close to gender parity and private leagues that require fees are common and parents take time off to attend games — but none of those structures or opportunities are available in urban areas, particularly to girls because of a mixture of time, sexist ideas about the role of girls in extended families and the view of sports as a male activity, and money.

Coaches and organizers of youth sports in cities say that while many immigrant and lower-income parents see the benefit of sports for sons, they often lean on daughters to fill needs in their own hectic lives, like tending to siblings or cleaning the house.

Although boys in the city also have fewer opportunities in sports, other factors work in their favor. Lean athletic budgets leave a gap that is filled by a blend of volunteers and private groups that have traditionally served more boys than girls.

“The needs of boys just have always been, and to a large extent remain, the unspoken, often unrecognized priority,” a professor said.

In part two of her series, Using Teamwork to Bring Girls Into the Game, Thomas profiles the situation in Boston where a number of non-profit groups are working to try to encourage girls to participate more in sports. One group is even helping adults learn to break down barriers in gender-specific play.

Employees at Sports4Kids, a nonprofit group that oversees recess at public schools, have been devising ways to shake up gender roles and increase options for girls. Tes Siarnacki, a recess coordinator at a school in East Boston, regularly encourages older girls to referee boy-dominated soccer games, and assigns older boys to monitor double Dutch jump rope, which is played mostly by girls. One day this spring, Siarnacki encouraged the girls to begin doing sit-ups and jumping jacks. “They wanted to play ‘teacher,’ so I told them to play ‘gym teacher,’ ” she said. “It was a pretty easy sell.”

Like the kids profiled in the Brooklyn story, Boston kids also struggle with familial obligations. In Boston, one sports program attempted to create an program to watch the charges of their participants. In most cases, boys in the family share no such responsibilities. So in more ways that one, traditional views of women’s roles continue to shape girls’ lives in ways that are unhealthy for them.

It’s interesting to note that in many urban schools, basically no tax dollars are spent on sports programs (for boys or girls) and that, given historic interest in keeping boys off the streets and busy, girls athletics have been ignored by the many private groups trying to address the situation, despite the proven benefits for girls.

The whole series, which is well written and researched, is basically an analysis of the role that class and to some extent race play in girls’ participation in athletics. And it’s disheartening to learn that girls with the least opportunity are the ones that might benefit the most from such activities.

Any ideas on how to better bring the girls into the game?

Kick Like a Girl to air on HBO tonight

I screened a short documentary called “Kick Like a Girl” a couple months ago and was delighted to find out that HBO is airing it tonight (6:00 ET).  Anyone who sometimes feels jaded by the state of sports these days needs to tune in to the adventures of the Mighty Cheetahs, a third-grade girls’ soccer team in Salt Lake City.

After two undefeated, largely unchallenged seasons (with scores like 11-0 and 16-1), the Mighty Cheetahs decide to join the boys’ division in an effort to experience some real competition.

The move to the boys’ division makes sense in terms of sports skill. But it has repercussions for the league, particularly for the boys they play against. “Kick” takes a gentle look at how gender roles are stereotyped — and how parents sometimes have trouble looking past them. Sure enough, there are the soccer dads in the stands who have a hard time watching their boys lose to girls.

The documentary is as much a girl-power story of triumph as a sociological look at the different ways boys and girls approach practice, play and teamwork. We get to know the Cheetahs themselves – both their skill at the game and their views on soccer and life. It’s not so much about winning and losing as it is about teamwork and taking on challenges.

“Kick Like a Girl” was filmed and produced by the coach, Jenny Mackenzie, whose daughter, Lizzie, plays on the team and serves as the film’s narrator. Mackenzie obviously shares a close relationship with the girls allowing for some open, and incredibly realistic dialogue. In addition to being a volunteer youth coach, she is a social worker whose family is involved in the entertainment industry so helming a documentary film came somewhat naturally.

The last segment of the documentary tracks the Cheetahs through their first couple of games in the boys’ division, with enough on-field action to confirm that the Cheetahs belong there. They play well, with a remarkable grasp of teamwork.

