How women are making their own space in sports. story by Charlotte Zombro
photo and design by Katrina Nolan
Washington State has long been on the forefront of women’s sports. With Seattle Reign FC having boasted top names in soccer such as Megan Rapinoe, Hope Solo and Lauren Barnes and the Seattle Storm being widely considered one of, if not the best team in WNBA history, it is easy to see that the girls in the Pacific Northwest get it done. But beyond star players and great stats, what does it mean to be a woman athlete? Beyond that, what 52 | SPORTS
does it mean to be a female fan? Is it the same old story of kicking back with a beer, a barbecue and your bros for Sunday night football? Or is it grabbing some margs with your girls and waiting for the first pitch?
EVENING THE PLAYING FIELD Prior to the passing of Title IX in 1972, women athletes were almost
contribution by Katalina Villarreal guaranteed to be picked last, if at all. Even after the passing of the article, which prohibits sexbased discrimination in education (including athletics), many schools utilized the six year grace period to its fullest extent, neglecting to implement women’s programs until 1978. Title IX made it possible for universities such as CWU to foster a more robust athletics community