There has long been an argument about whether or not boys and girls should be able to play sports on the same teams. This can be a particularly tricky argument, but in the end, the benefits of coed sports outweigh any negative aspects.

“It is a well known fact that boys are built to be stronger and bigger than girls. However, that does not mean that girls are too fragile to play sports with guys,” says Madeline R. She’s right; boys are naturally built to be stronger, but girls can still compete with guys. In 2013, over 1,500 girls played boys football, and some were the best on their team.

Both boys and girls can gain skills from playing with and against the opposite gender. A girl playing sports with boys will help the girl improve, making her stronger, tougher, faster, and more powerful as an athlete than she would have been playing with girls. Boys can also gain new skills from girls, becoming more agile and flexible.
Playing in coed sports might not be for every girl; some might be more comfortable playing sports with the same gender. But for the girls that have the physical ability, sports skills, confidence, and desire to compete against boys should have the option to play coed. During an interview, Katie Smith, a Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) star, talked about how she always played with boys when she was young. She recognized early on that boys provided her with the best competition to improve her skills.

There are many social benefits, too. According to Laura E. Berk, a child psychologist, sometime between ages 9 and 11 kids begin to develop gender stereotypes. Playing coed sports can help prevent gender stereotypes, and learning to view the opposite gender as a friend and not something intimidating is something that can be useful throughout life.

It increases a girl’s confidence level, too. Letting girls compete with and against boys enhances their view of themselves and makes them more resilient. “Sports for girls has many benefits, including better grades, better body image, less depression and a higher chance of graduating from high school,” says Leigh R. She’s right, and the improvement in all of these areas will increase if girls can play with and against boys.

These are all reasons why boys and girls should be able to play sports together on the same team. While it might not be for everyone, there are definitely people out there that are looking to improve their game, and coed sports is an excellent way to do that.