Background Research

There have been other studies similar to ours, one of which were conducted by the SHARP Center in conjunction with the University of Michigan and the Women’s Sports Foundation, and the other by Betsey Stevenson from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Both of these studies were conducted by taking numbers from the high schools’ athletic departments’ records on Common Core.  The study conducted by the University of Michigan is more recent and more of an overview, while the study done by the University of Pennsylvania is older and more specific to the effects of Title IX.  

The University of Pennsylvania’s research specifically shows the way in which Title IX affected high school sport participation.  This allowed girls to be included in high school sports and gave them opportunities to take part in athletics.  The proportion of girls participation has risen from a one in twenty-seven girl participation to a one in three girl participation.  Despite this, female percentage of athletes is still lower, which is believed to be because of still having lesser opportunities to participate. This study shows that the only two sports that are equal in participation among genders are basketball and track and field.  The only sports with higher girl participation are softball (when compared to baseball) and swimming and diving.  The reason for these increases in female participation is mainly due to the Title Act.  Female participation in high school athletics still varies between high school due to averages school size and population of students, weather, and socioeconomics.   It is believed that once the attitudes about girls participation in sports changes, there will be more participation of female athletes and smaller gap between genders.

The University of Michigan’s study shows the opportunities for males and females in high school athletics, but also separates the date by demographics.  This study shows that the gender gap of athletic opportunities closed from 14% to 13% over a sixteen year period (1993/1994-2009/2010).  In 2009/2010 the upper tier schools had the most equal opportunities for females and males participating  in athletics, at 51% for males and 48% of females.  Schools with more economic resources provide the most opportunities, but regardless, females still receive fewer opportunities.  This gap is even worse in rural areas, which had the largest gap of any demographic.  The research conducted was also divided by a high school’s location in the US (North East, Midwest, South, West), where the West had the largest gap of male and female opportunities provided for athletics, at 45% for males and 31% for females.

In conclusion, there have been studies done very similar to ours, because of their focus on the gender gap for athletic opportunities.  We discovered that the two researches submitted their data in similar methods by downsizing their info into ratios fixated on opportunities offered nationally to female athletes versus males athletes. They also varied from ours  because of their focus on comparing between different schools, while ours is solely focused on North Olmsted High School athletics.  We both compare female and male participation using proportions, but  these studies have given us an insight as to what information ours may offer by providing a more natural look on our local discoveries. Our study will be the most recent and most local, but it is possible that our research shows similarities, since we had like ideas while conducting research.