From britdisc-owner@csv.warwick.ac.uk Wed Oct 31 14:50:42 2001 Received: (from daemon@localhost) by pansy.csv.warwick.ac.uk (8.11.6/8.11.6) id f9VEiGA10584 for britdisc-outgoing; Wed, 31 Oct 2001 14:44:16 GMT Received: from snowdrop.csv.warwick.ac.uk (root@snowdrop [137.205.192.31]) by pansy.csv.warwick.ac.uk (8.11.6/8.11.6) with ESMTP id f9VEh5X10300 for <britdisc-real@pansy.csv.warwick.ac.uk>; Wed, 31 Oct 2001 14:43:05 GMT Received: from exch-student.livjm.ac.uk (exch-student.livjm.ac.uk [150.204.254.55]) by snowdrop.csv.warwick.ac.uk (8.11.6/8.11.6) with ESMTP id f9VEh5R24928 for <britdisc@csv.warwick.ac.uk>; Wed, 31 Oct 2001 14:43:05 GMT Received: by exch-student.livjm.ac.uk with Internet Mail Service (5.5.2653.19) id <V6AJJDLR>; Wed, 31 Oct 2001 14:42:59 -0000 Message-ID: <5490A5070B3DD411B0FD00508B60C645ABC504@exch-student.livjm.ac.uk> From: Deffley Leanne <ECSLDEFF@livjm.ac.uk> To: "'eastman.pd@pg.com'" <eastman.pd@pg.com> Cc: "'britdisc@csv.warwick.ac.uk'" <britdisc@csv.warwick.ac.uk> Subject: RE: women Date: Wed, 31 Oct 2001 14:42:57 -0000 MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2653.19) Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Sender: owner-britdisc@warwick.ac.uk Precedence: bulk I am a bit surprised by this email!! We DEFINITELY need to encourage beginners especially but players of all levels to practise outside training sessions if they want to improve their playing of the sport. That is obviously natural. However, I wouldn't simply account 'women not practising' as the reason for the difference in skill level between men and women. There are BLINDINGLY OBVIOUS physical differences between men and women. I consider myself a competent ultimate player but even now, playing against male beginners of this sport I can be beaten to the disc due to the unavoidable height, strength and speed differences between men and women. I don't think that women are discouraged to play ultimate because the men have better disc skills. I think the physical differences lead to men being naturally 'stronger' players. This cannot be avoided - it is the way we were made after all! However, by having to include female players on a team and enabling a system where less confident women play against other women so actually STAND A CHANCE of getting to the disc they can then improve and gain confidence. After all, practice, practice and more practice isn't going to turn me into a man is it? (sorry - no need for that really!!) Replies/thoughts/discussions welcome!! Leanne -----Original Message----- From: eastman.pd@pg.com [mailto:eastman.pd@pg.com] Sent: 31 October 2001 09:05 To: eng9aw@leeds.ac.uk Cc: Britdisc@csv.warwick.ac.uk Subject: re: women Hi BD, I have just a couple of points which I think might help, well at least they should be taken into consideration. There is quite a simple reason why generally the skill level of the men who compete is higher than that of the women who compete. And please note the word general in the previous line. When men start to learn to play those who become good work harder than women who start at the same time. From my experince you will often find guys who have just started out in the park throwing around away from practice, you will rarley find the women doing the same! Now, I think the way to narrow the skill gap is encourage women to put as much effort in, I know that the culture surrounding sport is quite different for men and women, but if everyone is to compete at the same level, then everyone has to put in the same effort! Those who are now envolved in student ultimate and have a new crop of women to teach should encourage them to take what they've been tought and practice, practice, practice! Then we can see what most of us want. More Co-ed ultimate of the standard which people want to play and watch. Just a few thoughts, Paul Eastman