The players interviewed have interesting things to say about how the Cheetahs triumphed by planning, passing and working together while the boys often lost because some insisted on hogging the ball in order stand out as a lone star.

Mackenzie interviews some of the boys, too, after their matches with the Cheetahs. Sure, they admit, it’s a little awkward at first to play against girls, but once the game starts, the only real issue is skill.

“If one of my friends say, ‘You kick like a girl,’ I’d be, like, ‘Yeah, that’s nice. Thank you,’ ” one of the boys says in the film.

“Kick Like a Girl” doesn’t pretend to document some dramatic gender divide. But it does suggest a few attitudes may have shifted.

I recommend this film to viewers of all ages, particularly older girls now competing at elite levels. It will remind them of why they started playing and how to celebrate the pure joy of a game well played. It would be interesting for the filmmaker to follow the players as they grow up and apply the lessons of the soccer field to high school, college and professional life.

Be sure to tune in tonight – it will be one of the most enjoyable 30 minutes of your day.

How NOT to coach youth sports: A lesson from Minnesota

Fellow WTS blogger, Nicole LaVoie, at One Sport Voice, writes about a recent youth soccer match in Minnesota:

The scene: Two Minnesota Thunder Academy (MTA)  teams played each other in the State Cup final to see who would advance to the Regionals. The 12-and-under girls soccer club, playing above their level, fought to a gutsy 1-1 tie through two overtime periods against the favored 13-and-under team from the same club. That set the stage for a dramatic penalty shootout.

As this moment of truth played out on soccer field, Coach Mark Abboud instructed his girls to “roll the ball” nicely to the goalkeeper, virtually ensuring the “better team” move on. The girls were shocked, but followed orders.

Chaos, tears, frustration, confusion, emergency meetings at all levels, commentary, opinions, anger, a public apology from Abboud, and parental support for the coach ensued. To read all the details go to, the Inside Minnesota Soccer article, the Star Tribune article, and Coach Mark Abboud’s own contrition on his blog.

LaVoie points out that sport provides many “teachable moments”. Good coaches teach athletes to give full effort, focus on what they can control, treat opponents with respect, and accept the outcome with grace. One decision by a coach does have an impact on everyone involved, and this is a cautionary tale of how not to coach because, simply put, it taught the wrong lessons.

In his team blog, Abboud wrote that he will never forget watching a star player take a weak kick at the goal and walk off in shame. “The silence was deafening. I felt the sun on my face, brushed a tick off my lower leg, and listened to the highway traffic on I-94,” he said. “I felt sick to my stomach.

Those familiar with the way soccer clubs are organized and the intense politics that play out at the administrative level probably aren’t that surprised at this story.  At issue is what’s best for the players and what’s best for the club. Unfortunately the answer isn’t always the same for both.

An Interview with Steeplechic Lisa Galaviz

Lisa Galaviz came into the 2008 Olympic Trials as the American Record holder in the 3000m Steeplechase. In the final, she placed 5th-out of the Team spots-as winner Anna Willard took down her record. Frustrated, Galaviz decided she needed a change. She is now working with Wynn Gmitroski and doing some altitude training for the first time. Here, she discusses how and why she made her decision to change her training and coaching situation, and how things have been working out so far. She also gives her opinion on the new IAAF Diamond League and the WADA one-hour rule and explains how she balances training and a day job.

Interview by Ann Gaffigan
Conducted on March 16, 2009
Posted on March 17, 2009

(Photo courtesy of PHOTORUN)

Can you tell us why you decided to change coaches and how you found anew coach? This is not something that is easy to do–find a new personyou can trust that (hopefully) is located near you. Describe theprocess, from deciding to switch coaches to finding the one you’reworking with now.

