Sport and gender roles: a viewpoint from liberian adolescent girls in ghana

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Girl # 15

Non-Participant in Team Sports

Age: 15

School: Fundamental Baptist

Place: Ghana, Africa

Date/Time: 10/6/06 10:15 PM

Gender roles of adolescent girls in the community:
I see myself to be clean and obedient. I am part of cleaning the community and also part of morning devotion. I think my roles are a good thing to complete as a female living in my community with others. I do all of these things to get my friends’ attention on my work and attitude.
Gender roles of adolescent girls who play sports:
I take sport to be an exercise. I think that sport makes people strong and healthy. Some people in the community feel that these girls who play sports don’t have work to do and also think that they are behaving like a man.

Girl # 16

Team Kickball Participant

Age: 16

School: Fundamental Baptist

Place: Ghana, Africa

Date/Time: 10/12/06 2:25 PM

Gender roles of adolescent girls in the community:
I am happy with how I view myself as an adolescent girl in my community. I am beginning to learn and am becoming a mature girl. I work hard for people and am beginning to advise some of my friends. I believe that as an adolescent girl, “I should respect older people…should be obedient to both young and old…and should help people.” If people are hungry, I should be there to help. I also should associate myself with and gain experience in education. If I am a good person, others can help me.
I feel happy about my roles because I will be an experienced person. I will know who loves me and who doesn’t. I will know who is a good friend, because I know who will give good advice. I know not to associate with those of bad character.
Gender roles of adolescent girls who play sports:
Sport makes me feel happy. I exercise my body and make new friends. Because of sport, I am freehanded with friends and I am not proud because I am among human beings. Parents of my teammates know me as not a bad girl who plays on the same team as their daughter.
Since I began playing kickball, I am no longer selfish, have become happy, and explain problems to others. In kickball, my teammates and I help our coach put money together for ourselves. Our coach is like a father to our team by counseling the girls. If something is too personal for us, we go to our other female coach to explain our problems. All of my team members are there to advise each other, are united, and help each other to stop conflict.
I feel happy about adolescent girls playing sport. Girls can associate with each other as friends by sharing fun, explaining problems, and helping each other to make the right decision.

Appendix C
Chart of Presentation of Data

Themes	Team Kickball Participants	Non-Participants of Team Sports
Character Traits Of Girls	Girl 4: I am a child in my community where I am free with people. I am good, respectful, open, and honest…In my community, people “expect” me to be respectful. Girl 16: I work hard for people and am beginning to advise some of my friends. I believe that as an adolescent girl, “I should respect older people…should be obedient to both young and old…and should help people.” If people are hungry, I should be there to help.	Girl 1: I want to become a “good person”, be respectful, and be non-violent. I “should” be obedient and should not insult older people… As a female, it is good to be presentable, respectful, and humble throughout the day.
Community & Household Duties	Girl 2: My responsibilities in my community include cleaning up the community, such as the gutter; helping people do their work when they ask; and looking after other people’s children when their parents aren’t around.	Girl 14: I help people to so many things such as teaching little ones with their lessons and helping them when they are in need. I also clean around my community, especially in my area. I advise my friends to take the right direction and not the wrong one.
Maintenance of Reputation	Girl 2: Girls play kickball in my community because it gives them something to do. They don’t know what they want to be in the future so for now they play sport. Girls want to “be someone” in society… Girl 13: I see myself as a “big player”. Kickball makes me feel good and to see myself as a good person.	Girl 1: I want to be obedient because it shows that I am a good child and come from a good home. Girl 7: Because of my roles, people will not think badly about me.
Give & Take Relationship	Girl 5: As an obedient child, people in the community will do something to make you feel good. In need, they will give to you. You will feel good because they make you to feel good.	Girl 1: By pleasing the community, I can receive help when I need it because my parents cannot always provide for me. Girl 7: The community will help me when I’m in trouble because they know I am good.
Sport & the Physical Body	Girl 5: “It (sport) makes the body build up good.” Before I played sport, I thought my legs would hurt me. But sport is good. I don’t get sick because I train, but those who don’t play get sick… Girl 11: I believe that playing kickball is good for the body and it keeps you active and healthy.	Girl 1: “I don’t like women playing football because it’s for men….it’s too much for women.” Playing football makes women look like men in their bodies. Girl 8: “It (sport) is good for the health.” Sport is healthy for the mind and body. Exercise fights sickness.
Sport & Character Building	Girl 12: I go out and teach my friends about the game and what it does for an adolescent girl…I feel very good playing kickball because I enjoy the game so much that it keeps me out of trouble… It also helps you to be able to meet with good people and make friends…I see some changes in the lives of girls who play sport. They go out and meet with educated people who teach them educated things. Sport makes girls travel far and near. Girl 3: It is good for me to play kickball. It is a part of education and helps you get friends and to communicate. Girl 11: It keeps you out of confusion and helps in making friends by drawing more people closer to you.	Girl 1: It (sport) helps them to learn how to run, kick, and be friendly with teammates.
Community Response	Girl 11: Kickball releases the minds of those who watch the game from some problem. Some community members think positive and some think negative about girls playing sport. Girl 12: Community members feel fine about adolescent girls playing sport because they see some changes in girls, and because sport helps girls in developing their minds in both sport and education.	Girl 8: Teachers always encourage girls to be responsible, and they encourage girls to play sport and get exercise. Community members think sport is important for girls. Men and ladies encourage girls to play sport to show that it is important for both girls and boys to play and because girls are the future for tomorrow. Girl 10: Some community members share the same thinking as me, (girls are wasting their time on sport that will not benefit them in the future and that girls just want to be known in the community) but others think well about girls playing sport. For example, some community members believe it is good for their future.
Changes after Beginning Sport	Girl 5: Now that I play kickball, I have to rush to finish my work to go play sport. So my family and neighbors can get mad at me. Girl 16: What I see that has changed since I began playing sport is that I am often with friends and at practice rather than at home with my parents and family. They do not often see me. I used to play around with friends. Since I began playing kickball, my playing time with friends has changed to a limited and restricted time.	NONE
Thoughts on Girls’ Gender Roles in their Community	Girl 2: I like to be myself in the community, and I am “how I take myself to be.” Girl 3: My gender roles in the community make me feel good and happy.	Girl 6: I like to be by myself. I do not like to play among people other than two friends with whom I can share a few things. I have decided to be alone because not everybody has good ways. I can be free only a little in the community. There’s nothing to do here, but I like to teach others how to sing. It feels good to teach. I am proud. Girl 7: “I feel good” about my roles in the community.
Thoughts on Girls’ Participation in Sport	Girl 5: “I really love sport!” I feel fine playing sport…Sport is better and good for girls coming up. It helps me. Girl 16: I feel happy about adolescent girls playing sport. Girls can associate with each other as friends by sharing fun, explaining problems, and helping each other to make the right decision. Girl 11: Gender roles of girls in the community changes when they play sport in that girls become responsible to their sport and it takes their minds off the streets.	Girl 6: I don’t like sport, but it is good for the girls who like it. Girl 9: “I feel good when I see them (girls) playing sport.” Some people believe that girls don’t really go to play sport rather they go to do other things. But if people see girls playing sport, they feel good. Girl 10: I believe that my roles in my community are very good rather than following friends who go play sport. I like girls who play sport, but I believe that they will become a sport lover. I think they are wasting their time on things that they will not do in the future. I think they just want to be known on the camp or in the community.

