Playing sport at school, especially if you’re good at it, can be a brilliant escape from the drudgery of academia. But to be a girl who is interested in sport, it turns out, is less of a teamwork-building break from the classroom and more of a battle. According to Girlguiding, which is about to launch a campaign to make more school sports available to girls, only 43% of schoolgirls are offered the same sporting options as boys. Rugby, football and cricket tend only to be offered to boys, while girls tend to get dance, gymnastics and netball.
Being one of just three girls to take PE as a Scottish Standard Grade (GCSE) in my school year meant that, even if I did want to play football, there were never enough girls to make up a team. And playing with the boys? Well, it simply wasn’t allowed. Even if I had forced my way on to the pitch, I doubt the ball would have been passed to me.
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