The Chronicle of Higher Education reports this morning that more black women participate in college sports since the enactment of Title IX, but very few of them “participate in sports other than basketball and track.” In fact, the article notes, “nine of every 10 black female college athletes participate in one of those sports.”
“What’s to blame” for this shocking lack of diversity, the article asks? And the obvious villains are identified. First, lack of money:
Sports such as soccer, lacrosse, and rowing, which have seen the biggest participation gains for female athletes, require enormous investments of money and time that many black athletes cannot make, says Emmett L. Gill Jr., an assistant professor at Rutgers University’s School of Social Work, who studies race and gender in sports.
“Oftentimes females of color, specifically black females, don’t have the financial means to participate, and their parents are limited by time constraints in terms of getting them to practice, games, and tournaments,” he says. “Black females need some assistance with that investment.”
And then, there’s the always useful explanation of most things racial, a lack of “inclusiveness.”
Cultural issues also hold black women back. On largely white teams, many black women complain about not fitting in or not feeling like part of the team, says Mr. Gill. When a player feels more accepted, she performs better, but if she never feels like part of the team, she may walk away from the sport.
“We can’t think we can wave a magic wand and put these girls on soccer and lacrosse teams and expect them to fit in,” says Mr. Gill. But if high-school and club coaches recruited more black women in sports other than basketball and track, he says, that would help.
Of course, it’s also at least remotely possible that black women are heavily involved in basketball and track because, well, they like and are good at basketball and track.
Whatever the cause, however this shocking lack of diversity in women’s sports cannot be allowed to continue. Perhaps Title IX should be amended. Since it is based on the theory that “equity” will be present only when the participation of women in sports reflects their proportion the the student body, it would be a short step for federal regulators to demand that the participation rate of black women in sports, all sports, must reflect their proportion of the student body as well. And while they’re at it perhaps they could also do something about the appalling paucity of Asian women in college basketball.
That requirement, plus financial aid to K-12 black girls who participate in approved sports and heavy affirmative action recruiting of them by coaches, might just do the trick.
And if it doesn’t? Just assign students to teams by race, not the outmoded, un-diversity producing method of individual choice. After all, if racial assignment of students to schools is a compelling national interest, how much less important is “diversity” on the playing field? How else would that field ever be made level?
I have always suspected that the suburban soccer moms really like Title IX because the white upper middle class families are the beneficiaries of the sports provisions.
All anyone has do to if watch the NCAA finals for lacrosse, soccer, softball, volleyball and see where the athletes come from. Eastern Prep schools and upper middle class suburban high schools.
I’m dubious about the student quotes.
In the Duke lacrosse fiasco, this quoting of students was used by faculty members in the infamous “listening ad.” We’ve discovered since that:
1. The ad was placed, purportedly, with the consent of all faculty members in a number of departments. It turns out that the consent of the faculty members was never sought, and just assumed.
2. The purported student quotes in the “listening statement” were anonymous, and no sources have ever been offered.
So, I’m assuming that the student statements are simply fabricated.
S.T.
I did not see any student quotes in the article.
You can find another,more imflamatory article at
http://www.diverseeducation.com/artman/publish/article_7384.shtml
I find it odd that the author is worried about black female participation but hispanic female are much more underrepresented in college sports and black females.
The correct solution is to ban racist sports. Whenever and wherever the percent of officially licensed minorities stays too low then government should act.
The needed statistics can be gathered and sent to Washington. Warnings to correct can be issued.
Continued violations would merit severe penalties. Disband specific teams, perhaps leagues, or pave over the fields and facilities as needed.
Correction with more funding and inclusion will not prove to be effective. The spoiled brats and parents should have their toys confiscated.
The equestrian klan is perhaps the worst. Those horses and their care looks very expensive. As a first step they should no longer be allowed to participate in holiday parades.
And no more zoning of ‘horse properties’ enclaves.
I am sorry to be so blunt. But increasing opportunity and access does not work. Spreading misery does. Give it a try!
Some blacks have done well in tennis, a sport that isn’t expensive. But how come blacks don’t seem to like to swim?
My statement may not have been clear, superdestroyer.
In the article, Emmett L. Gill Jr., purports to know what black women are thinking and feeling.
He gives no evidence how it is that he knows this.
Tennis has to be started early. The best tennis players started playing when they were five or six years old. Most golfers started when before junior high and play for years. The soccer and Lacrosse players have been playing since elementary school,attended camps and clinics, and had coaching. On of the reason that black participation in baseball has gone down is the dominance that professional coaching of junior baseball.
A perfect example of the effects of class and wealth is competative cheerleading. The average college cheerleader starting taking gymnastics and dance when they were three and continue on through high school. They attend cheerleading camps through junior high and high school. Thus, when you see competative cheerleading it is dominated by suburban white female from upper middle class families who are not too rich.
Every year USC puts up the bios of the Song Girls. That are generally drama and acting majors who have studied dance for 15 years or more.
dchamil – 2 reasons why Black Afrikans do not swim – Swimming causes Black Afrikan hair to lose White European-American hairstyles & Schools & Governments do not support pools in areas of large Black Afrikan populations
I did not see any student quotes in the article.
I wondered about that too, at first. I think ST may be referring to this: On largely white teams, many black women complain about not fitting in or not feeling like part of the team, says Mr. Gill.
One of the sports added by manyHBCU’s to improve compliance with Title IX. But when ESPN was showing Alabama A&M last year during the NCAA finals, the team was more than half white. If white female students can feel comfortable enough to attend HBCU’s then why can’t black athletes be comfortable on majority white teams.
Another issue between basketball/track versus other sports is that it is easier to spot talented basketball player versus talented field hockey players.
I think this is a good development and I look forward to similar inquiries into the racial imbalance on major college football and basketball teams. Obviously many white boys are denied scholarship opportunities and the government needs to do something.