WOMEN ATHLETES

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 23, 28 January 1928, Page 17

WOMEN ATHLETES

NUMBERS GROWING A PROSPEROUS CLUB OPPOSITION ENDED Sports day in a girl's school life is as much an annual institution as the prize-giving. Growing girls, in most cases just finishing a year of strenuous scholastic work and other activities, take part as a matter of course in every sort of race—hurdling, distance running, long and high jumping, sprinting, and novelty events—generally without much serious or scientific training, in many cases without any at all, and rarely is there comment made by spectators or others on the possible inadvisability of allowing girls to compete in such athletic events. Yet when some seven years ago the Wellington A.A.C. held a public meeting, and there formed a Wellington Ladies' Amateur Athletic Club with twelve members, there was considerable opposition, and medical opinions and general "Grundyisms" wore freely quoted in support of it. But the. innovation—which was not so great an innovation after all seeing that a women's club had been started in the Wairarapa two years before, and only closed down because of dissension in the ranks—prevailed, and now, at the beginning of 1928, the Ladies' Club in Wellington has an active membership of 34, and if public opinion has not swung right round in favour of girls' events at sports meetings, it has at least ceased being destructively critical. HEALTH GUARDED. The W.L.A.A.C. only admits members over the age of 15, and the strictest care is taken to see that the girls do not overtax themselves in any way. It is not a rule of the club, but it is the wish of the committee, and surely a commonsense course to follow, that a girl should be medically examined before she begins running. Like many men, there are many girls who should not take up athletics at all, and a medical examination prevents strain and disappointment. So far none of the girls attached to the Wellington club have found their recreation too strenuous. Many have improved enormously in health. Some members —several who have registered excellent times—have dropped out of the club, but in no instance was it for health, reasons; which is what is to be expected, for running is not more exhausting than hockey or tennis. A devotion to track running does not mean that its followers must foreswear all other games. Quite a number of the girls play tennis and hockey, but, naturally, if a girl is keen on becoming a champion, she must concentrate on her training. This is not so solid as a man's preparation, but the girls practice two or three nights a week, and in this connection Mr. A. G. Kitto, who inaugurated and has supported the club through all its trials, and Mr. "Dorrie" Leslie, have given much valued advice and direction. Although the girls train apart from the men and are quite a separate body, a very friendly spirit exists between the two clubs. COSTUMES COPIED. The costume adopted by the Wellington girls has been much admired as both sensible and modest. It is a dark blue one-piece frock with inset sides of lighter blue, thus working in the club colours, and is worn over black shorts. Other centres have copied the outfit, and the Australian athletes who were here recently were so impressed with its suitability that they took patterns away with them for ' girl runners over the water. It is noteworthy also that at'the recent conference of the Australian and New Zealand Amateur Athletic Union, official status was given to ladies' athletics, and at any further contests between the two countries women's events will be included in the programme. BY EASY STAGES. For some time sprint events were the only ones provided for ladies at sports gatherings, but last November the long jump, and the hop, step, and jump were included, and later hurdles will be tried. By these easy stages are women becoming acclimatised to their new sport, which is rapidly growing in favour throughout the Dominion. Dunedin has a fairly strong club, and Gisbome has produced Miss Eastwood and also Miss Wilson, who has beentimed to do 100 yards in 11 3-ssec; Wanganui girls are now able to become regular members of the Wanganui A.A. Club, and in the Wairarapa interest is reviving, and preparations are in train for representation at the forthcoming relay race for the Etevene'aux Cup. Canterbury and Auckland too are strong centres, and -girls in the latter city hold inter-house contests, which produce a high standard of ladies' athletics and gymnastics. AVERAGE 12 SECONDS. Two Canadian girls, Misses Rosa Gross and Fanny Rosenfeldt, have been credited with Usee for the 100 yards. Wellington average is 12sec. But individual girls have beaten that. Miss Swinburne has done 11 3-ssec, so has Miss Mantan, who is not running this year. Should Wellington send a lady runner to the Olympic Games this year (this }s the first time the Olympic Federation has included women's events), the choice, in a competent judge's opinion, would probably lie between Miss Wilson (Gisbome), Miss B. Jackson (Wairarapa), Misses Swinburne and Collins (Wellington), Miss Kench (Wanganui), and Miss Boyd (Canterbury). THE CLUB ITSELF. The W.L.A.A.C. is run by a committee of girls with Miss M. Wilkins as captain. Miss Wilkins was the club's first secretary, and has given much time to assisting with the training of the girls and generally helping to build up the organisation. Mr. Kitto (president of the Wellington Centre of the N.Z.A.A.A.) is head of the committee, and, with Mrs. Kitto as •president of the girls' club, has done a great deal for the building up of women's athletics in this city. As mentioned above, the club does its best to'prevent girls ■ overtaxing themselves, and also arranges for chaperons to be present at every meeting where the girls take the field, and, of course, one accompanes them on inter-club visits farther afield. The result of this capable control of the sport is that a fine type of girl lias joined up, keen about her running and willing to play the game in every way. With such members, the Wellington Ladies' Club should go far towards establishing women's athletics on a sound and sensible basis, and with increasing interest in other centres, the Dominion may soon be adding a woman's name to her list of world's champions.