Gender separated phys. education school classes

[shootingstar]

When we were younger, we were separated for some sports but together for others. Girls didn't wrestle with the boys, but we did play soccer or dodge ball together. I was just thinking about our 'square dancing' PE sessions - that was co-ed and actually a lot of fun (7th grade, if I am remembering correctly).

Once we got to HS, we were separated for most things and I always assumed it was because there was a clear difference in athletic abilities by then and if we didn't, the girls wouldn't get to play a lot of the time. Plus, I lived in New England and the boys didn't play either field hockey or lacrosse which was part of the program. .

Boys did get to play lacrosse for a few classes. Girls at our school did not learn lacrosse. It was field hockey which I loved to play.

Ice hockey was confined during classes to just the boys. I don't recall any girls, even the most consistently and naturally athletic girls being interested in playing ice hockey at the time. But most of the girls, like myself, did often watch the TV enthusiastically and consistently the National Hockey League games and 'Hockey night in Canada'. Unless these girls played hockey at home in their neighbourhoods which I wouldn't know. Girls' ice hockey teams did not exist at all in the city. Nor did any soccer exist for girls in the city as a tournament sport, during the time I was growing up. Soccer was still gender-separated at our school, even in high school.

Frankly, I felt better being in separate girls' phys ed. classes. I was a nerd and uncoordinated but did love certain sports. Of course, we never had any cycling class groups nor anything on bike safety.