After the Olympic Trials, I decided that I needed a change. I thinkit’s very hard for colleges coaches to give the attention needed toprofessional athletes (Lisa had previously been working with Louie Quintana, coach at Arizona State). The two main things I was looking for in a newcoach was someone who coached only a few athletes and someone who hadsuccess on the world level. I was in Belgium this past summer racing,stressed about finding a new coach. I went on a morning shake-out runand ran into a friend, Gary Reed who I had met a couple years earlierand hadn’t talked to since. We were just catching up, and he mentionedthat he trained in Scottsdale, Arizona over the winter (at this point,he didn’t even know I lived in Arizona). Two hours later he introducedme to his coach, Wynn Gmitroski and we talked for a good hour. I reallyliked Wynn and fortunately he was interested in coaching me. So,everything just kind of just fell into place and I found someone who’d hadsuccess at the world level, coaches a handful of athletes, and livedpart-time in Arizona.

Describe how the depth in the steeple in the US has changed since youwere first steepling in college. Are the types of athletes doing itdifferent? Is it easier to find competitive races? Are more athletesdoing it now or just better athletes?

The steeplechase is much more competitive now and I think more womenare doing it because it’s a World Championship and Olympic event. Idon’t know if I’d say it’s easier to find competitive races, since theGrand Prix meets in the US still don’t have women’s steeplechase, buthopefully this will change with theIAAF Diamond League…

Have you heard about the IAAF Diamond League, to start in 2010? Finally, they are structuring it so that events get equalopportunity: 16 events each for men and women (32 total) will befeatured equally throughout the Diamond League Series, and thecompetitors will be awarded the same prize structure for each event, asopposed to valuing some events higher than others. The PrefontaineClassic and Reebok Grand Prix are part of this new League, meaning it islikely at least one of them will include the women’s steeple, which hasnot been the case thus far. How does this affect the women’s steeple inthe United States and worldwide? How will it affect planning yourseason?

I think the IAAF Diamond League is a great idea! It should increasethe popularity of the sport by forcing more head-to-head competitionsamong top athletes. Featuring the events equally among the series willgive women steepler’s more opportunities to race than before. Hopefullythe Prefontaine Classic or Reebok Grand Prix will have the women’ssteeple and this will create more interest in the event in the U.S. Ilost count of how many people at my work ask me if I ride horses!

What do you think about the new WADA regulations (the one-hour windowrule)? How different is it than what they required before?

I like the new WADA one-hour rule. I find it much easier to give onehour every day that I’ll be home, rather than trying to designate whereI am all the time. Although, in the past, USADA used to call ouremergency contact when weren’t home to find out where we were. This isno longer allowed as it gave athletes a ‘heads-up’ that they were goingto be tested.

You’re in Flagstaff right now, training at altitude, correct? Have youever done altitude training before? What do you think about it?

I was in Flagstaff for two weeks training at altitude, but I’m homenow. We’re going back for another three weeks at the end of April.This was my first time training at altitude and I really enjoyed it.The purpose of every day was running, and there were no distractions.It was very intense and focused. There is a large distance runningcommunity in Flagstaff. I’m not sure if you’ve heard, but NAU shut downtheir High Altitude Training Center. Right now, there’s a bit of chaosas to what is going to happen with it. I hope this doesn’t hurt all theathletes training up there, during the interim.

Tell us a little bit about your non-running day job? What do you do?How much are you working? Are they flexible when you need to leave tocompete or train at altitude? Do you sometimes work from thoselocations when you’re gone?

I work as a computer engineer at General Dynamics 20 hours a week. Theyare very flexible and I’m able to work remotely from anywhere as long asI have an internet connection. While training in Flagstaff, I was ableto work my full 20 hours per week.

