Women In Sports
. . . Exceeding Expectations
Women’s opportunities for competitive physical activity were limited in
America until Federal Legislation, commonly referred to as Title IX,
became law. It required American society to recognize a woman’s right to
participate in sports on a plane equal to that of men. Prior to 1870,
activities for women were recreational rather than sport-specific in
nature. They were noncompetitive, informal, rule-less; they emphasized
physical activity rather than competition. In the late 1800’s and early
1900’s, women began to form clubs that were athletic in nature. Efforts
to limit women’s sport activity continued as they became more involved
in competitive sports.