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Out of the pocket: Title IX's other side
Yale Daily News 10/28/02
There is absolutely no question that, in its 30-year existence, Title IX legislation has considerably advanced women's intercollegiate athletics. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 was initially established as an anti-discrimination measure guaranteeing that no one would be excluded from federally assisted programs or activities on account of gender.
Whereas a mere 30,000 women were participating in intercollegiate athletics in 1972, before Title IX, that number has grown to more than 160,000 at present, according to a report by the United States General Accounting Office.
In the last 20 years alone, the same report said female intercollegiate athletic participation has increased by more than 80 percent, with a 66 percent increase in female athletic teams. Not only are women being offered more opportunities to participate, but they are now being actively recruited to participate at a level commensurate with that of their male counterparts. Moreover, with the emergence of popular female sports icons in multiple sports -- Michelle Kwan and Sarah Hughes in figure skating, Mia Hamm in soccer and Lisa Leslie in basketball -- coupled with the constant growth of female youth sports programs, Title IX has served a significant purpose for women in athletics.
But as Title IX passes through its 30th year of existence, it is time to examine the other side of the equal opportunity argument that this legislation supposedly promotes. During the same time frame in which such strides have been made in women's athletics, men's athletics programs generally have suffered. More than 400 men's athletics teams -- the majority being swimming and wrestling -- have been eliminated as a result of Title IX's substantial proportionality requirement, as colleges are finding it easier and legally safer to discontinue certain men's athletic teams rather than create new women's programs. This disturbing trend ultimately runs counter to Title IX's original purpose.
The legislative history of this measure indicates that this was clearly not designed as a quota system, predicated on statistical balancing, but was an effort to bring more athletic opportunities to females.
Sadly, through controversial litigation over the last 12 years, Title IX's original intention has been lost. For the most part, appellate courts nationwide have adopted substantial proportionality -- which says that the ratio of female to male varsity athletes must closely mirror the ratio of female to male undergraduates students -- as the only Title IX enforcement mechanism.
Thus, for a budget-strapped athletic director managing an institution's Title IX compliance, it is much easier to cut a minor men's sport than to add more women's sports in an effort to maximize proportionality. Male wrestling and swimming teams are being cut left and right and, though the affected athletes have sometimes challenged such results with litigation of their own, to date every case has lost in the court room.
What proponents of proportionality fail to realize is that the numbers do not add up. Nationally, according to a 1995 survey by the National Federation of State High School Associations, females make up 39 percent of the high school athletic population and 38 percent in college -- a percentage that, by the way, has not changed in 24 years.
For an institution whose student body is 50 percent women, substantial proportionality says that 50 percent of all varsity athletic opportunities should go to women. In light of the 38 percent national average, this means offering women a 94 percent greater chance to participate in athletics than men. At many schools, this has translated to coaches of men's teams barring walk-ons, cutting offered scholarships, or disbanding teams altogether, while coaches of women's athletic teams may struggle to fill their rosters.
Are we trying to field a successful team or placate mediocrity? When taking proportionality to this extent, that is the question we must ask.
The only way substantial proportionality is valid, therefore, is if an equal percentage of male and female students are actually able and willing to participate in athletics. The current percentages -- which have not changed since 1979 -- indicate this is not the case.
It is unclear how many students would actually take advantage of increased athletic opportunities if such were offered, but intramural program participation may shed some light on the subject. According to a legal brief for Brown University in the marquee litigation for substantial proportionality, there is a four-to-one male-female ratio in collegiate intramural activity. Obviously, these programs offer athletic opportunities to anyone, regardless of previous experience, and without the added pressures of fulfilling scholarships, missing classes, and traveling widely through the country.
Given the aforementioned differences between intramural and varsity athletics, the substantial proportionality standard in varsity athletics still ignores the reality of how many males and females in general are interested in athletics.
The bottom line here is that, at every level, women are not as interested in athletics as men are, and Title IX, as the courts now interpret it, is an over-inclusive, one-size-fits-all measure treating male and female athletic interest as if it were equal. Well, it's not.
To truly reach equal protection as guaranteed by the 14th Amendment, there should be a form of proportionality that represents relative interest between sexes at each university. This will ensure that each collegiate athletic department fully and effectively accommodates the relative interests and abilities of each gender.
By meeting such interests there would be no danger of allowing courts to violate what Title IX clearly prescribes -- equal treatment. Until courts re-evaluate the situation, however, there will continue to be disparate treatment of male and female athletes, ultimately effecting the continued elimination of minor men's teams.
The NCAA and the courts in general need to take a hard look at Title IX because opportunity, as interpreted presently under the legislation, does not mean equality.
