Congress Passed Title IX of the Education Amendment in 1972. This legislation seeks to provide equal opportunity for women and girls to participate in sports teams while attending school. In an attempt to assure equality between the sexes, Congress passed this watershed piece of legislation. The major provision of Title IX was that no person would be denied access to participation based on sex in any educational program receiving federal financial assistance. People (men and boosters of men only sports) continue to criticize and attempt to undermine his legislation. In 1978, I worked with a team of women in Wisconsin, developing a curriculum to be used in WI primary and secondary schools that would help to understand and implement a process where equality across sports would become a reality. I interviewed girls and young women athletes. I was never an athlete. I had asthma, and grew up during a time when asthma meant no strenuous activities. There was GAA (Girls Athletic Association) and intramural sports...I appreciated what being on a team meant, how sports, good sportsmanship, winning and losing were great life lessons. Men parlayed their on the field/court success into the business world. What would happen if women got the same opportunities. There is a down as well as an up side about all of this...but mostly I believe it is a great thing that women participate fully in sports, they play olympic ice hockey, the play professional basketball, they model the absolute beauty of being on a team, of the student athlete. So as March madness draws near, I am appreciating watching women playing basketball, going to games at the University of Minnesota (where there are 7000 fans in the stands!), and I have tickets to the Women's Final Four. It is a great way to move through winter. It is fun to be a fan, it is great to watch these women demonstrate their abilities and passion. We are a long ways from having to dribble three times and then pass the basketball. Play well, play hard women!
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