Appendix D

Chart of Data Analysis

Themes	Team Kickball Participants	Non-Participants of Team Sports
Character Traits Of Girls	>Most girls made references towards maintaining a character of obedience, respect, and/or responsibility >Some girls mentioned that it is expected of them to be obedient and/or respectful	>Most girls made references towards maintaining a character of obedience, respect, and/or responsibility >Some girls mentioned that it is expected of them to be obedient and/or respectful
Community & Household Duties	Most girls mentioned performing several household & community duties	Most girls mentioned performing several household & community duties
Maintenance of Reputation	Some girls made references to how playing kickball gives them a better image within the community	Some girls alluded to their reputation in regard to character traits and responsibilities in which the girls referred to not looking badly within their community
Give & Take Relationship	A few girls maintained that they uphold their character traits and responsibilities in order to get help from others when in need	One or two girls maintained that they uphold their character traits and responsibilities in order to get help from others when in need
Sport & the Physical Body	Many girls mentioned that participation in kickball is important to maintain a healthy body such as strengthening the body or decreasing the chances of becoming ill	>Many girls mentioned that participation in kickball is important to maintain a healthy body such as strengthening the body or decreasing the chances of becoming ill >One girl had a negative viewpoint on participation in soccer and the female physical body, yet she stated that sport in general is good for girls
Sport & Character Building	Half of the girls said that participation in sport, kickball in particular, is beneficial for girls’ social, moral, and/or educational development	One girl indicated that sport is positive for girls social development by mentioning that sport helps girls to be friendly with teammates
Community Response	>Most girls stated that community members maintain positive viewpoints of girls’ participation in sport >Some girls said that some community members hold positive viewpoints and some hold negative viewpoints regarding girls’ participation in sport	>Most girls stated that community members maintain positive viewpoints of girls’ participation in sport >Some girls said that some community members hold positive viewpoints and some hold negative viewpoints regarding girls’ participation in sport
Changes after Beginning Sport	Some girls mentioned changes in lifestyle since beginning kickball--3 girls said kickball takes away time from family and friend responsibilities--2 girls said kickball keeps them from dabbling in unproductive activities	NONE
Thoughts on Girls’ Gender Roles in their Community	>All girls expressed satisfaction with their roles in the community. They did not have any objections to their roles and all of them stated that they feel good about what they do >Most girls portrayed confidence during the interview	Not all of the girls expressed full satisfaction with their roles in the community. Some of the girls did not speak too highly about their roles and some made negative comments such as feeling like a child or not wanting to do much in the community
Thoughts on Girls’ Participation in Sport	Every girl made positive remarks about girls’ participation in sport	>2 girls made negative remarks about girls’ participation in sport >1 girl seemed to take a neutral standpoint on girls’ participation in sport

1 Kickball is the same term used by the Liberian refugees as it is used in the United States. Kickball is similar to baseball where there are four bases and the object of the game is to get as many players across home base as possible. Kickball is used with a ball the size of a standard soccer ball, and the ball is pitched to the runner at home base. The runner kicks the ball and runs to as many bases as possible with the objective of not being called ‘out’.

2 One of the girls interviewed, girl #3, recently turned 17 at the time of the interview. Her 17^th birthday was on August 17, 2006, and the interview was conducted on September 30, 2006.

3 The descriptions of the participants’ responses are not direct quotes of the participants unless quotation marks are placed around a word, phrase, or sentence. The descriptions of the participants’ responses are reworded into a more standard English, for reader comprehension, without changing the context of the responses.

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