Is the Playing Field Really Levelled?

Do Girls and Boys Get the Same Opportunities in School Sports?

Imagine the excitement as kids rush onto the field, eager for a game or their first team practice. But there’s a big question: do girls have the same chances as boys to shine, compete, and grow through sports? At many schools, including ours at BMIS, it may appear that everyone receives equal treatment with the same fields and opportunities. However, if you look more closely, you’ll notice some hidden differences. These include the sports offered, the amount of time girls get to play, the quality of facilities, and even what people expect from girls and boys. Whether you’re in middle or high school, in PE class or after-school clubs, true equality in sports is still something we need to achieve.

For my article, I conducted interviews with five students from grade 7 BMIS: Mrithulan, Harshitha, Shanchitha, Nivitha, and Riyaansh. 

As members of my own class, they have firsthand experience with a persistent issue that has affected us for several years. To provide a comprehensive perspective, I ensured that my interviews included both male and female students, allowing for a balanced exploration of how each gender perceives and responds to this challenge.

What The Students Shared

All five students I interviewed — including boys — agreed that girls don’t get the same chances in school sports. 

Harshitha said, "It's frustrating knowing we can compete equally but aren’t given the chance." 

Girls want to play sports like football, cricket, and handball, but are usually told to stick with throwball. 

Shanchitha explained that this has become a daily routine, even though students voted for cricket this term, it was never implemented.

Riyaansh suggested a fairer system: using house teams so boys and girls play the same sport together, with equal opportunities.

Another suggestion is to have mixed-gender teams in sports, allowing students to learn from one another and challenge traditional gender stereotypes. Rotating sports each term across teams would also make things fairer by giving everyone a chance to try different games instead of sticking to conventional choices. These changes could encourage more students to join and help close the gap in school sports equality. 

The Bigger Picture

This issue is not just at our school — it’s a global problem. Sports like football and boxing are often seen as masculine, leading to lower girls’ participation, while gymnastics, figure skating, volleyball, cheerleading, and ballet tend to have higher female representation. 

Yet overall, girls participate less than boys due to a lack of investment, limited access to facilities, and fewer opportunities, despite the clear benefits sports offer to girls’ development, according to the UN Women Knowledge Portal and the Women’s Sports Foundation.

What Schools can do better

At BMIS, things are improving, but we’re not there yet. Many girls are confident and eager, but don’t get the same support or attention as boys. Boys’ teams often receive more match exposure, practice time, and recognition, while girls’ teams sometimes go unnoticed. Cultural ideas still play a role, with some parents and teachers unconsciously steering girls away from certain sports.

Having female coaches can make a big difference by offering role models and creating supportive environments. Schools can do more by sharing resources fairly, encouraging girls, recognizing their achievements, forming student committees for sports equality, and organizing annual sports fairs. 

With commitment from everyone, true equality in school sports is possible.

Written by Sahana Smruthi K. S., a 7th grader at Budding Minds International School, Chennai

This article was written for and published in The BMIS Buzz, a student-run publication curated by the students of Budding Minds International School, Chennai, as part of the Young Writers Program