Playing Like a Girl - by Marian Betancourt (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

More and more women and girls are discovering the joy and relishing the fierce competition of team sports. Their increasing participation in sports is influencing all aspects of women's--and men's--lives. Playing Like a Girl explores the ramifications of this sports revolution, such as the change in male-female relationships, the impact on women in the workplace, the long-term effects of Title IX, and the phenomenon of men coaching women. These ideas are explored through stories of women from grandmothers playing basketball in the Senior Olympics, to working women who get up before dawn to row on the Potomac River. Robert Lipsyte, writing in The New York Times, said, "For a wider look at the obstacles and opportunities facing the emergent female athlete, read, Playing Like a Girl." Jo A. Hannafin, MD, PhD, founder of the Women's Sports Medicine Center Hospital for Special Surgery and team physician, U.S. Rowing Team, called the book, "A wonderful compilation of personal stories and hard facts, which provide compelling evidence for the power of team sports in the development of strong and successful women.

About the Author

Marian Betancourt was laughed at when she wanted to play basketball in high school, but her granddaughters are taken seriously as team athletes. She has been writing about women's issues most of her professional life and is the author of What to Do When Love Turns Violent: A Practical Resource for Women in Abusive Relationships. Betancourt is the author and co-author of more than a dozen books and currently writes about health, food, and travel.