/Users/andrea/_magisterarbeit/korpus/clean/trainkorpus/24/file_131e.html NN ----------------------------------------- : WASHINGTON NP TIMES NNS July NP 26 CD , , 1999 CD STUDY NN FINDS VVZ SPORTS NNS GIVE VV GIRLS NNS CONFIDENCE NN TO TO TACKLE VV SCIENCE NN Andrea NP Billups NP THE NP WASHINGTON NP TIMES NNS Girls NNS who WP participate VVP in IN sports NNS , , particularly RB in IN the DT eighth JJ and CC 10 CD th NN grades NNS , , do VVP better JJR in IN science NN , , making VVG them PP more RBR likely JJ to TO enter VV traditionally RB male JJ dominated VVN professions NNS like IN engineering NN and CC medicine NN , , a DT study NN has VHZ found VVN . SENT The DT ability NN to TO compete VV , , independence NN , , self NN esteem NN the DT tremendous JJ benefits NNS reaped VVN from IN sports NNS participation NN are VBP the DT same JJ traits NNS women NNS need VVP to TO succeed VV in IN science NN , , says VVZ sociologist NN Sandra NP Hanson NP of IN Catholic NP University NP , , who WP co NP wrote VVD the DT report NN . SENT The DT study NN , , financed VVN by IN a DT grant NN from IN the DT National NP Science NP Foundation NP , , found VVD boys NNS do VVP no RB better JJR in IN math NN and CC science NN than IN their PP$ male JJ classmates NNS who WP don't VVD compete VV in IN sports NNS , , researchers NNS said VVD . SENT And CC cheerleading VVG , , a DT popular JJ and CC athletic JJ activity NN for IN many JJ teens NNS , , actually RB has VHZ a DT negative JJ effect NN on IN girls NNS achievement NN in IN science NN . SENT Cheerleading VVG is VBZ a DT sideshow NN to TO a DT male JJ activity NN , , and CC it PP doesn't VVD foster JJ self NN esteem NN in IN the DT same JJ way NN as IN competitive JJ sports NNS , , Miss NP Hanson NP said VVD . SENT Miss NP Hanson NP and CC her PP$ former JJ student NN Rebecca NP Krauss NP , , a DT doctoral JJ graduate NN at IN the DT university NN , , analyzed VVD data NNS collected VVN by IN the DT Department NP of IN Education's NP National NP Center NP for IN Educational NP Statistics NPS from IN 26 CD , , 200 CD eighth NN through IN 12 CD th NN grade NN students NNS around IN the DT country NN . SENT The DT researchers NNS looked VVD at IN students NNS attitudes NNS toward IN math NN and CC science NN , , the DT courses NNS they PP took VVD and CC what WP they PP said VVD about IN future JJ jobs NNS . SENT Then RB , , they PP analyzed VVD data NNS from IN standardized JJ test NN scores NNS taken VVN in IN each DT year NN of IN high JJ school NN along IN with IN the DT grades NNS the DT students NNS received VVN in IN math NN and CC science NN . SENT In IN all DT areas NNS , , the DT girls NNS who WP had VHD exposure NN to TO sport NN and CC participated VVD in IN sport NN were VBD more RBR likely JJ to TO think VV math NN and CC science NN were VBD something NN they PP could MD do VV well RB in IN , , and CC they PP were VBD more RBR likely JJ to TO take VV those DT courses NNS and CC do VVP well RB in IN them PP , , Miss NP Hanson NP said VVD . SENT Sports NNS give VVP young JJ girls NNS the DT confidence NN to TO persevere VV in IN science NN , , she PP added VVD , , especially RB in IN the DT eighth JJ and CC 10 CD th NN grades NNS , , a DT time NN when WRB many JJ teen JJ agers NNS often RB experience VVP a DT dip NN in IN self NN esteem NN as IN pressure NN mounts VVZ to TO be VB popular JJ , , look VV nice JJ and CC fit VV in RP . SENT The DT support NN they PP receive VVP in IN sports NNS activities NNS , , the DT willingness NN to TO hang VV in IN there RB through IN something NN tough JJ , , that's JJ the DT same JJ thing NN that WDT gets VVZ them PP into IN a DT physics NN or CC calculus NN class NN , , Miss NP Hanson NP said VVD . SENT Girls NNS have VHP made VVN inroads NNS in IN high JJ school NN sports NNS over IN the DT past JJ 25 CD years NNS . SENT