High school sports are a huge part of a community. Friday Night Lights, All American, Glee – all these shows depict the plethora of sports at a high school and the role they play in growing up and being a part of a community.

 So what do you think of when you think back to all those games you went to with your friends? 

Chances are, you think of boys. Boys football games under the Friday Night Lights. Boys basketball games, scoring right before the buzzer! Boys baseball, boys soccer, boys wrestling. All are integral events that draw people from the community together.

 So why don’t you think about girls’ sports? 

Title IX emerged in 1972 to prevent sex-based bias and discrimination in high school and collegiate sports. While this was a huge win when placed into law, research by the Women’s Sports Foundation shows that, even 50 years later, girls still have fewer opportunities in sports than boys had when the title was placed. 

Overall, in the United States, 40% of girls enrolled in high school do not participate in sports, and the number of participants has dropped since 2018. In our community, however, girls’ sports are center stage and in the spotlight!

A study was recently conducted in CCSD to find statistics on participation in girls’ sports. After a few weeks, the results showed that Desert Oasis High School was the school with the highest participation in girls’ sports in the county. 

“What I have noticed is the amount of female student-athletes who have completed their [registration] for multiple sports, and that has increased over the past two years,” says James Dinkel, Desert Oasis’ Athletic Director. 

In the fall season, 140 girls were rostered across all sports. Cross country was the hit of the season, with the most first-time rostered athletes compared to the previous season. Dinkel attributes this to the team winning the 4A State Championship and also being home to the individual 4A state champion, Noemie Guechida.

 In the winter season, an additional 111 girls were rostered across all sports, with most being on the Flag Football team, who also has an impressive record. Girls’ Varsity Flag Football was the regional champion in the 2021-2022 season and is now the current 4A state champion team.

“Anytime a program is successful it’s going to increase the popularity; the numbers of kids trying out. Our two sports that really did add on to this total would’ve been flag football, and then of course cross country. Success breeds success,” says Dinkel.

The Desert Oasis girl’s athletic program is successful not only when it comes to accolades, but when it comes to teaching the true benefits of sports.

“Sports has been my whole life since I was 3. It’s all I’ve ever known,” says Brooke Campion, a sophomore at Desert Oasis and a 3-sport varsity athlete. 

Campion won the state championship two years in a row with the girl’s cross country team and is a flag football state champion. She is also part of the track and field team.

“[A sport] teaches girls teamwork, confidence, how to deal with loss. All qualities women need to have in life,” Campion says.

Campion says that many qualities that she has today come from the hard work she’s put into her sports and that she’s also learned healthy habits from her daily exercise. To her, the benefits that the girl’s athletic program has brought her do not go unnoticed.

“Overall, I think sports can change someone. Girls will learn through sports- we have a voice. It’ll only benefit you, mentally and physically.” 

Desert Oasis continues to inspire and breed gifted athletes. 

“They’re a huge part of anything athletics going on, you know. They have a role in everything…I think D.O.’s done a good job of hiring female coaches as role models…the girls always see that there’s females involved in athletics. Not just playing, but coaching, too,” says Todd Thomson, the girls’ flag football coach. 

Along with the athletic talent the program continues to produce, it also brings up many leadership opportunities for girls at the school. 

Jalissa Oberlay, a senior at Desert Oasis, is one of the captains of the girls’ cross-country team. Sports are a major part of the senior’s life and have given her a positive environment and lasting friendships. Since her freshman year, Oberlay has been on the cross country team, the track team, the cheer team, and the flag football team. 

After demonstrating her athletic strength in cross country by running regionals and state back to back, as well as winning multiple meets her junior year, she strived to become a team leader. 

“One of the most important things a team captain can do is be there for their team, create a welcoming environment for their team, and lead both vocally and through example!” says Oberlay.

As a captain, Oberlay believes in encouraging the young women on her team to come together and work hard alongside each other. She explains that Desert Oasis is the perfect place to do this. 

“D.O. is extremely positive towards girls’ participation in sports, thankfully coaches for all sports including cross country, flag football, and track are constantly working hard to get more girls involved in sports…Desert Oasis actively works to inform girls and students in general about the ongoing sports opportunities, and are extremely welcoming towards all individuals interested in joining any type of sport.” 

Oberlay also hopes to inspire even more young women to participate in sports at Desert Oasis.

 “To a girl looking to participate in sports, as team captain I would let them know that they can totally do it and anything is possible!”