the last word

THE LAST WORD

BY KATHY WAGONER

TITLE IX BROUGHT OPPORTUNITY TO WOMEN’S ATHLETICS, BUT BIG CHALLENGES REMAIN

As a 1970 high school graduate, I had no formal opportunities to be coached, nor to participate in athletics. With the passage of Title IX in 1972, however, girls and women were finally given a seat at the table, but not without a difficult period of growth and development.

With the formation of the National Association for Girls and Women in Sports (NAGWS) and the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) came an explosion of opportunities for females as athletes, coaches and administrators. Finally, there were the so very important athletic role models sending the message that not only could women compete but we could also lead!

Women had the opportunity to develop our own model of sport, one based on opportunity and fair play. Girls were finally reaping the physical, social, mental and emotional benefits that come from athletic participation.

Unfortunately, our success and growth led to difficult decisions for colleges and administrative organizations. The AIAW was taken over by the NCAA, which meant not only the loss of the female model of sport, but a dramatic loss of leadership and coaching opportunities for women. This loss of role models has been devastating for young girls, as they don’t see athletics as a career opportunity, nor do they see strong women as leaders. We are currently in a downward spiral, with fewer female coaches and young girls dropping out of athletics at earlier ages.

It appears to me that the model of overcompetitive-

ness is not working for our young athletes. High levels of anxiety, eating disorders on the rise, and dropout rates by both girls and boys are all signs that we are moving in the wrong direction. With the recent addition of NIL (Name, This loss of role Image and Likeness) contracts for college models has been athletes, we have entered a very dangerdevastating for ous, slippery slope for young developing young girls, athletes and their coaches as they now try to navigate million-dollar deals. Just as they don’t stop and think of that in terms of Title see athletics IX! Sure, there will be some top female as a career athletes who will receive these lucrative opportunity, nor do they see deals, but many, many more male athletes will receive bigger contracts leading to a further wage gap. strong women I urge you as parents, athletes and as leaders. spectators to help lead us back to a more just and healthier model of athletics that is about opportunity, a diverse group of leadership role models, fair play, sportsmanship, less specialization and, above all, more fun for our children. I congratulate Monmouth College for celebrating the 50th anniversary of Title IX and offer a big shoutout to all of the former Monmouth athletes and students who touched my life with such joy and passion. Kathy Wagoner is a 35-year veteran of higher education, having served as head softball coach and volleyball coach at both Monmouth and Knox colleges, as well as coaching basketball and tennis at Monmouth. A member of the M Club Hall of Fame, she also taught physical education and health classes at both schools and served as associate director of residence life and housing at Monmouth.