Girls High School Sports: Then and Now

In 1988, we had what I thought were pretty standard sports. Available to both boys and girls in 1988 were: Cross Country; Track & Field; Basketball; Baseball/Softball; Soccer; Tennis; Volleyball; Swimming. Boys additionally had Football, Water Polo, and Golf; girls had Cheerleading and Gymnastics.

So I was a bit shocked to see the proliferation of sports, especially the ones for girls. In addition to the above, both boys and girls have access to Lacrosse, Surfing and Sailing. Girls now have their own Golf and Water Polo teams, as well as Equestrian! To balance that out, boys get Hockey. Not sure where Gymnastics went, or the Wrestling that must have died out in the early 80s.







These images of girls kicking butt in Golf, Surfing and Water Polo are really amazing to me. I still don't understand how one competes in surfing, where they compete (the ocean, DUH, I know), or who they "play," but man does it seem cool. I'd be curious to know the social standing of the surfer-girls: are they respected, like Track & Field girls? considered hot, like Volleyball girls? or too tomboyish, like Softball? Maybe I'll have to find a 2019 yearbook to see how that one plays out.