Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 101 Part 3.djvu/776

 101 STAT. 2074

PROCLAMATION 5607—FEB. 9, 1987

Participation in sports contributes to the emotional, physical, and intellectual development of women of all ages. Through individual and team activities, young girls develop self-discipline, initiative, respect for fair play and cooperation, and communication and leadership skills that will help them succeed throughout their lives. Early positive experiences strongly influence wholesome lifelong habits of physical fitness, and thus have a direct bearing on the health and well-being of this Nation. Great strides have been made in women's athletics along with the realization that women are entitled to equal opportunity on and off the playing field. In 1972 only a handful of college athletic scholarships were made available for women; today they number some 10,000. In the past decade the number of women involved in college athletics has grown from 32,000 to 150,000. This same period saw a 110 percent increase in female participation in public high school sports programs. In 1984, the women on our Olympic team brought home 44 percent of the gold medals available to them, making America's female athletes a significant force on the international sports scene. The number of women participating in sports continues to grow, and we will continue to assure that more opportunities are created. From coach to administrator, women play an important role in the development of athletic programs for people of all ages. In recognition of the contributions women's sports have made to this country, and of the need to further advance women's sports, the Congress, by Public Law 99-540, has designated February 4, 1987, as "National Women in Sports Day" and authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this event. NOW, THEREFORE, I, RONALD REAGAN, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim February 4, 1987, as National Women in Sports Day. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this third day of February, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and eleventh. ^'^r' s:>-.

RONALD REAGAN

Proclamation 5607 of February 9, 1987

Congratulating Stars and Stripes on Its Victory in the America's Cup By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation All Americans congratulate Dennis Conner and the crew of Stars and Stripes for their splendid victory in the America's Cup. The Stars and Stripes team, representing the San Diego Yacht Club, traveled to the west coast of Australia to compete with the best yachts and

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