Conference turris::womannotes-v1

    	Well, a lot of questions in .0.
    
    	Last winter, my wife and I met a woman named Jeanette. Her
    	youngest daughter and my youngest daughter played basketball
    	on the same team. Through casual chitchat we learned that
    	Jeanette's oldest daughter is going to college on a soccer
    	scholarship. Also find out that Jeanette coaches a 14 and 
    	under girls' soccer team in Nashua. Her youngest daughter
    	plays on her team.
    
    	Unfortunately, she and one other woman are the only females
    	I've seen coaching soccer. Same seems to be true about
    	basketball.
    
    	Scott 

    My daughter worked as Female Trainer for major Boston college and
    was told that she couldn't work for male teams - particularly the
    football team - because she would be a distraction on the field!
     She worked with the women's sports - but did get to travel with football
    team for championship game which was televised.  She had an emergency
    on the field and later asked me if I had seen her.  Wearing a 
    baggy uniform of sweat pants & hood - how much of a distraction
    could a woman be..
    
    Once while administering first aid to pole vaulter who missed the
    sawdust, she literally had to push her way past people who were
    screaming for the medic...they couldn't believe that someone 5 ft.
    and cute was the official trainer..she was a bloody mess but the
    guy did live.
           

	I remember reading an article in a popular magazine some time
ago (and I'm sorry but the exact reference is gone from memory) which
was a survey of successful pro athletes of _both_ sexes, and uncovered
the interesting fact that a high percentage of them had had active
support of their sports activities from their opposite-sex parent. A
surprising number of male pro baseball players in particular had gotten
lots of 'backyard pitching' from Mom  as well as Dad it seems. Similarly,
support and encouragement from Dads figured prominently in the woman pro
success stories.
	For what it's worth...           

< Note 517.3 by EQUITY::BRADY "Top-down junkie" >
                           -< Semi-related topic... >-


<	I remember reading an article in a popular magazine some time
<ago (and I'm sorry but the exact reference is gone from memory) which
<was a survey of successful pro athletes of _both_ sexes, and uncovered
<the interesting fact that a high percentage of them had had active
<support of their sports activities from their opposite-sex parent.

I seem to remember an article from the paper a few years back that cited
a study that found a majority of "successfull" career women were "daddy's"
girls. maybe what groups like scouting organizations ought to do is have
den mothers for the boys and den fathers for the girls, then we'd all be
successfull!! :*) liesl

    So, does anybody know any moms who are involved with town sports
    - coaching, officiating?
    
    Any women who we involved in athletics in school, but don't support
    the kids' athletics programs? Why not?
    
    How come dads find time but moms don't?
    
    --DE
    

    Yes, Ido know of some moms who are involved with coaching. When
    I was in Poughkeepsie (2 years ago) there were several mothers
    coaching the girl's CYO basketball teams. I also helped a woman
    coach a team. I really enjoyed it, but the problem was the woman
    I coached with came from the "old" school, where the girls wore
    dresses and were expected to play lady-like. She had never been
    taught many of the fundamentals so vital to the game. I had fun
    working with her and we both learned a lot.(me about kids, her 
    about basketball)
    
    My point is: Female sports are in a transition still. For years
    the girls were not playing competitive sports. It will take some
    time for the current crop to get to a point where they have the
    basic knowledge and skills to coach. It is also becoming more  
    acceptable for young girls to play sports, this is important to
    develop coordination that the guys do. I know that many of the girls
    are physically capable of being excellent players, but don't receive
    the proper guidance.
    
    I personally love to watch the women's sports, they are a developing
    commodity at this point.
    
    Jeff
    (who loves sports in general)

    I'm sure one reason is that women just weren't taught HOW to play
    different games.  I was never really taught how to bat or punt or
    slam dunk or dribble or serve or tee off or even score; and I surely 
    didn't have the opportunity early on to learn if I was good at sports,
    let alone learn the intricacies of a sport.
    
    For a man, coaching a son or daughter's team may mean dusting off the
    skills that may have become second nature, bringing back some memories
    from his youth, even feeling like a kid again.  For a woman, it
    may mean learning a whole new set of skills in an unfamiliar
    environment.  If it's uncharted territory, it's a much big effort.
    
    Just a thought...
                           

    re: .7
    
    Well, I taught and coached for 14 years. I know of at least a thousand
    girls who *were*  taught. And what happened to all the girls who
    played varsity sports from, say, 1968 onward? The high school I
    coached for played at least 10 games, matches, whatever *each* season.
    That's a LOT of young women in the west-of-Boston area alone, who
    would now be in their 20' and 30's. Some of whom are presumably
    raising children.
    
    I guess I'm wondering what happened to all those young women who
    played sports as more than recreation.
    
    ??
    
    Dawn
    

    Rather than start a new note, I decided to put this here as it is
    on the topic (somewhat).
    
    First, I apologize for not getting this entered sooner. I haven't
    been in the office the last week due to lack of transportation.
    This is my fault, not Jim's. Who's Jim, you ask....
    
    <neat segeue (sp) huh?>
    
    I've been in touch with Jim Joubert, who is currently in charge
    of finding and getting training for softball umpires to work in
    the women's softball league in the Marlboro/Maynard area. He is
    currently looking for candidates for the upcoming summer season.
    
    Training begins January 16th. Yes, that's tomorrow. Mea culpa.
    If you are interested, please get in touch with Jim as soon as
    possible.  JUNIOR::JOUBERT  He did give me phone numbers, but as
    he prefers to get mail, I decided that the node name was sufficient
    to post here. 
    
    As someone who has coached and refereed sports, I can say that you
    find that *everyone's* an expert when you're out there on the field.
    You may expect a certain amount of guff, but that goes with the
    territory. I am assured that you will be well-trained and you can
    expect to be supported by Jim and whomever else might be involved
    with the umpires. I can also say that this type of activity can
    be fun, and if you have any interest at all, if you played softball
    (or any sport) and would like to get involved, or if you've never
    played before and think you'd like to get involved, this would be
    a  good opportunity to do so.
    
    Again, I apologize for the late notice.
    
    Send mail to JUNIOR::JOUBERT if you're interested.
    
    

    I hope that's *February 16th*, Dawn!

    Yes, the date is Feb 16.  Additional info can be had by contact
    me via mail.  I hope there are interested individuals in this
    conference who will contact me.
    
    Jim