The article Title IX in Social and Legislative Context (2005) by Carpenter and Acosta gave a really in depth looks at all the ins and outs of how Title IX came about. Although Title IX wasn’t created till 1972 it didn’t stop girls and women from participating.
My mom was born in 1958 and she remembers a lot about this time because Title IX was created when she was in high school. She went through her younger years not having sports. Her freshman and sophomore year of high school her high school had few women’s sports and this is when she got her first taste of competition. In her junior year of high school she moved to a school without women’s sports. This was in 1974 which was obviously not in compliance with Title IX. Her junior year she was the only female on the boys track team and because she was a girl couldn’t compete at meets. She did push a number of the boys in practices because who wants to get beat by a girl? In 1974 as a junior in high school she wrote a letter to the local newspaper explaining that there were ‘no girl’s sports in her high school’. She also met with members of the school administration discussing how furious she was that she couldn’t compete. The next year (her senior year) the school offered women’s basketball and track for the first time ever (1975).
I just think this is great. It really shows how passionate some women are for sports, and I’m sure my mom wasn’t the only one that had this passion. I thought it was very interesting that although Title IX was formed not all schools were in compliance with it even years after its creation.
7. A few positives among the negatives (short seasons and restricted funding for equipment, coaching, uniforms, and travel).
A. Students (academics) before Athletes, they actually had competition opposed to none previously. More women coaching volunteers (unpaid)
A. Students (academics) before Athletes, they actually had competition opposed to none previously. More women coaching volunteers (unpaid)
Side note: In 1975 my mom went on the win the AAU state championship in the 100 yd dash, and third in the 200. Then after high school she attended The Bowling Green State University with a Gymnastics scholarship.
Alyssa, it was really interesting to hear about your mom and in I feel really bad for her. Mainly for the reason that she was allowed to be a "member" of the track team and yet could not compete at the events. I think it is a testament to your mother's will power and courage to stand up for what she believes in. And for her to take everything as a positive like how she would push her boy teammates to compete at practice. I think, knowing what kind of female athletes we have out there with such a drive to compete and get better only further provides a case that they should be allowed to play with the boys. I do think that it is necessary for more women to be involved in sport because I think it continues to make our society more diverse. I mean not all woman want to compete in beauty pageants or be pop stars so by letting more of them compete in sport we are promoting the American dream and that is that a person can be whatever he or "she" wants to be.
ReplyDelete~Max Householder
Alyssa brings up a good example of how women attempting to play sports before Title IV or even during 1972 and 1979 had to endure unfavorable circumstances. It wasn't until 1979 that schools and programs were really forced to comply with the rulings of Title IV. It’s weird to imagine a time that High Schools would not have girls’ sports. My mom graduated from Perrysburg High School in ’78 and by that time she was there they were enforcing girls’ sports; however, that may be due to the size of the high school? At by the time she came to BGSU Title IV was becoming enacted, giving her the opportunity to compete in Club Field Hockey and Fencing Club.
ReplyDelete-Tony Fritsch
I really appreciate all of you sharing about your mothers' experiences with sport in high school and college. My experience in high school paralleled what Alyssa's mom faced because I was able to practice with (and beat) many of the tennis players on the Boys' team, but never got to play in a match. Thanks everyone for sharing about these experiences.
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