Sports

Let me start out by explaining that I am not an athletic person. I can give myself a concussion in gym class. Doing running drills. However, I’ve found that my all-girls school friends enjoy sports much more than my friends at co-ed schools.

Gym class at my old school went something like this: throw ball, catch ball, complain you’re all sweaty. At my all-girls school, we are all very enthusiastic about all things new. I think that co-ed gym is the problem. There are all sorts of inhibitions about sports that prevent the girls from really letting loose. Maybe it’s because "guys aren’t supposed to see me all sweaty" or "sports are supposed to be only for guys." Gym with boys was not very much fun.

Extra-curricular sports met the same apathy at my old school. In grade 7, I got some friends together and we decided to join one of the 2 co-ed soccer teams. There’s also a co-ed tennis team. In the meantime, there are several basketball teams and 2 hockey teams for the guys. The administration claims that attempts have been made to get the girls involved, but I never noticed. Even when my friends and I took the initiative and joined the soccer team, we were encouraged.

My friends and I in the girls' school have a lot of fun when it comes to sports. Even if we are not particularly athletic, we always try our hardest in phys ed- even when it means getting sweaty. There have been serious injuries during handball, as we all go running for the ball- and do not realize that we’re about to crash into the cement wall until it’s too late.

At my new school, there are several basketball teams, soccer teams and volleyball teams, just to name a few. Up until a few years ago, there was even a curling team! Competition is fierce when it comes to spots on the school teams, and girls are usually very upset if they do not make it. There is a new hockey team, and everyone is encouraged to show up. People who have never played before are told to borrow equipment from their friends, and to give the game a try. Saying that you don’t like hockey as an excuse for not coming is likely to get you some hard stares from people who do go.

I know that there are many very athletic girls at co-ed schools, and many non-athletic girls at single-sex schools. However, I feel that girls at all-girls schools are given more encouragement and more opportunities to get involved in sports.