Introduction
The quintessential female champion, tennis star Venus Williams laughs as she holds the Women's Singles trophy at Wimbledon last July 8. The win gave Williams her first Grand Slam title. (AP Photo/Adam Butler)
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From sandlot T-ball games to professional basketball, athletic opportunities for females continue to expand. Girls' participation is up dramatically in secondary schools, even in such unlikely sports as wrestling. More than 41 percent of varsity college athletes were women last year, and a record 4,400 females competed in the last Olympics, nearly half the total. However, success has come at a cost. Far fewer women are coaching, and men's sports are losing funds or being eliminated as the impact of Title IX is felt. The landmark 1972 gender-equity law requires equal treatment of athletes at universities and secondary schools. Now, a new presidential administration may change its impact. Meanwhile, women's complaints have shifted to parity in scholarship money and playing facilities.
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