A Lady Living in a Titan World

Overall I have to say that I am pretty pleased with the way my project turned out. I am still a little disappointed for not getting Marge Walker for this documentary but other than that I am pleased. I hope that when you listen to it, you get a sense of what some of the women back then had to deal with and go through just to get the oppurtunites that men had at that time. It never occurs to women my age that at one point women were not allowed to play sports or the fact that most schools didn't offer any. But the good news is, because of the years that women have been playing, it is safe to say that the sports are not going anywhere anytime soon.

Thanks to Title IX and the women who fought to get women's sports going, we have to thank. I also want to thank all my interviewers, my professor Mr. Weaver for giving me the oppurtunty to do this project and to my project mentor Katie Miller, for keeping me on track and helping me accomplish this project. Last but not least I want to thank the Broadcast Communications Department at Westminster College for the skills to produce this documentary.

Women Athletes and Title IX

“Title IX sounds like a new novel, but actually it is a law which is 30 years old and is still not being completely enforced. But if it were a book it would be called “Women Not in Sports Through Ages.”

In 776 B.C the first Olympic Games took place in ancient Greece. They consisted of a footrace run through the length of the stadium by men. Women were not allowed in the stadium. In the year 2000, 10,000 athletes from around the world, nearly half of them women, competed in the XXVII Modern Olympics. In the years between those two events the athletic powers that be of course, should have figured out that many women are physically strong, athletic and share the same passion for sports as men do. All they wanted was to experience the competition.

There were a few brave athletic women who stood their ground and present women athletes have these women to thank. In 1884, women were finally allowed to compete in the singles at Wimbledon. In 1900, 19 women competed in the Olympic Games in tennis, golf, and croquet. In the 1930’s Babe Didrickson Zaharias burst on the American athletic scene excelling in track, swimming, tennis, baseball, and golf.

Then finally in 1972, over thirty years ago, Congress passed Title IX and President Nixon signed the bill. It said nothing about women’s rights, but it would eventually turn the sport world upside down.” So as of today, not too many court cases have been filed because of any violation of Title IX. As for the future, it is safe to say that trying to eliminate any sports would be impossible because of the popularity of them.

http://www.henreittahay.com/women

More on Marge Walker

All Westminster Athletes attend an awards ceremony at the end of the school year sometime in May which are known as the WESPY Awards. For those who are unaware of these awards, they are held by the Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC) which are given for student scholar athletes. One of the most honorable wards is the WESPY award, which is given to the top-single event athletic performance by a Titan male and a female athlete of the year. This award is voted on by the entire campus community so it is an honor to be awarded it.

Another award given to an athlete is the Marjorie A Walker Award. This award established in 2002 by the Department of Athletics to honor and acknowledge those individuals who best exemplify the quality of fairness, sportsmanship, leadership, determination, and competitiveness, as demonstrated by Marjorie Walker. Marjorie Walker was a physical education professor at Westminster, the head volleyball coach and the Associate Director of the Athletic Department from 1962 to 1992.

On the same note as the Marjorie A Walker Award, the David B Fawcett Award was established in 1986 by the Fawcett family to honor and acknowledge those individuals who best exemplify the qualities of fairness, sportsmanship, leadership, determination, and competitiveness as demonstrated by David B Fawcett. He graduated in 1923, who was also an athletic and a member of the College Board of Trustees. Another organization Marjorie Walker was involved in was The Towering Titan Organization from 2008 to current.

In the fall of 2003, the Marjorie A Walker Recreation Center was dedicated on the lower level of Old 77 on the Westminster Campus which includes a wide variety of recreational and aerobic equipment for the students as well as a dance studio and tennis table. Old 77 gymnasium which is the facility which features an indoor running track, which is named in honor of the Titan men’s basketball team, who won 77consecutive games over a 10 year span before moving the team to the Memorial Field House in 1951.

Kipp Haas

Kip Haas is a former professor of physical education and basketball and field hockey coach. It was her and Marjorie Walker who are responsible for getting women's programs at Westminster running. She said that Marge was in charge and she was her side kick. She goes on to explain what it was like not being able to play sports in high school for the simple reason that they did not have them, but later became a coach. She explains to me that when she started here at Westminster, coaching was just another part of the job. "When they did the hiring, you were hired to be a coach as well, but coaches are not what they are today. They just threw you in there. I was unable to interview Marge Walker because of health reasons, so I obtained all the necessary information from Kip Haas on behalf of Marge Walker.

