Even though times have changed tremendously in the last 15 years, there still are several barriers to girls and women participating in sport, according to Donna Lopiano, executive director of the Women's Sports Foundation.

"Girls drop out of sports at a rate that is six times greater than boys by the age of 14," Lopiano said. "They do so because of a combination of factors that include lack of participation opportunities -- boys have twice the number of participation opportunities in high school and college -- and lack of the same encouragement to play sports as is received by boys. Every time a boy receives a glove or a ball as a gift, or turns on the television and sees crowds cheering images of himself playing, he knows he's supposed to play sports.

"Girls aren't receiving the same messages. They need to get sports gifts as well as dolls. They need to see images of themselves playing sports because they are not often on television. Girls need to go see women play sports so they can have role models. And boys need to see women play sports so they will grow up to respect girls' skills and abilities in sports."

Another barrier to girls' and women's participation in sports is when the game is introduced. The Women's Sports Foundation says girls start their sports participation on average two years later than boys, leaving them less skilled when they begin playing (usually against and with boys). That late start makes it less likely that the girl will have a successful sports experience.

"Fun is the No. 1 reason why children play sports," Lopiano said. "So, girls need to go to that game at a young age and start playing sports as soon as they can. If a girl doesn't play sports by the time she is 10 years old, there is a less than 10 percent chance she will be playing when she is 25."

Lopiano points out that the messages sent by parents, schools and the media all play a part in encouraging or discouraging girls' participation.

"Before they talk, before they understand language, boys and girls get powerful messages about what we think they can do. These messages are self-fulfilling or self-defeating prophecies," Lopiano said.

"Boys get all the right kinds of messages about sports all of the time, from sports gifts to what they see on television. Girls are less exposed to gifts of sport implements and images of active, sports-playing women."

National Girls and Women in Sport Day is working to increase that exposure to sport for girls and women by having colleges and universities participate in a myriad of ways: hosting events and activities; providing speakers, coaches or student-athletes; or supporting the effort with funding, personnel or facilities.