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Team Canada departs for World Women's Wrestling Championships
10/28/2002
CAWA web page/
Ottawa - The Canadian Women's Wrestling Team departed with high hopes for the 2002 Senior Women's World Championships in Halkida, Greece, November 1-3. A solid mix of veterans and newcomers should make for a top notch performance this year. The team is coached by Mike Jones (Burnaby Mountain W.C., Burnaby, B.C.), former Olympic Team Head Coach in Atlanta and Todd Hinds (Saskatoon W.C., Saskatoon, SK), 2001 Senior Women's Team Head Coach.
The Canadian Team Line-up:
48 kg - Carol Huynh (Burnaby Mountain W.C. - Hazelton, B.C.) is a returning veteran of the senior team. She has captured back to back World Senior Championship medals. A bronze in 2000 and silver in 2001 should make Carol a strong contender for the World Championship title.
51 kg - Lyndsay Belisle (Burnaby Mountain W.C. - Burnaby, B.C.) is another returning veteran for the team. She broke through with a 4th place performance last year and is looking to improve to a podium finish this year. Lyndsay is a four time National Senior Champion.
55 kg - Jennifer Ryz (Burnaby Mountain W.C. - Coquitlam, B.C.) is the veteran of the team. Jennifer won a silver medal for Canada in 1996 and a bronze medal in 2000. She took home the bronze medal at the 2001 World Cup. Jennifer is a five time National Senior Champion.
59 kg - Emily Richardson (Burnaby Mountain W.C. - North Vancouver, B.C.) is attending her first World Championship for Canada. This is the new weight class created by FILA so it is wide open in terms of potential medal performances for any athlete. Emily captured a bronze medal at the 2002 FISU World Championships in Edmonton, Alberta this past June.
63 kg - Tara Hedican (Guelph W.C. - Guelph, ON) is also attending her first World Senior Championship for Canada. Tara was the 2001 Junior World Champion at this weight class and earned the 2001 Tom Longboat Award for Canada's top aboriginal athlete of the year. Tara won her first Senior National Championship title this year to go along with the CIS National Championship title.
67 KG - Shannon Samler (Burnaby Mountain W.C. - North Vancouver, B.C.) is another veteran for Team Canada. She won a bronze medal at the 2001 World Cup and recently captured a silver medal at the 2002 FISU World Championships in Edmonton, Alberta. Shannon is a four time Senior National Champion.
72 KG - Pam Wilson (Hamilton W.C. - Hamilton, ON) is making her first appearance at the Senior World Championships. Pam won the 2002 FISU World Championship earlier this year in Edmonton, Alberta and was the Junior World Championships bronze medalist in 2001. Pam won her first Senior National Championships title this year.
The competition begins on Saturday, November 2nd at the TASSOS KABOURIS Municipal Stadium in Halkida, Greece.
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10/28/2002
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling
The U.S. Women’s World Wrestling Team has arrived in Greece, and is going through its final preparations for the 2002 Women’s World Wrestling Championships in Halkida, Greece, Nov. 2-3.
The United States has one of its most experienced and talented teams, and looks for a strong team finish this year. Women’s wrestling is the only new sport added to the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, and many of the participants at this year’s World Championships are expected to be top Olympic hopefuls.
The U.S. team is led by head coach Chris Horpel of Stanford, Calif., assistant coach Joe Corso of West Des Moines, Iowa and National Women’s Coach Terry Steiner of Colorado Springs, Colo. Horpel has been a Div. I college coach at Stanford Univ., and is the head coach of the Dave Schultz Wrestling Club. Corso, an Olympian as an athlete, is a coach with the world-respected Sunkist Kids club.
International women’s wrestling now features seven weight classes, and the United States has an experienced athlete at every division. All seven wrestlers have previously competed at a Senior World Championships, and each are expected to be in the hunt for a medal at her weight class.
Leading the team is five-time World medalist Kristie Marano (Albany, N.Y./ATWA) at 67 kg/147.5 pounds. Marano has won a World gold medal (2000) and four World silver medals (1996-99), the most world medals of any U.S. women’s wrestler (tied with Tricia Saunders).
Three other past World silver medalists are on the U.S. team roster: Patricia Miranda (Colorado Springs, Colo./Dave Schultz WC) at 48 kg/105.5 pounds, Stephanie Murata (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 51 kg/112.25 pounds and Toccara Montgomery (Cleveland, Ohio/Sunkist Kids) at 72 kg/158.5 pounds.
Miranda was a silver medalist at the 2000 World Championships, competing up at 51 kg/112.25 pounds. She dropped to 48 kg/105.5 pounds this year, and claimed gold medals at the U.S. Nationals and World Team Trials. A recent graduate of Stanford Univ., Miranda was a member of the men’s varsity wrestling team there. She was as 2002 Pan American champion.
