“
Participation is up in girls sports statewide,
which is helped by the fact girls can now start
participating earlier than they used to. We’re
also seeing more students coming out to cheer
the girls teams on, to support their schools. But
there is still a ways to go before it reaches the
same level of fan support as the boys teams, if it
ever does,” Sauser said.
She coached girls basketball and was athletics
director at Trinity High School in the Chicago
suburbs, so she had first-hand knowledge about
the level of financial support girls programs
needed. Sadly, she noted, equal treatment isn’t
always the norm.
Because of federal laws girls programs must
be treated equally by the schools themselves,
Sauser said, “and at some schools the booster
clubs are set up to make sure all the programs
are treated equally. At the same time, though,
you have to realize there are differences in the
sports themselves, especially when you consider
the numbers.”
For example, Sauser said, there is a major dif-
ference in the support 100 families can give to a
football team if there is one member from each
family playing the sport than 12 or 14 families
can give to a volleyball squad.
Speaking from her experience as an athletics
director, Sauser said equipment costs are daunt-
ing and have to be considered when budgeting.
Longevity of equipment and uniforms are fac-
tors, as well. “You will rip a football jersey a lot
quicker than you will a volleyball or basketball
jersey,” she said.
Sauser said she had enjoyed watching as the
number of opportunities for girls to participate
in school sports has grown. “The opportunities
now are amazing, for girls with skills of all lev-
els, for sports that have different skill sets. High
school sports are a great way a student have can
an all-encompassing high school experience, so
as those opportunities grow it helps all stu-
dents,” she said.
She said she is seeing solid growth in the
number of girls taking advantage of those op-
portunities. “I think overall it’s growing because
student athletes are proud to represent their
schools. Communities and boosters are proud to
support their teams,” she said.
MORTON HIGH SCHOOL HAS SEEN GROWTH IN GIRLS ATHLETICS, INCLUDING ITS VOLLEYBALL PROGRAM.
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