If it had been available on the New York Stock Exchange, female athletics would have been the stock to buy back in 1972.

That year, federal Title IX legislation broke the male monopoly on access to sports, and females flocked to the market. In the next year, female participation in sports grew by 178 percent. Three decades later, it's risen by the millions.

Today there are more female high school athletes than ever before. This young, exuberant embrace of running, kicking and sweating couldn't come at a better time. America's children face great health risks from poor nutritional habits, inactivity, epidemic obesity and growing Type 2 diabetes. Sports are among the best weapons kids have in the battle for good health.

Research shows that active girls are stronger, healthier and more confident than non-athletic girls. Juggling academic and athletic obligations has taught them to manage their time, set goals and achieve them. Educational researchers noticed some years back that all athletes tended to do better on timed tests because they were used to working against the clock. And successful businesses confirmed that teamwork is one of the most important work habits young people can master.

But much as we like looking up at the scoreboard and seeing girls' progress, we are still not finished with this equity game. According to the Tucker Center for Research on Girls and Women in Sport, female athletes receive only one-third of all athletic resources and just 6 percent of all media coverage. Last year's demise of the WUSA, the women's professional soccer league, is a disappointing reminder that professional athletic opportunities for women are nowhere near those of men. Neither is their spectator pool or, by association, their gate receipts.

And then, as noted in today's Forum cover story, there are the associated problems just now unfolding. Some observers say female sports have unwisely trod the same elite path as male sports, driving performance so high that competitiveness leads to corruption, and making it tough for the average girl athlete to find a place on any team.

These are concerns to address. This game isn't over until every girl wins.