Galaviz Stat Sheet:
Born:	November 30, 1979 (Phoenix, AZ)
Coach:	Wynn Gmitroski
Agent:	Chris Layne (Total Sports Management)
Sponsor:	Nike
High School:	Centennial High School (AZ), Class of 1998
College:	Arizona State University, Class of 2003
3000m Steeple PR:	9:28.75 (2007, then-American Record)
Accolades:	5th at 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials 3000m Steeplechase 2007-2008 American Record Holder, 3000m Steeplechase (9:28.75) 4th at 2007 USA Outdoor Championships Steeplechase 2006 U.S. Steeplechase Champion Ranked #2 in U.S. in 2006 by Track & Field News 2005 U.S. Steeplechase Runner-Up 2005 U.S. World Championships Team Member 6th at 2004 Olympic Trials Steeplechase 4th at 2003 USA Outdoor Championships Steeplechase 3rd at 2002 USA Outdoor Championships Steeplechase 2-Time Pac 10 Steeplechase Champion (2002, 2003) 2-Time NCAA Steeplechase All-American (2002, 2003)

Alford-Sullivan: Head Coach in a Male-Dominated World

Beth Alford-Sullivan is one of only a few female head coaches in the male-dominated profession of track and field head coaches. She has been at Penn State for 10 years (7 years as the women’s head coach, 3 years as men’s & women’s head coach) and before that was an assistant coach at Stanford.

In this insightful interview from FloTrack, she talks about the challenges of her job and the transition that took place when Penn State combined their men’s and women’s programs and she was the head coach for both.

Watch the video below and visit Flotrack to see two more interviews with Sullivan, on “Special Moments at PSU” and “Getting Started as a Coach”.

Track and Field Videos on Flotrack

Ivanovic selects Craig Kardon as new coach

Former top-ranked player Ana Ivanovic has appointed American Craig Kardon as her new tennis coach. The pair will work on a trial basis, beginning at next week’s Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships.

Ana is also set to take part in the BNP Paribas Showdown in New York in less than three weeks.  She’ll be joined by Venus and Serena Williams and Jelena Jankovic for the one-night extravaganza.

The 47-year-old Kardon is the former coach of eighteen-time Grand Slam champion Martina Navratilova: they worked together during the last of her nine Wimbledon titles in 1990.

Other notable ex-pupils of the Texas-based Kardon include Lindsay Davenport, Mary Pierce and Jennifer Capriati.

“I’m happy to begin working with Craig,” said Ana. “We’re going to see how it goes in the beginning and then I’ll make a decision about the longer-term future.

“I feel like I made good progress during the Fed Cup tie and I’m not so far away from finding my old form. Craig has a lot of experience, he encourages attacking tennis and I am hopeful we will achieve some good results together.”

The 21-year-old Ivanovic won the 2008 French Open and held the No. 1 ranking for nine weeks before Serena Williams reclaimed it. She is currently No. 8 after an early exit from the Australian Open.

Shortly before the Australian Open last month, Ivanovic parted ways with her former mentor Sven Groeneveld.

Scott Byrnes will continue to serve as Ana’s strength and conditioning coach.

What else has Ivanovic been up to? Filming some sequences for a feature that will be shown on HBO television around the time of the BNP Paribas Showdown exhibition in New York next month. 

And modeling for swiss watchmaker Rolex – one of her sponsors.

Flanagan Sets American Record, Ex-Coach Talks About Split

Shalane Flanagan has had quite the February.  Earlier this week, she announced her split with coach John Cook , citing “personal and professional” differences.  On Saturday, she toed the line at the Reebok Boston Indoor Games with the intent to break Marla Runyan’s indoor 5000m American Record.

With Marina Muncan setting an even pace as the rabbit, Flanagan found herself seven seconds under pace for the American record in the 5,000-meter run with a handful of laps remaining and Sentayehu Ejigu from Ethiopia lurking just two steps back looking strong and ready to pounce.

Flanagan remained calm and continued to push the pace, taking on the brunt of the work both mentally and physically as the front runner.  But her intent was to get that record, so she was willing to make the sacrifice.  With four laps remaining she accelerated even more but Ejigu remained just a couple of strides behind.

Running all out around the final corner, the two crossed the line together, but it was Ejigu who got the win ahead of Flanagan, literally by a nose (the difference was 0.005 seconds).  Flanagan got her record though in 14 minutes, 47.61 seconds, around 20 seconds faster than the previous record.

