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Originally Posted by RichR  Richard, you are correct, this is a common question that comes up periodically on the forums. However, I don't remember if it has been discussed on this forum and, with Sarah involved, it may be a good place to ask this question.
Per prior discussions, on other forums, I think you will find that there is no physical reason why women should not be playing as well as the men. If you believe the conclusion of the other forums, the difference in play is due more to history and mental attitude.
Simply put, men, in general, have been playing pool a lot longer than women. Historically, men have been exposed to pool at a much younger age and they have had more roll models to follow. It was definitely more acceptable for a male to play pool, as opposed to a female.
Also historically, men and boys are taught to compete at an early age and they develop the mental attitude to compete and win. For lack of a better term, they develop the "killer instinct". This attitude definitely gives men an advantage when playing pool, as well as doing a lot of other things.
Now, to bring this thinking up to the present, I'm sure you already know that women, and young girls, are being exposed to many sports and games at an earlier age. They are developing the skills necessary to play pool and, as a group, they are improving by leaps and bounds. Today, there are many young girls developing at the same rate as the young boys and they will grow to be champions, if they continue playing.
Today, there are more and more women entering "open" tournaments and doing well. Karen Corr has won a few Joss Tour events, against a predominantly male field, and she has finished high in others.
The bottom line is, there is no real reason why women can not compete with men in pool. I look forward to the day when every event is "open" to everyone and a male vs. female final is common. |
I have to say RichR hit the bullseye with this one.