Murata is one of the nation’s top women’s wrestling veterans, competing in her sixth World Championships event. She was a 2001 World silver medalist, and placed fourth in the 1998 and 1999 World Championships. She has claimed seven straight U.S. Nationals gold medals. Murata boasts three Pan American titles.
Montgomery won her World silver medal in 2001, and was named the FILA International Women’s Wrestler of the Year that season. She was a two-time Junior World silver medalist (2000, 2001). Montgomery was a 2002 Pan American Champion, and has claimed two straight U.S. Nationals titles. She is a sophomore at Cumberland College.
The three other U.S. team members all have past World Championships experience: Tina George (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 55 kg/121 lbs., Lauren Lamb (Farmington, N.Y./Michigan WC) at 59 kg/130 lbs. and Sara McMann (Lock Haven, Pa./Sunkist Kids) at 63 kg/138.75 pounds.
George will be competing at her fourth World Championships event. Her best finish was sixth at the 1999 World Championships. She was a 2001 U.S. Nationals champion, and has won three University Nationals title. George was a 2001 Pan American champion. She is now a member of the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program.
Lamb will be competing at her sixth World Championships. She placed fifth at the World Championships three times (1995, 1997, 1999) and was eighth at the 1996 World Championships. Lamb has won six U.S. Nationals titles. She was a 1997 Pan American Champion.
McMann will be attending her third straight World Championships. Her best finish was ninth at the 2000 World Championships. She has won major international events in Canada, Sweden and the United States. McMann has claimed three straight U.S. Nationals titles.
With the hiring of full-time National Coach Terry Steiner and the creation of a resident program, USA Wrestling expects to climb back among the top nations in 2002. The U.S. athletes have shown great improvement during this year’s World Team Training Camps in Colorado Springs, Colo., and coaches have high expectations for each team member.
Team USA claimed a World Team title in 1999, with an razor-thin one-point victory over Japan. The U.S. women’s team has won a medal at every World Championships it has entered. Three times the USA has placed third in the final team standings (1996, 1997, 1998). Last year, with an inexperienced team, the United States was seventh, but still had two silver medalists: Murata and Montgomery.
Coverage of the U.S. team at the Women’s World Championships will be provided each day via the internet at TheMat.com (www.themat.com).
2002 U.S. WOMEN’S WORLD TEAM ROSTER
Athlete/Weight/Age/Hometown/College/High School/Club
George, Tina, 55 kg, 23 yrs., Colorado Spgs, Colo., UCCS and UM-Morris, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, U.S. Army
Lamb, Lauren, 59 kg, 25 yrs., Farmington, N.Y., Cornell, Okemos, Mich., Michigan WC
Marano, Kristie, 67 kg, 23 yrs., Albany, N.Y., Hudson Valley CC, Albany, N.Y. (Colonie Central), ATWA
McMann, Sara, 63 kg, 22 yrs., Lock Haven, Pa., Lock Haven and UM-Morris, Marion, N.C. (McDowell), Sunkist Kids
Miranda, Patricia, 48 kg, 23 yrs., Colorado Spgs, Colo., Stanford, Saratoga, Calif., Dave Schultz WC
Montgomery, Toccara, 72 kg, 20 yrs., Cleveland, Ohio, Cumberland College, Cleveland, Ohio (East Tech), Sunkist Kids
Murata, Stephanie, 51 kg, 32 yrs., Colorado Spgs, Colo., California-Davis, Mercy, Calif., Sunkist Kids
Head Coach - Chris Horpel, Stanford, Calif.
Assistant Coach -Joe Corso, West Des Moines, Iowa
National Coach - Terry Steiner, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Team Leader - Art Martori, Phoenix, Ariz.
Coaching staff members - Dave Bennett, Colorado Springs, Colo., Tricia Saunders, Phoenix, Ariz., Eric Betterman, Maplewood, Minn.; Townsend Saunders, Phoenix, Ariz.; Kip Flanik, Williamsburg, Ky.
Trainer - Kat Koehler, Denver, Colo.
USA Wrestling staff - Rich Bender (Executive Director), Mitch Hull (National Teams Director), Gary Abbott (Special Projects Director)
U.S. Women’s team roster, by weight class
48 kg - Patricia Miranda, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Dave Schultz WC)
51 kg - Stephanie Murata, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
55 kg - Tina George, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
59 kg - Lauren Lamb, Farmington N.Y. (Michigan WC)
63 kg - Sara McMann, Lock Haven, Pa. (Sunkist Kids)
67 kg - Kristie Marano, Albany, N.Y. (ATWA)
72 kg - Toccara Montgomery, Cleveland, Ohio (Sunkist Kids)
Past World Medals from the 2002 U.S. Women’s World Team
Gold - Kristie Marano (2000)
Silver - Kristie Marano (1996, 1997, 1998, 1999), Patricia Miranda (2000), Toccara Montgomery (2001)