Women in Sports

I know Title IX was a controversial law when it passed.  I know Title IX changed funding for all colleges and universities.  I know that some men's teams suffered because of Title IX.  But I still believe it was the right thing to do.  Especially after watching the women compete in the Olympics!

Today I am watching the women's volleyball team play China.  These girls are amazing!  I was a decent overhand server at one point in my life . . . for the times.  But now?  Oh my goodness.  I was also a decent blocker, but my jumps look like baby steps compared to these women's leaping abilities.

When I played basketball in high school, the game was comprised of six ladies - two on defense, two on offense, and two rovers.  Why?  Because the full-court game was too "hard" for women.  We didn't even have a basketball team with games after school.  We had to go to "play days" on Saturdays.

Young women like my sister, Katie, who was a legitimate athlete in her own right, consistently suffered the inequality in women's sports.  But it was women like her who paved the way for today's girls.  What I noticed when I was at The Independent School was that the girls who played sports were well-rounded.  We offered an equivalent number of sports for boys and girls, and although it stretched our resources to the max, I would not have done it any other way.  The opportunities for both genders provided them with a legitimate upper school experience.

I am grateful for the women who paved the way for these young girls.  I pray that today's athletes will take the time to find out how hard it was for their mothers and grandmothers . . . it wasn't always this way.  And for Title IX, I am grateful for that!