10-15-2023 Women to Watch - Flipbook - Page 8
High school girls’ participation in
some traditionally male-dominated
sports is growing in Maryland
By Victoria Stavish and Tracie Rawson
Women
& sports
BY THE NUMBERS
Women’s sports have been making headlines throughout 2023. Viewership of women’s games,
the pay of female athletes and the diversity of sports that female athletes participate in are all
higher than in decades past, but gender gaps still exist and some gains may look impressive
only until they’re put in perspective.
More than four in 10 NCAA athletes are women
From 2014 to 2022, overall participation in high school
sports in Maryland declined among both girls and boys.
More girls are participating, however, in some traditionally
male-dominated sports like wrestling, golf, ice hockey and
football. Though their numbers are growing, girls playing
those four sports represented only 1.7% of all roster spots
held by girls during the 2021-22 school year.
Ice hockey
400
300
200
100
Female athletes
2
9
2
1
1
8
-2
-1
8
2
0
0
2
2
0
2
0
1
1
6
7
-1
-1
7
6
-1
5
0
2
Wrestling
Male athletes
1989-90
1
4
1
0
2
After making up 30% of NCAA athletes in 1982, women have seen their representation increase
more than 10 percentage points. Women haven’t made up less than 43% of NCAA athletes
since at least 1995.
-1
5
0
1995-96
2009-10
400
2021-22
300
33.5%
47.5%
42%
43%
200
100
Source: NCAA demographics database, NCAA participation rates report
0
Women’s NCAA basketball championship game
viewership is growing
Golf
400
The 2023 matchup between Louisiana State University and Iowa State is the most-viewed
women’s college basketball game on record. From players’ ability to profit off themselves
through name, image and likeness deals to skyrocketing social media followings, attention on
the game and women’s players is growing. To begin LSU’s NCAA tournament run, All-America
forward and Randallstown native Angel Reese strung together totals no other NBA, WNBA or
Division I basketball player from the past 20 years had reached over three games: 76 points, 51
rebounds, 12 blocks and seven steals.
200
100
0
30
Men's viewership
11-player football
Women's viewership
400
20
300
200
10
100
0
3
Source: Sports Media Watch
canceled in 2020.
1
-2
2
0
2
2
2
0
1
8
-1
9
7
-1
8
0
1
2
0
1
2
2
0
1
5
-1
6
4
-1
5
0
1
2
Year
6
-1
7
2
0
2
2
0
2
1
2
2
0
2
0
2
9
0
2
1
8
1
0
2
0
2
0
1
7
6
2
5
1
0
2
1
4
0
2
1
3
1
0
2
0
1
1
1
2
2
0
2
0
2
0
1
0
0
2
Viewership in millions
300
*Both the men's and women’s NCAA basketball tournaments were
Source: National Federation of State High School Associations