Chasing Equity: The Triumphs, Challenges, and Opportunities in Sports for Girls and Women A Women’s Sports Foundation Research Report, January 2020 January Report, Research Sports Foundation A Women’s Our Mission We are the ally, advocate and catalyst for tomorrow’s leaders. We exist to enable girls and women to reach their potential in sports and life. Letter from the CEO THE TIME FOR EQUITY IS NOW At the Women’s Sports Foundation, we recognize that knowledge is power. The WSF’s latest report, Chasing Equity: The Triumphs, Challenges and Opportunities in Sports for Girls and Women shines a light on the current landscape for girls and women in sport reflected in the latest data from nearly 500 research reports and results from a new national survey of more than 2,300 women working in women’s sport. Taking stock of where we are in achieving gender equity in sport requires study, transparency and candor. This groundbreaking report brings together the latest facts and milestones and elevates the voices of women offering fresh insight and perspective. Importantly the report includes calls to action to help propel momentum for change. Stakeholders in all areas of sport, from grassroots to high school, college and elite athletics, collegiate administrators, coaches, policymakers, leaders in the corporate and media sectors all have a critical role to play. The WSF is committed to keeping these conversations at the forefront and working collaboratively with others to accelerate the pace of change. Continued progress depends on comprehensive, up-to-date information in real time. Only when we operate from a shared understanding of the landscape can we ensure thoughtful conversation and sound decision-making necessary for progress. From playing fields to board rooms, girls and women continue to live out their passion for sport. As these accomplishments are celebrated, let’s continue to examine the gaps and opportunities to ensure that all girls and all women can get in the game. Only then will we be able to realize the full potential unleashed by sport. All girls. All women. All sports. Dr. Deborah Antoine, CEO, Women’s Sports Foundation Women’s Sports Foundation Chasing Equity: The Triumphs, Challenges, and WomensSportsFoundation.org 1 Opportunities in Sports for Girls and Women Acknowledgments Women’s Sports Foundation Acknowledgments Meghan Morgan, Executive Director, Girls in the Game First, the WSF is indebted to the study authors, Ellen J. Diane Mulitinovich, Former Head Coach and Athletics Staurowsky, Ed.D.; Nicholas Watanabe, Ph.D.; Joseph Administrator at California State University Fresno Cooper, Ph.D.; Cheryl Cooky, Ph.D.; Nancy Lough, Celene Reynolds, Ph.D., Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow, Ph.D.; Amanda Paule-Koba, Ph.D.; Jennifer Pharr, Cornell University Ph.D.; Sarah Williams, Ph.D.; Sarah Cummings, Ph.D.; Karen Issokson-Silver, MPH; and Marjorie Snyder, Ph.D. Don Sabo, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, D’Youville College; A special thank you to Ellen Staurowsky, who left no stone Senior Advisor of Health and Sport Policy, Women’s unturned in a successful effort to paint a complete picture Sports Foundation in a meaningful and compelling way. We are fortunate to be able to call upon such scholars to carry out the vision Vivian Santora, President & CEO, PowerPlay NYC for the report. Carol Stiff, V.P., Programs & Acquisitions, ESPN The panel of scholars, health policy experts, youth sport Deborah Slaner Larkin, Former CEO, Women’s Sports leaders, college coaches and administrators, and sport Foundation and former member President’s Council on executives who reviewed the findings and the calls to Physical Fitness and Sports action provided invaluable feedback that improved the final report immensely. Judy Sweet, Chair, Gender Equity Task Force, NCAA Kathryn Ackerman, M.D., MPH, Physician, Sports Medicine Andy Whitcomb, President, National Field Hockey Division; Director, Female Athlete Program, Assistant Coaches Association Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School Sandy Vivas, Founder, CEO and President of Megan Bartlett, Founder, We Coach AthleticLink.com Leeja Carter, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Sport and Exercise Chris Voelz, Executive Director of the Collegiate Psychology, Long Island University Women Sports Awards, Founder and CEO of Athletics Plus Consulting Sarah Crennan, Vice-President and Head of Content, Yahoo Sports We are grateful to Erin Buzuvis, J.D., Professor, Western New England College of Law, and Nicole Melton, Ph.D., Kathy DeBoer, Executive Director, American Volleyball Associate Professor, Sport Management, University of Coaches Association Massachusetts, the primary authors of the calls to action, for their