Perhaps also, some of the injuries might - just might - be related to the fact that girls' sports aren't quite so riddled with steroids, what with it being a) a little more obvious and b) less socially acceptable to be a musclebound woman than a musclebound man.

Women trying to emulate the physical feats of men shouldn't cause this many more serious injuries. But women emulating the feats of male pro sports figures, who are the most-talented products of systems that (at best) turn a blind eye to performance enhancement, are pretty much guaranteed crippling injuries in the same way you or I would be if we tried to walk-on to a football practice at a big-name college or pro team.

Girls are different than boys. Pretending otherwise has had some negative consequences. Depending on the sport, it may be that the girls need different protective equipment, shorter schedules, less practice time, different rules, or more medical attention.

Maybe they should try out for the Badminton, Croquet, or Checkers team. JUST KIDDING.. Physical sports where females try to emulate the actions and feats of college and professional athletes leads to this situation. Your suggestions are well-taken.

I am involved with my local and county government presently looking at trying to increase the number of females on both the police force and fire departments. While we have some female members in both organizations, the most vocal group in opposition is the wives of policemen and firemen. They, as you do, believe that "girls are different than boys." and maintaining a certain level of proficiency does involve certain physical characteristics.

Play the games with different rules; don't sacrifice public safety for the sake of Affirmative Action.