According to Metheny (1965), people's impressions of the acceptability of sport for women varies across several factors, including culture and gender. In this study, 206 prospective physical education teachers from Canada and Kenya were questioned about their perceptions of gender appropriateness of various sports. They completed Likert-type questionnaires related to sport/physical activities found in their respective university curricula. For those sports that appeared in both countries, responses were compared (2 x 2 ANOVA) for effects of culture and gender. Gender differences were also addressed within each culture. / Results revealed that Canadian respondents perceived fewer sports to be on the extremes of the male-female continuum than did the Kenyan respondents. Females in both cultures considered more sports to be appropriate for both male and female participation than did their male counterparts. However, Canadian and Kenyan respondents, both male and female, unanimously perceived some sports to be primarily appropriate for males and others primarily appropriate for females. / The study supports Metheny's contention of cultural variance in perceptions of the gender appropriateness of sports. Although many sports that had been considered inappropriate for females in 1964 are today considered to be androgynous, especially by Canadians, some gender stereotyping still remains to be overcome. Implications for physical education teachers are suggested.

The position of director of intercollegiate athletics represents the highest administrative position in athletics in colleges and universities. During the days of the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW), 90% of the women's programs were coached and administered by women. Shortly after the implementation of Title IX in 1972, this trend began to change and most women's programs began to fall under the leadership of male coaches and administrators. During the summer of 1982, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) took control of the AIAW forcing women administrators to take a backseat to their male colleagues. This lack of administrative and coaching representation has also resulted in fewer role models for female athletes.This study was designed to compare the qualifications of men and women directors of intercollegiate athletics to determine if the women must be more qualified than theirmale counterparts to hold the same position. This study may also serve as a blueprint for women in athletics as to the qualifications and experiences necessary in their attaining a position of director of intercollegiate athletics.The results of a survey questionnaire to 200 male directors of NCAA Division I, II, III, and NAIA colleges, with a return rate of 52.3%, were compared to an early study conducted on female directors to determine if the qualifications between the two genders were different. The educational results were very similar between the two genders, with both maintaining that a master's degree was extremely important in attaining their positions. Both genders also confirmed that at least one year of experience in athletic administration was crucial to their appointment as director of athletics.In examining the qualifications of both men and women who hold athletic administrative positions, it was not conclusive that educationally or professionally, the women were more qualified than their male colleagues. The responses to the survey by both men and women were very similar in their beliefs of what was important in attaining their current positions. / School of Physical Education

The purpose of this investigation was to study the relationship between perceived barriers and participation or non-participation by undergraduate females in recreational programming at Ball State University. For the purposes of this study, anything that reinforces a decision not to participate in a program or activity was considered a barrier. Participants were selected from various college units on campus. They were also grouped based upon on campus or off campus residency and whether they were participants or non-participants in programs sponsored by the Office of Recreation Programs at Ball State University. Each participant (n=160) completed two written surveys: survey one: the Leisure Diagnostic Battery (LDB) and survey two: the Perceived Barriers Survey. Data were analyzed using multiple t-tests and associations were revealed at the .05 level on each of the three scales of the LDB (Barriers to Leisure Experience Scale, Depth of Leisure Involvement Scale and the Perceived Leisure Competence Scale). Many perceived personality traits influenced whether a female student participated in campus recreational programming. Survey two also presented associations at the .05 level for the following specific perceived barriers: discomfort; lack of motivation; fatigue; feelings about one's body; other people; pain; lack of time available; inconvenient hours; body image; school responsibilities and a lack of knowledge about what programs were available. Each of these barriers represents a call to action for recreation professionals. Several program strategies were suggested to minimize or eliminate these barriers, and to recruit and retain more female students in campus recreational programming. / Fisher Institute for Wellness

The main reasons behind women's participation in sport have been identified as team membership, cooperation and friendship. This is seen in contrast to competition, status and possible career opportunities found in relation to men's participation in sport. Research also suggests that participation in physical activity and sport increases women's sense of well- being and acceptance of body size and shape. This thesis set out to explore the sporting experiences of women within rugby, cricket and netball. The first aim of the research was to investigate the participation motivation of women within three sports that differ in their levels of acceptability and required physical contact. The second and third aims were to examine how that participation might affect the development of self-esteem and body satisfaction. The fmal aim of the thesis addressed the issue of sporting identity development through exploring how participants in physical/non-physical, 'feminine'/'masculine' sports reflect on their sporting experiences. In addition the thesis considered how distinct parts of sporting participation such as clothing, team dynamics, physical contact and perceptions of sexuality synthesise to form the sporting identity of women rugby players, cricketers and netballers. The research was based on Constructivist/Interpretivist principles and combined both quantitative and qualitative methods. Initially, three questionnaires were used to assess participation motives (Participation Motivation Questionnaire), body image (Multi dimensional Body Self-Relations Questionnaire) and self-esteem (Multidimensional Self-Esteem Inventory). The questionnaires were sent to rugby players, cricketers and netballers through their organising bodies. Following the questionnaire stage of the thesis, 30 interviews were conducted to further explore the relationship between participation in sport, perceptions of femininity and the function the body took in developing body satisfaction. Key to the investigation was how sport participation impacted on identity development and the strategies used to maintain that image. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used to analyse the interview accounts, focusing on the meanings given to sport by the individuals themselves. Social constructionism was used as a framework for interpreting the data. This produced a rich account of sporting experience highlighting how body satisfaction and perceptions of femininity are constructed and reconstructed by sportswomen. Findings from the questionnaires indicated that all sports rated team membership as the most important reason to participate in sport. Key fmdings demonstrated that satisfaction with physical appearance was strongly related to body areas satisfaction and global self-esteem for all sports. There was also no difference between sports on perceptions of physical attractiveness and all sports demonstrated significant relationships between satisfaction with physical appearance and body functioning. Following Stage One of the research process an interview schedule was developed that combined the key fmdings from each questionnaire and questions raised from the literature. The main findings from Stage Two highlighted how important sport is to these women, indicating a variety of techniques used to sustain an athletic image. It was also found that perceptions of femininity focused on the association of physical activity and sexuality. The assumption being that regardless of sport choice women were perceived as lesbian. Other key findings highlighted the transiency of body satisfaction. This refers to increases in body satisfaction through playing sport not being sustained once the athlete has transferred herself to a social context. Other findings relate to the use of the body in sport and the enjoyment of overpowering an opponent. School experiences of sport are identified as key to the development of gender stereotypes and why being regarded as a 'sporty' person is so important. The research on which this thesis is based suggests that sport comes to play an integral part in these women's lives and an activity that guided overall identity development. The thesis also highlights the transiency of body satisfaction and the inevitability of the lesbian stereotype due to participation in sport. The social constructionist interpretation of the data suggests how the shared vocabularies of body idioms that individuals embrace and use to judge other people determine the way in which we value physical behaviours and define physical attractiveness. The respondents demonstrated that regardless of prejudice and poor funding they still want to and enjoy the experience of sport participation. Potential research opportunities are also identified.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Regina, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 127-135). Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Regina, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 127-185).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 165-173).

Thesis (M.A.) in Communication--University of Maine, 2004. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 103-107).

Thesis (M.A.)--Florida State University, 2005. / Advisor: Dr. Carrie Sandahl, Florida State University, School of Theatre. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed June 16, 2005). Document formatted into pages; contains viii, 73 pages. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 1980. / Title from title page screen, viewed Feb. 21, 2005. Dissertation Committee: John McCarthy, John Brickell (co-chairs), Clayton Thomas, Laurene Mabry, Donna Jo Workman. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 160-162) and abstract. Also available in print.