Albio Sires: “today I am proud to discuss H. Res. 114, the National Girls and Women in Sports Day, which I introduced. Dedication…”

“today I am proud to discuss H. Res. 114, the National Girls and Women in Sports Day, which I introduced. Dedication, teamwork, discipline, courage, victory, and overcoming defeat can all be learned by participating in sports. Athletics are one of the best opportunities for personal growth, and yet there has not always been an equal opportunity for everyone to participate. In 1971, only 300,000 women participated in high school sports and fewer than 32,000 competed in college sports. Thanks in large part to Title IX, opportunities for girls and women to participate in sports have expanded, so that today ten times more women participate in high school sports and five times as many participate in college sports than in 1971. However, we still have a long way to go. High school women still receive 1,300,000 fewer opportunities to participate than do boys, and the money spent on women's sports is far less than that spent on boys' sports. National Girls and Women in Sports Day exists to overcome the final barriers for women in sports by celebrating female athletes' achievements, acknowledging the positive influence of sports participation in women's lives, and urging equality and access for women in sports.”