By Laura Pappano When my 6th grade son announced he was "following in the family tradition" and joined the school field hockey team, I was surprised. Turns out, he's not alone, but is one of four boys on the team in a sport trying to grow it's male following. Last spring as part of USA Field … [Read more...]
Why can’t New Jersey boy play with the girls?
By Laura Pappano It's happened again: In New Jersey, a boy wants to play high school field hockey - and people are up in arms. Hillsborough High School senior Jimmy Cao, who's 16, wants to be part of the team, but New Jersey's governing body has barred him from playing. It's not a surprising finding … [Read more...]
The second tale: Gender identity in intercollegiate athletics
I have been somewhat lax in my posting recently, and I know I promised three tales of gender identity and discrimination a while back. My first tale was related to the Women's World Cup and the accusations against Equatorial Guinea based on--apparently--too much skill and "too much" masculinity in … [Read more...]
Finding the right field hockey stick
Field hockey is one of those sports that cultivate an undying love and commitment in everyone that plays it. It's not your main stay game like basketball, softball, or even soccer, but a "little sister" mentality in the game breeds some deep rooted dedication and a little competitive edge that can't … [Read more...]
Sports Girls Play Weekly Wrap Up
It has been a busy week in sports, not only for me, but obviously for the rest of the sporting world! … [Read more...]
Getting Your Kids Ready for Field Hockey
Years ago my son played ice hockey and my youngest daughter could not wait until she was old enough to play hockey like big brother. Well, they closed our ice rink and the next closest one is well over an hour away so big brother ended up taking up little sister's sport … [Read more...]
Girls Sports - The Thrill of Field Hockey
By Game On! Sports Girl Talk Guest Columnist Erica Anderson Field hockey is truly a thrill. Despite the fact that it tends to take a back seat to other core sports, the rush of running up and down the field with a stick in your hand is like nothing else. It is a game that requires challenging body … [Read more...]
Boys playing field hockey
Boys playing high school field hockey on historically all-girls' teams has caused the occasional flare-up in the gender equity/Title IX discourse.I came across this article about a not-quite-a flare-up last month. I probably wouldn't have paid too much attention because it does not seem to be an … [Read more...]
OCR concludes investigation of Catawba College
When Catawba College in Salisbury, N.C., cut its women's field hockey team last year, Kris concluded that this decision likely violated Title IX, as it served to exacerbate the College's existing disparities between men's and women's athletic opportunities. OCR, it seems, agrees. According to a … [Read more...]
Wistful memories of an Indian sporting legend
The hottest sport in India these days is cricket, with plenty of flash, dazzle and allegations of scandal that befits the modern sporting age. Not that many years ago, however, India was a field hockey powerhouse with the legendary Dhyan Chand, who's being missed in his homeland now as it plays host … [Read more...]