Footballs versus barbies: Childhood play activities as predictors of sportparticipation by women

The present study examined the extent to which childhood play activities pr edict future sport participation by women. Eighty-four college women (40 Di vision III varsity athletes and 44 nonathletes) at a predominantly White li beral arts school in the Southwest completed a questionnaire that measured their adult experiences with sports as well as their childhood play activit ies. The results revealed that playing with "masculine" (rather than "femin ine") toys and games, playing in predominantly male or mixed-gender groups, and being considered a tomboy distinguished between women who later became college athletes and those who did not. These findings suggest that childh ood play activities should be considered, along with other agents of social ization (i.e., family, peers, coaches), as important factors in predicting future sport participation by females.