In the weird way minds work I was thinking of the Women’s World Cup coming up soon, then how many the US won, then the amount of goals scored in each cup, then who the stars were, then about American club teams, then remembering that there was women’s pro soccer for a good while here in the country, then that it died, wondering if it could succeed again, thinking of the huge economic hardship it would be, thinking that we already have an established league, and finally ending on “Why not just let women on the men’s teams?”
Other than upsetting sports traditionalists, is there any reason why the women couldn’t compete and do well playing on the same pitch with men? Strength and pure speed isn’t as important in soccer as, say, football. Height and weight aren’t as important as, say, basketball. So do you think it would work? I can’t really see a reason why not, but then again I don’t know soccer as well as I’d hoped.
In a related story, could women compete in hockey parallel with men too? I would assume they could…
The premise that strength and speed aren’t as important is a faulty one, but even setting that aside, no. The men are just way better. At the very top of athletic competition, it’s hard to conceptualize just how much of a gap there is, but it’s a big one.
The best US women’s team wouldn’t be able to compete with an amateur team at tier 10 of the English league pyramid, let alone the professional footballers in MLS
Years back, when the US women’s team had gotten a lot of publicity for beating China, someone asked Mia Hamm how the women would fare against the US men’s team.
She was admirably honest and succinct. “Oh, they’d kill us,” she said.
Yes indeed - size and strength are every bit as important as in soccer.
A point worth noting is that, AFAICT, women are in no way prohibited from competing on professional sports teams. With very rare exceptions, they simply aren’t (even close to) good enough to qualify.
The best women players in the World couldn’t compete in men’s professional soccer. The women’s game is a lot less physical and even at a high level players get a lot more time on the ball even comapred to low level men’s soccer.
The USA women’s team is frequently beaten in scrimmages by regional US boys’ (U-15 and U-16) teams, sometimes thrashed even. To put this in context the US women’s team is the most successful women’s international soccer team and in the last World Cup (2011) were only beaten on penalties in the World Cup Final. From reports of people watching the match the USWNT are tactically superior (which in men’s soccer would usually be decisive) to the boys teams, but struggle cope with the physicality and speed of the boys teams.
Well, if the team’s too arrogant, knocking them down a peg could work. You also want to challenge yourselves, and it’s got to be difficult scheduling friendlies against the 3 other teams that are any good. You take what you can get.
Possibly a top notch woman goalie could play with men.
FYI I just found out today the speed record for the Appalachian trail run is currently held by a woman. Jennifer Pharr Davis did the trail in 46.5 days. (most people take 180 days) Trail is 2200 miles long.
I’ve read that a similar thing has happened (probably more than once) to the Norwegian women’s team. I’ve watched some top-level women’s soccer and just from watching it’s easy to tell that even the top women players wouldn’t stand a chance against men. Women are great for MANY things but for the most part they can’t beat men at athletics.