The throngs of young girls inspired to play soccer by the victory of the U.S. Women’s World Cup team may end up doctors, engineers and scientists in the next few decades, a researcher at The Catholic University of America says.

That’s because there’s a strong link between sports participation and success in science, says Sandra Hanson, associate professor of sociology.

In their study, Hanson and Rebecca Kraus examined a national sample of high school students and found that women who enter sports activities learn to compete in aggressive "male model" domains. The study is the first to look at the intersection between sports and science, two traditionally male domains.

The thrilling World Cup victory – along with the WNBA, fierce competition in women’s professional tennis and other gains in women’s sports – means more opportunities for women in male-dominated fields, Hanson says.

"The ability to compete, independence, self-esteem – the tremendous benefits reaped from sports participation are the same traits women need to succeed in science," she says.

One interesting finding of the study is that sports experiences in 8^th and 10^th grades are most important to women’s later success in science. In other studies, Hanson has found girls lose interest in science during these years, where their self-esteem can become linked to popularity, attractiveness and fitting in.

"The support they receive in sports activities, the willingness to hang in there through something tough — that’s the same thing that gets them into a physics or calculus class," Hanson says.

Other findings:

· Although African-American women often do as well or better in science than white women, the reasons are not linked to their participation in athletics, the researchers found. Hanson believes these women have exposure to non-traditional role models elsewhere in their lives. "White women do not," she says.

· The study found no advantage for Hispanic women entering science in 1980, but a sampling in 1990 found advantages for both white and Hispanic women entering science.

· Cheerleading actually has a negative effect on a woman’s achievement in science. "That’s not surprising," Hanson says. "Cheerleading is a side show to a male activity and it doesn’t foster self-esteem in the same way as competitive sports."

Data for the study come from a longitudinal sampling following 26,2000 eighth graders through grade 12. The data were collected under the auspices of the National Center for Educational Statistics. Findings were published in the most recent edition of the journal Sociology of Sports.

For more information, contact Hanson at the Life Cycle Institute, 202-319-5999. For a copy of the journal article or assistance in scheduling an interview, contact Rosemary Harty, director of media relations, 202-319-5600.

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