Assistant Athletic Director and Head Volleyball CoachTammy Swearingen

Tammy Swearingen is currently the assistant athletic director along with being the head volleyball coach. She remembers coming to Westminster and having to deal with Title IX issues as a coach. She also remembers a situation in high school when the junior varsity boys team was given priority in the gym over the varsity girls team. Title IX was established at the time, but not strictly enforced. Swearingen then preceded to the athletic director’s office because of the Title IX violation. She says from that situation they started to take Title IX seriously. Swearingen goes on to say, "we are not just girls anymore; we are the varsity team so we get to use the big gym that we play our games in." Other than that, Swearingen hasn't dealt with too many problems dealing with Title IX.

Neal Edman

Dean of Student Affairs Neal Edman touches up on the rules and regulations of Title IX. But the one thing that is more concerning to him is what is best for the students and what the needs are of the students. "Are we providing what they want, but the question is how much do they really want it? Some students said they would participate in a sport if we offered it, but they also said that it wasn't a big deal that we don’t offer it. And if we did offer it, some of them wouldn't play it anyway, so what is the purpose. Most of them are satisfied with the varsity sports that we do provide, but they are satisfied with the intramurals that we provide too. If there would be a problem though, we would have to take measures to make sure it is in the best interest of the students."

Title IX Basics

The 1979 Intercollegiate Athletics Policy Interpretation divides athletic issues into three major categories to be analyzed for compliance: sports offerings, scholarships, and everything else, which includes 11 program areas. The three categories are: Accommodating of interest and abilities (sports offered), Athletic Financial Assistance (Scholarships), and other program areas (everything else—(11 program areas also known as the laundry list. This list includes, equipment and supplies, scheduling of games and practices, travel and per diem allowance (dollar amount of meal per player) tutoring, coaching, locker rooms, practice and competitive facilities, medical and training facilities, and services, housing and dining facilities and services, publicity, support and services, and recruitment of student athletes.
Under each of the program areas, compliance is determined by weighing several factors, which are listed in Policy Interpretation. This allows institutions great flexibility in providing benefits and services to female and male athletes. Men’s and women’s teams may be provided different benefits as long as a balance of benefits in the overall women’s and men’s programs is provided.

Executive Director Joe Onderko

This week I interviewed Joe Onderko who is the Executive Director of the Presidents' Athletic Conference or known as the PAC. He graduated from Robert Morris College where he obtained a Bachelor of Science and Business Administration Degree. He later received his Masters in Education from Westminster College. He was the sports information director at Westminster for over 11 years. He says he really enjoyed promoting titan athletes and coaches. As the Executive Director he tells me he has two jobs. First, he is a Commissioner as well as the Sports Information Director of the PAC. While his time at Westminster came to an end with a great opportunity that presented itself to be the Executive Director he says that he never really thought of leaving Westminster. During this interview Joe Onderko discusses what times were like when he started at Westminster and also his views on Title IX.

Marjorie A Walker

For Westminster Athletes, at the end of the spring semester they have to attend an award show which are known as the WESPY Awards. And for those who are unaware of these awards, they are held by the Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC) which is given for student scholar athletes. One of the most honorable wards is the WESPY award, which is given to the top-single event athletic performance by a Titan male and a female athlete of the year. This award is voted on by the entire campus community so it is a great honor to be awarded it. Another award given to an athlete is the Marjorie A Walker Award. This award established in 2002 by the Department of Athletics is to honor and acknowledge one female athlete who best exemplifies the best quality of fairness, sportsmanship, leadership, determination, and competitiveness, as demonstrated by Marjorie Walker. Marjorie Walker was a physical education professor at Westminster, the head volleyball coach and the Associate Director of the Athletic Department from 1962 to 1992. Another organization Marjorie Walker was involved in was The Towering Titan Organization or known as TTO from 2008 to current.

