Sec. 2. Findings and purposes

410 words·~2 min read·/bill/113/hr/455/ih/section-2

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The Congress finds as follows: Participation in sports teaches youth critical life skills and has a significant positive impact on all areas of their lives, especially for girls. Girls who participate in sports have higher levels of confidence and self-esteem, lower levels of depression, are less likely to be suicidal, are more likely to have a positive body image than female non-athletes, and are half as likely to experience an unintended pregnancy as compared to female non-athletes.

Girls who participate in sports have higher graduation rates, receive better grades, and are less likely to smoke or use illegal drugs. Sports participation effectively combats obesity, which is particularly significant given that one in six girls are obese or overweight and African-Americans and Hispanic girls face even greater risks. Despite advances in athletic opportunities for women and girls since the passage of title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, discrimination still limits athletic opportunities for females in interscholastic and intercollegiate athletics.

Girls comprise 49 percent of the high school population, but receive only 41 percent of all interscholastic athletic participation opportunities nationwide. This translates into 1,300,000 fewer opportunities to play high school sports for girls than for boys. These lost participation opportunities also result in the loss of athletic scholarships that make it possible for many girls and young women to attend college. There is ample evidence that girls’ teams often receive inferior benefits and services when they do play, in areas such as overall budgets; travel; equipment; uniforms; facilities, including locker rooms, fields, and practice and competitive facilities; training and medical services; publicity; access to coaches; and scheduling of practices, games, and sports seasons.

Without information about how athletic opportunities and benefits are being allocated at the elementary and secondary school levels, students may be deprived of opportunities to play sports and to receive athletic scholarships to attend college. Students, parents, and schools should be aware of the athletic opportunities and benefits available to male and female students so that they can work to enhance athletic opportunities for all and address any inequities. The purposes of this Act are as follows:

To ensure that information about the allocation of athletic opportunities and benefits at the elementary and secondary school levels is available to all students. To promote equal opportunities for both boys and girls to engage in school-sponsored athletics. To provide boys and girls with equal access to the physical, psychological, health and other benefits that result from playing sports.