Ohio University intramural participants all go to practice and show up on game day - but if a female member on a co-ed team scores, the point is counted twice.
Though there is consistent scoring for all-male and all-female teams, modifications are made for the scoring of co-ed teams. This quarter, Campus Recreation has a co-ed league for flag football, indoor soccer, sand volleyball and softball.
Director of Intramural and Club Sports Bradley Whittaker said the scoring rule was implemented at OU 20 years ago because of research conducted by the National Intramural Recreational Sports Association in the late 1980s.
The research found that men thought themselves to be better athletes
and they would exclude women so that they could win the game Bradley said.
The association found that by offering women an extra point for scoring, men were encouraged to include their female teammates on the field.
Kathryn Mitchell, a freshman studying political science, has participated in spring and fall co-ed intramural teams, in addition to refereeing soccer. Mitchell said that although the rule is an effective way to include women on the teams, it has disadvantages.
Do I think it's fair? Not especially ... it would be more just if men and women's points were worth the same she said.
Alex Bill, a freshman studying psychology, has played three co-ed intramural sports and also said that the incentives offered to female players are unfair.
The rule is put into place under the assumption that guys are better at sports than girls. This doesn't apply to the more technical sports like soccer where training plays the largest role. In these instances better trained girls are additionally rewarded for out-performing untrained boys
he said.
Whittaker said that he has never encountered any serious objection to the rule, but female players have questioned its validity.
We've had a number of players who question the rule ...After it is explained they all understand
he said.
Mitchell said that even with the rule, men and women play the same sports differently and that shows on the field.
Girls tend to think more tactically. With guys
it's more of a powerhouse state of mind ...The guys remember that girls get more points - it makes (the game) more team-centered and they're less 'ball hogs
' she said.
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Culture
Callie Driehorst