On the same note as the Marjorie A Walker Award, the David B Fawcett Award was established in 1986 by the Fawcett family to honor and acknowledge a male athlete who best exemplifies the qualities of fairness, sportsmanship, leadership, determination, and competitiveness as demonstrated by David B Fawcett. Like Marjorie A Walker, David B Fawcett is very active in the community. He graduated in 1923, who was also an athlete and a member of the College Board of Trustees.

In the fall of 2003, the Marjorie A Walker Recreation Center was dedicated on the lower level of Old 77 on the Westminster Campus which includes a wide variety of recreational and aerobic equipment for the students as well as a dance studio and tennis table. Old 77 gymnasium which is the facility which features an indoor running track, which is named in honor of the Titan men’s basketball team, who won 77 consecutive games over a 10 year span before moving the team to the Memorial Field House in 1951. For my capstone, I plan on interviewing Marjorie A Walker on her history at Westminster and he knowledge of the rules and regulations of Title IX.

Jim Dafler on Title IX

Jim Dafler is the Wesminster College Athletic Director. He has been at the college for over twenty years. He first started out as the assisstant basketball coach, and then worked his way up to A.D. If there is a problem in the Athletic Department Dafler is the guy to contact. "He loves his job and couldn't of had a better job", he says. He sat down and explained to me all the rules and regulations of Title IX when dealing with the athletic department.

Rules and Regulations of Title IX

On June 23, 1972 Title IX was enacted and stated that “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance. The most public face Title IX receives is from high school and collegiate athletics, but the original statute made no reference to athletics.”

“Title IX is administered by the Office of Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Education or the (OCR). It applies to an entire school or institution if any part of that school receives federal funds. This means that any athletic program is subjected to Title IX.

In 1979, the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, under President Jimmy Carter’s administration issued a policy interpretation from Title IX. This interpretation includes the “three-prong test” of an institution’s compliance”.

First, the institution must provide athletic opportunities that are substantially equal to the students’ enrollment. In other words, if there are one thousand students and half of them are student athletes than there has to be roughly two hundred and fifty female athletes and two hundred and fifty male athletes for this rule of apply. But most institutions cannot make this rule, because it depends on how many students want to join an athletic team. Plus if there is a football team at the institution, that team alone makes up almost half of the two hundred and fifty males required, and that is only one sport.

Second, there has to be a continuous expansion of athletic opportunities for the underrepresented sex. At our school females would be the underrepresented sex, with a sixty one to forty nine ratio. The way that our school has solved this problem is by taking a survey which explains to mostly students who are not on a sports team, that if there is a sport that Westminster does not provide, then with enough numbers, they can try to open more opportunities for them. For example, when they take this survey, if there is enough votes to start a racquetball team, then the Athletic Department will decide if they should allow the game of racquetball to become a varsity sport.

The third and final part of this test is the institution has to fully accommodate the interests and abilities of the underrepresented sex. So if the men’s basketball team gets new warm up suits every year then so should the women’s basketball team.

The idea of Title IX is still a very controversial topic especially when it comes to athletics. However, the fact is, it increases the participation opportunities for the underrepresented sex in sports. The increase was higher in high school sports than collegiate sports, but either way, sports have changed dramatically for women because of Title IX.

Http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TitleIX

Three Strikes and You're Out

This year marks Coach Jan Reddinger's thirteenth season coaching the Westminster Softball team. In her first season coaching the Westminster softball team in 1997, Reddinger’s team compiled a 22-21 record while completing its fifth consecutive conference/district title. The winning continued in 1998, as Westminster tallied a sixth straight conference/district crown and a trip to the NAIA Northeast Regional tournament in Rutland, Vt. For the season, the Titans posted a 24-18 mark.

While earning coach of the year honors in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC), Reddinger guided the 2007 team to a 24-15 record and an 11-1 league record. The Titans qualified for the postseason for the fourth time in seven seasons when they received a bid to the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III South Championships.

Reddinger has a Bachelor of Arts degree in physical/health education from West Liberty State College, where she played both softball and basketball. She also earned a master’s degree in physical education/sports administration from Eastern Illinois University.

Coach Reddinger sat down with me and explained her views on Title IX. She also explains how it has helped women's sports to expand and how the act helped her personally.