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It's All for the Kids: Gender, Families, and Youth Sports

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Michael Messner's newest book, "It's All For the Kids" furthers his long record of scholarly excellence coupled with bold insightfulness. He is one of those scholars that make you say after you read his work, "Of course! Why didn't I think of that?" He makes difficult truths seem so obvious. In this book, Messner discusses the politics of youth sports from the standpoint of parental involvement. In spite of gains made for girls' and women's athletic participation since the early 1970's, Messner finds that not much has changed in terms of gender segregation of young athletes and the adults who sponsor and facilitate their participation. Women rarely coach, and so both boys and girls expect that men are still the voice of athletic authority and role models, while women are the "team moms" -- snack providers and team administrators. Messner's point is that this parental segregation with its message about rigid constraints about gender roles in society overshadows the advances that have been made to include girls in sports. He also addresses the impact of economic and social segregation on our kids' athletic careers. This book is a great read for anybody who cares about gender equality and the politics of youth sports. If you are a parent of a young athlete, it shouldn't be missed.