The next day (Sunday), the Washington Post posted an interview with John Cook, Flanagan’s now former coach, about his split with both Flanagan and fellow Olympian and longtime friend Erin Donohue.  Cook had some honest and blunt words about the split, saying “[Flanagan's husband Steve Edwards] has always had insidious intent to coach.  I was warned by a North Carolina coach to keep an eye on him. Of course, it is hard to hide workouts when you are intimately involved with athletes. [Edwards] has made his job his wife — period. He even films [workouts]. I was too trusting and they had a plan – learn, copy, use all my training system and then take over.”

Apparently Cook and Donohue disagreed over her longterm goals.  Donohue wants to go after a medal at the 2012 Games and break 4:00 in the 1500m in the process.  Cook’s response was, “The fact [is] that Erin does not make it with Shannon [Rowbury, Donohue's training partner and fellow Olympian]. It is not Shannon’s fault. [Shannon] is a really nice person. Erin needs to know she is only as good as she is. There will be not 4:00. That is a dream.”

Good for Donohue for knowing when it’s time to move on.  Your coach has to believe in you.  Best of luck to these women in finding a new coach and better training situation.

Long distance runner Flanagan splits with coach

Was this a joke?  I saw the headline on another website, and then a link to a USA Today article.  No, this was definitely not a joke.  Shalane Flanagan, 2008 Bronze Medalist and the American Record holder in the 10,000m,
has parted ways with her coach John Cook.  John Cook had also been coaching Olympians Shannon Rowbury and Erin Donohue.  3 athletes, 3 Olympians.  All 3 appear to be friends and just returned from a stint at altitude training in Mexico together.  Cook had been touted as one of the greatest U.S. distance runners ever after their performances this year.  Now it appears that Flanagan (and maybe Donohue as well) are looking elsewhere for guidance.

There were no specific details given, of course, but Flanagan’s quote was “We had a good run and I appreciate what he and I have done together.  Overall we didn’t see eye to eye on many levels, personally and professionally.”

Cook seems to have been somewhat surprised by the news as well: “All I know is my record with her is what it is,” said Cook in an e-mail. “I hope they will continue to be successful.”

Flanagan is shooting for Marla Runyan’s 5000m indoor American Record of 15:07.33 at this Saturday’s Reebok Boston Indoor Games, which will be aired starting at 4pm Eastern on Sunday on ESPN.

Wisconsin court rules high school cheerleading is a contact sport

The ongoing debate over whether cheerleading is a sport may have been finally decided. According to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, not only is cheer a sport (rather than an activity), but it is a contact sport.

In a case watched closely by the cheerleading world, the decision means that participants cannot be sued for accidentally causing injuries.

The court ruled that former high school cheerleader Brittany Noffke cannot sue a teammate who failed to stop her fall while she was practicing a stunt. The court also said the injured cheerleader cannot sue her school district.

At issue in the case was whether cheerleaders qualify for immunity under a Wisconsin law that prevents participants in contact sports from suing each other for unintentional injuries. Participants can, however, be sued for reckless behavior.

The lawsuit was brought  Noffke, who was a varsity cheerleader at Holmen High School in western Wisconsin. Noffke’s suit claimed she received a severe head injury because a male teamate failed to properly spot her as she fell onto a tile floor during a pre-game warm-up Dec. 17, 2004.

Last year, a Circuit Court judge dismissed the suit citing immunity granted to participants in contact team sports. Later an appeals court found that because cheerleading doesn’t directly involve opposing teams like football or soccer, it wasn’t covered under the recreational immunity statute.

But Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Annette Ziegler rejected Noffke’s argument that “contact sports” should mean only aggressive sports such as football and hockey. She wrote they should include any sport that that includes “physical contact between persons.”

Whether you agree or disagree, this is a ground-breaking decision that will impact how cheerleaders, coaches and schools approach training and comps. What do you think?