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You’ve come a long way, baby!
From its humble beginnings, girls athletics have grown exponentially in Illinois. There are now 17 girls sports with the addition of wrestling in 2021-22, including competitive cheerleading and dance. There are 15 boys sports offered.
The girls lineup includes cross country, golf, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis and volleyball in the fall; basketball, competitive cheerleading, competitive dancing and wrestling in the winter; and badminton, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field and water polo in the spring.
The equal playing field came a little slow in some areas.
Princeton High School first introduced softball in 1990-91 as interest peaked, and girls soccer didn’t come until 10 years later. Girls had been playing on the PHS boys soccer team, which formed in 1996-97, before a mention of Title IX by a parent led to their own team in 2000-01.
PHS now has nine boys sports and nine girls sports, recently introducing girls wrestling.
Bureau Valley High School was formed in 1995-96, compliant to Title IX with six sports for both sexes, which it maintains today.
Hall High School offers eight girls sports and eight for boys.
St. Bede Academy has the same eight sports for both sexes with the boys also picking up wrestling.
Mendota High School has 10 sports for both boys and girls.
Two area schools have more girls sports/activities than the boys.
La Salle-Peru High School has one more girls sport (12) than the boys (11) with competitive cheerleading and dance with the boys having wrestling.
Putnam County High School has nine girls sports, including competitive cheerleading and dance, with the boys to picking up their seventh this fall with the new football co-op with Hall.