-
Prior to the 1800's, women only really partook in sports recreationally such as swimming and horseback for pleasure.
-
In the early 1900's women began to form informal athletic clubs, such as: Tennis, Croquet, Bowling, and Archery. Sports clubs in colleges also began to appear, but they were less competitive and more of a social gathering.
-
In the 1920's the Women's Division-National Amateur Athletic Federation (NAAF) was formed to organize intercollegiate competition among women.
-
In the 1950's and 1960's there was a push for civil rights. The passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 increased the status of women as well as created a wave of feminism and lead to more intercollegiate programs for women.
-
At the 1973 NCAA convention, the NCAA waived the regulation that prevented women from competing in men's events. This allowed women to compete in NCAA Championships.
-
Women were officially allowed to play Little League Baseball. The National Women's football league was also formed.
-
Women's professional basketball league is formed
-
Women's first olympic marathon was introduced
-
First women's soccer World Cup
-
The WNBA has it's first season
-
Since the 2000's Women have been competing in their own leagues, winning titles, setting records, becoming hall of famers, etc.
-
In 1969, a schedule of national championships for women's sports was created. It included gymnastics and track and field. Later in 1970, swimming, badminton, and volleyball were added. In 1972 basketball was added. Also, in 1972 "Title IX" (a federal law that says no person in the US based on sex could be excluded from educational programs) was passed, thus allowing more women to compete in intercollegiate sports programs and US Congress fostered more financial aid to women's sports programs.