Transcript Advances of Women in Sports Sara Anne Smith

Advances of Women in Sports
Sara Anne Smith
Overview

Brief History of Women in Sports

Psychological aspects

Title IX

Personal Experience

Questions
History of Women in Sports

776 B.C. – first Olympics: no women
allowed

1896- first modern Olympics in Athens
women not allowed, but compete anyway

1900- women in Olympics: tennis, golf, &
croquet

1967- Katherine Switzer registers for
Boston Marathon

1960/1972 – the IOC recognizes more
women’s sports including rowing

1970 – Billie Jean King made great strides
for women in tennis
“I am Strong. I am invincible. I am Women.”
-Helen Reddy

1972 – Title IX of the Education Amendments

1973 – 1.3 million girls participating in high
school sports vs. 294,000 in 1970

1996 – 2.4 million girls play high school
sports

1999 – Happy 27th Birthday Title IX

2000 – 16 new women’s events in the
Sydney Olympics & Equality

Present – more athletic women in media/
seen as role models
Myths/Reality
-Coakley


Damage to reproductive
organs


More fragile bone structure

Less attractive than other
girls

Less time to focus on
academics
No damage to reproductive
organs
Exercise is crucial to
prevention of osteoporosis
and prevention of breast
cancer

Stronger self-images and
lower levels of depression

Less likely to have unwanted
pregnancy

More likely to graduate from
high school and get better
grades
Psychology of Women in Sports

Gender role orientation
– Role Conflict – inner conflict about taking on
a “male” role
– Psychological androgyny – mixture of the
best of both gender roles and expectations

Homosexuality
– No relationship to sport and does not affect
athletic performance

Eating Disorders
– Overall may provide protection
– Prevalence is sport specific

Fear of Success
– explains female fear of succeeding (Horner)
A Hero For Daisy

Chris Ernst – 2 time Olympian rower

Yale Crew – unequal facilities

1976 – Title IX wasn’t being fully enforced
Title IX

Title IX of the Educational Amendments of
1972:
– “No person in the U.S. shall, on the basis of sex be
excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, or
be subjected to discrimination under any educational
program or activity receiving federal aid.”
Flatter me, and I may not believe you
Criticize me, and I may not like you
Ignore me, and I may not forgive you
Encourage me, and I may not forget you
-William Arthur Ward
Why was it needed?
“Athletic competition builds character in our boys.
We do not need that kind of character in our girls.”
-Connecticut judge, 1971



Today more than 150,000 women
participate in intercollegiate
athletics – fourfold increase since
1971
Women won a record 19 Olympic
medals in the 1996 Summer
Olympic Games
1994 – Increase in doctoral
degrees, law degrees, and medical
degrees earned by women,
compared to 1972
Compliance


1979 final Title IX regulations were
published
Three-part test
1.
2.
3.

Substantially proportionate
History and continuing practice
Accommodation of interest and abilities
Civil Rights Restoration Act
Conflicting Views


1990’s college sports became a big business
Franklin v. Gwinnett County Public Schools
(1992)
– Right for plaintiffs to sue for punitive damages in
Title IX cases

Norma Cantu (1996)
– Resulted in substantial proportionality becoming a
“safe harbor”
The Three-Part Test

Colleges using the first
prong of the test in order
to avoid being sued
– Resulting in unfair cuts for
men’s teams


Kelley v. Board of Trustees
of the University of Illinois
Seven Federal Appellate
Courts have upheld the
three-part test
Discrimination Against Men?



Should not limit men’s
athletic opportunities as a
way of achieving parity for
women
Replace the three-part test
with something more flexible
Who is the real culprit?
No Change Needed

Since the enactment of Title IX, for every
dollar spent on women, two dollars were
spent on men (Fulks, 1994)

In the 1970’s sports participation for women
increased from 8% to 30% at the
intercollegiate level
– There are approximately 2.7 million girls
participating in high school sports; and a little over
150,000 currently participating in collegiate level
(NCAA)

Institutions are responsible for cutting men’s
programs
Recent Events

Bush administration calls for a Commission
on Opportunity in Athletics to review Title IX
this past June

15 member commission returns a 70-page
report in February to the Education Secretary

Law should be retooled to ensure that new
sports opportunities for women don’t come at
the expense of men’s teams
– Two major dissenters are Foudy and
de Varona
Possible Solutions

Count slots rather than actual students; walk-ons
should not be counted under proportionality

Greater flexibility in rules concerning nonscholarship athletes, older athletes and roster slots

Additional ways to demonstrate equity

A greater ability for schools to accept private money
Further Suggestions

Educational campaign
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Not counting football

Cutting back on football and men’s
basketball

Stay away from the business-model and
start treating college sports like more of an
educational program
“Without Title IX, I’d be nowhere.”
-Cheryl Miller, Olympic athlete

Profound changes have occurred in education and
athletics

Increasing participation in athletics

Increase in athletic scholarships
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We still have a long way to go!
Why Crew?

UCF CREW - NO EXPERIENCE NEEDED!!!

1997 – Novice – D Boat
“Rowing is a sport for dreamers. As long as you put in the work,
you can own the dream.” - Jim Dietz
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Awesome learning experience
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2001 – Captain -Varsity Eight
What Sports Have Done For Me
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Teamwork
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Dedication – never quit
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Time management
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Work ethic – the body can achieve what the mind believes
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Attitude - I can do anything I put my mind to
“DREAM A LITTLE
SWEAT A LOT”
-CHRIS ERNST