thoughtful and thorough development of the calls Kathleen Francis, National Board Chair and President, to action that can lead to improvements in participation Women in Sports and Events and leadership opportunities for all girls and women. Pat Griffin, Ph.D., Professor Emerita, University of The Women’s Sports Foundation thanks its National Massachusetts Amherst Partners Chevrolet, espnW and ESPN, Gatorade, and Robin Harris, Executive Director, The Ivy League NBC Sports Group for their year-round support and commitment to help strengthen and expand opportunities Megan Kahn, Executive Director, WeCoach for all girls and all women through all sports. Richard Lapchick, Ph.D., Director, The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES), University of Central Florida Nicole LaVoi, Ph.D., Director, The Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport, University of Minnesota Jayma Meyers, J.D., Counsel at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, Visiting Clinical Professor of Sports Law and Public Policy at Indiana University Women’s Sports Foundation Chasing Equity: The Triumphs, Challenges, and WomensSportsFoundation.org 2 Opportunities in Sports for Girls and Women Authors’ Acknowledgments About the Women’s Sports Foundation We are grateful to the Women’s Sports Foundation and The Women’s Sports Foundation exists to enable girls its CEO, Dr. Deborah Antoine, for making this report and women to reach their potential in sports and life. a reality. Deep thanks to Karen Issokson-Silver, MPH, We are an ally, an advocate and a catalyst. Founded WSF Vice-President for Research and Evaluation, and by Billie Jean King in 1974, we strengthen and expand Dr. Marjorie Snyder, WSF Senior Director of Research & participation and leadership opportunities through Programs, whose vision and project management skills research, advocacy, community programming and illuminated every step of this project. Thanks also to a wide variety of collaborative partnerships. The Deana Monahan for her editorial and graphic skills, and Women’s Sports Foundation has positively shaped the the research work of Sarah Axelson, MPA, WSF Senior lives of millions of youth, high school and collegiate Director of Advocacy. A special note of acknowledgement student-athletes, elite athletes and coaches. We’re is extended, as well, to Susanna Penfield and Clémence building a future where every girl and woman can Henry, WSF volunteers for their thoughtful contributions to #KeepPlaying and unlock the lifelong benefits of sport the report. Finally, this report continues a long-standing participation. All girls. All women. All sports. To learn practice at the Foundation of drawing upon research more about the Women’s Sports Foundation, please visit from multiple disciplines to help tell the story of girls www.WomensSportsFoundation.org and women in sport and to bring that work to bear in the creation of public policy. To all of the researchers, journalists, and authors whose work we drew upon Preferred Citation: Staurowsky, E. J., Watanabe, N., here, we are indebted to you for your contributions. We Cooper, J., Cooky, C., Lough, N., Paule-Koba, A., Pharr, J., are also further humbled to report on girls and women Williams, S., Cummings, S., Issokson-Silver, K., & Snyder, who play sport in the United States, the ones who do M. (2020). Chasing Equity: The Triumphs, Challenges, and not have access, and to the women sport leaders who Opportunities in Sports for Girls and Women. New York, serve the sport industry with such enduring commitment NY: Women’s Sports Foundation. and resolve. © 2020, Women’s Sports Foundation, All Rights Reserved. Women’s Sports Foundation Chasing Equity: The Triumphs, Challenges, and WomensSportsFoundation.org 3 Opportunities in Sports for Girls and Women Table of Contents Executive Summary ..........................................................................................................................................................................6 Full Report Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................. 14 Purpose, Design & Method ............................................................................................................................................................. 15 Part 1. Sport Participation for Girls & Women in the U.S. ...............................................................................................................16 A. Participation Opportunities for Girls and Women in the U.S. ................................................................................................16 Grassroots/Youth Sport Participation Opportunities ............................................................................................................17 High School