can project years ahead and ask ourselves
what will be the condition of today's young
American woman in 2050 or 2070? Will
today's high school athlete be a strong and
vital masters competitor? We think yes.

The encyclopedia has, at its core, over
140 biographies of great American women
athletes and descriptions of the sports with
which they are associated. The same theme
is repeated over and over again. Women of
uncommon courage simply refused to take
"no" for an answer when it made no sense to
do so and persisted in the passionate pursuit
of a sport in which mastery was within their
grasp. In choosing the women and the
sports to include, we aimed for diversity. In
sports that have been little pursued by
women, or that are very new to women, we
have sought to present a role model. Her
story might seem somewhat modest when
compared to someone we have omitted in a
"mighty sport" for women. We had to make
painful choices, but we aimed to have as full
a range as possible of the activities in which
women have made a contribution.

We believe that women's "place" in sport
is not only as a competitor. Thus, we have
included entries on many of the career op-
tions within sport. We describe the field
generally and then emphasize the special
steps a woman can take to maximize the
possibility of a successful career in that field
as well as any special gifts or qualities a
woman would particularly bring to that ca-
reer.

Many of the entries describe what we
know about women and sport from the vari-
ous disciplines of sport science. Exercise
physiologists, biomechanists, physicians, fit-
ness experts, historians, sport psychologists,
sport sociologists, and physical educators all
illuminate the challenges and benefits for
women following the path of the sports-
woman. There is not unanimity of view
across the scientific spectrum. The varia-
tions in interpretations are both interesting
and exciting in the way new, and better,
methods and designs are suggested. Some of
the entries are designated as "essays" and are
marked by a shaded background to distin-
guish them from the other encyclopedia
entries. These essays may favor a point of
view or offer a personal narrative.

Some of the essays in sport psychology,
imagery and mental practice, and the basic
mechanics of performance aim to inform
girls and women whose store of information
on the rudiments of sport may be lacking.
Plain "how to" talk can benefit both the
reader and, in the case of a mother or men-
tor, her children as she functions as their
first coach.

An important contribution in this book is
the addition of voices seldom heard in pub-
lished accounts of women and sport.
Women who may be considered "minorities"
put forward their stories. African American,
Asian, Latina, and Native American
women's views are described from their
unique vantage points on sport. The high-
level sport and cultural participation of
Jewish women in the Macabbiah Games is
also presented. The participation and records
of women with disabilities are catalogued, as
are considerations of lesbian women. Fi-
nally, a "nontraditional" group in an
encyclopedia of women and sport is men.
One essay specifically credits the strong and
brave stances of many men who have advo-
cated in their life work on behalf of women
in sport. These men join, of course, the fa-
thers, husbands, brothers, and male coaches
who have prominent places in many biogra-
phies throughout the book.

As we neared the end of this publication
process, we observed, perhaps not surprisingly,
that the accurate, comprehensive record of
women's participation in sport is woeful. We
had great difficulty in finding, and obtaining
permission to use pictures (of even the most
famous). Locating action pictures and action
pictures of "historic moments" were particu-
larly challenging. Any approximation of the
"true record" is largely still in people's attics,
notebooks of faded clippings, or uncatalogued
boxes of mementos. All of us who have acted
in an editorial capacity would plead with read-
ers to take notice of any woman in your fami-
ly, community, school, or favorite sport, who
has excelled. While she is still available to
you, or at least while people who have seen

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