Scout Bassett & Gabby Thomas On How Sport Impacts Society
What does the future hold for women’s sports? As elite women athletes, we have been asked that question countless times. Though we may not have a crystal ball, we believe the slow-burning revolution across the women’s sports landscape is leading to a universal truth: investing in girls’ and women’s sports is the greatest way to positively impact society’s future.
It took a special moment in history the year after Title IX became law—Billie Jean King defeating former Wimbledon champion Bobby Riggs in the “Battle of the Sexes” in 1973—to show the world that women athletes are, and always will be, just as exciting and competitive as men.
Billie Jean King celebrates after winning the Battle of the Sexes.
Today there are 3 million additional high school sport opportunities for girls that didn’t exist pre-Title IX, according to the Women’s Sports Foundation (WSF), a nonprofit founded by King for which we proudly serve as board members. But girls in every state are provided proportionally less access to athletic participation, missing out on over 1 million opportunities compared to boys, according to data reported by the National Federation of State High School Associations. And girls in high school have not yet reached the same level of participation boys had in 1972. (That year, more than 3.6 million boys participated in high school sports. Right now, 3.4 million girls participate).
Meanwhile, at the collegiate level, men receive $252 million more in athletic financial aid and 60,000 additional sport opportunities compared to women. The opportunity gap at all levels disproportionately impacts athletes who look like us—BIPOC girls and women and those with disabilities.
Title IX’s seismic impact on society and culture is undeniable. But we must keep pushing forward for it to live up to its full promise, because we know it does not just correlate to girls’ and women’s success in sport—it fuels women’s leadership.
WSF’s Play to Lead research revealed 67 percent of women believe they have carried lessons from sport into adulthood. Roughly three in four women say they learned fundamental leadership skills like teamwork, 53 percent say it taught them to learn from mistakes, and 51 percent said it taught them to better handle pressure. All of these things will help them become strong leaders in their schools, workplaces, and communities. This research also illuminated that 71 percent of women who had played youth sports and also held a formal leadership role as an adult held titles like Manager, Director, President, or C-suite executive.
These findings show that girls do not have to go on to play in college or professionally to learn to lead as teachers, doctors, lawyers, legislators, business owners, or whatever profession they choose to pursue. And when strong, well-equipped leaders enter the workforce, the economy thrives and society benefits.
WSF President Scout Bassett at an event celebrating National Girls & Women in Sports Day.
If fueling a vibrant leadership pipeline is not enough to convince you, the preventative health benefits should. WSF research continuously finds that sport, especially when played at the youth level, sets us up to thrive throughout our lifetimes. Rates of mental health disorders are 1.5 to 2.5 times lower for girls who play sports compared to those who have never played, and moderate-to-high levels of depression and anxiety are reported with less frequency. Sport also helps prevent obesity and related diseases, yet only 24 percent of children ages six to 17 are meeting the recommended 60 minutes of moderate daily exercise, according to the National Library of Medicine.
As the mental health crisis continues to surge and obesity rates steadily climb in America, these findings are a North Star. Because when girls play sport at a young age, they develop healthy habits that will follow them into adulthood, empowering them to live healthier, more enriched lives. Sports participation is also directly related to a more positive attitude toward schoolwork, improved academic performance, and higher aspirations to earn a college degree and post-college education specialization, a 2018 report from the Women’s Sports Foundation found.
The data is clear. Sport is a must-have for all girls and women, and it is vital for us all to work together to advocate for greater Title IX awareness and compliance, while investing in all levels of the game—from youth to collegiate to elite.
WSF Trustee Gabby Thomas inspires the next generation of women in sport.
The powerful evolution of women’s sports is in full gear. We must keep fighting to level the playing field so girls and women can continue to smash records, shatter glass ceilings, reach historic media-rights deals, and sign multi-million dollar contracts. This includes enforcing Title IX at all levels of education to promote fairness and equality in girls’ and women’s sports opportunities. It also means buying tickets to a local women’s sports game, wearing your favorite player’s jersey, or even volunteering to coach or mentor young athletes in your community.
Soon, everyone around the globe will understand what we know to be true: Investing in girls’ and women’s sports is the greatest way to positively impact the future.
This Women’s History Month, we ask you to join us in celebrating the monumental moments being seen across women’s sports thanks to Title IX. When girls play, they lead—and we all win.
Scout Bassett is the President of the Women’s Sports Foundation. Bassett is a Paralympic track and field athlete who is dedicated to breaking down barriers that prevent girls and women with disabilities from sport participation.
Gabby Thomas is a member of the Women’s Sports Foundation’s Board of Trustees. Thomas is an Olympic track and field athlete who is an advocate for equal access and opportunity for girls and women in sport and encourages BIPOC girls to pursue careers in STEM.
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