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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 092 550 SP 008 143 AUTHOR Hoepner, Barbara J., Ed. TITLE Women's Athletics: Coping with Controversy. INSTITUTION American Association for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation, Washington, D.C. Div. for Girls and Women's Sports. PUB DATE 74 NOTE 120p.; Selected papers from the National Convention of the American Association for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation (Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1973) AVAILABLE FROM AAHPER Publications-Sales, 1201 Sixteenth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036 ($3.25 ea., 10 or more copies, 20% discount) EVES PRICE MF-$0.75 HC Not Available from EDRS. PLUS POSTAGE DESCRIPTORS Athletic Activities; Athletic Coaches; *Athletics; *Feminism; *Intercollegiate Programs; *Womens Athletics ABSTRACT This book is a collection of papers discussing controversial topics in women's athletics. Section one, "Overview--Women's Rights," includes articles on women's rights and equal opportunities in sports, the emergence of women in sports, and significant events in a century of American women's sports. Section two, "Women's Intercollegiate Athletics--Past, Present, Future," includes articles on the development of programs and on future directions and issues. Section three, "The Olympic Games," includes articles that discuss past Olympic meets and look forward to the games in Montreal. Section four, "Women in Athletics," includes articles on masculine obsession in sports, the full court press for women in athletics, and the environmental effect on women in athletics. Section five, "Welfare of Women in Sports," includes articles on anxiety levels experienced by women in competition, sociological aspects of women in sports, and women athletic trainers. (PD) Women's 1 1)171.1) B) Itaihar e 1 I loepner( liairnian Athletics: 1)(.\1's Public ations Coping With 66 15 Headier Ridge \\ .iv Controversy (),Akland ( alifornia91611 'MPUnh1011 for(idsand \\'omens Sports of die Amer(( an Association for !halth, I Ii5sical1 Alitcation, and lien reation A National Affiliate of tire National Education Association t' I VAm V hnor 111:1,6% NonnisMans *nag afFAithlelifx Vikwaan's AthletL aahper publications Copyright © 1974 AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR HEALTH, PHYSICAL EDUCATION, AND RECREATION A National Affiliate of the National Education Association Order from AAHPER Publications-Sales 1201 Sixteenth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036 AAHPER discount: 10 or more copies 20% PREFACE For many in att Iidance, "Women's Athletics" seemed to be the theme of the 1973 AAI' :Al National Convention in Minneapolis. Even though the official convention theme was "Unity through Diversity," every session I attended somehow commented on woman's role in society and her desire to participate in athletics. Thus the birth of the idea for this special publication. While it is true that many sessions sponsored by the Division for Girls and Women's Sports naturally centered on the problems of women in athletics, there were other areas that, suprisinglv, did so as well. To truly appreciate this phenomonon, one should realize that each session was designed by an individual, usually without consultation with other session planners, and there was only one such session each year. With this understanding, one can see how truly pertinent the topic of "Women's Athletics" is to us today. The History Area invited Betty Spears to speak on "The Emergence of Sport as Physical Education," and the talk dealt with women's, not men's, sports. The Philosophical and Cultural Area had as their topic, "The Women in Athletics." The speakers, Mimi Murray, Jack Scott, Jan Fe lshin, and Charlotte West divulged many insights into their experiences in this realm. The National Council of Secondary School Athletic Directors united with the Division of Men's Athletics to study "Women's Rights in Athletics." Mary Helling gave interesting views of a director of a State Interscholastic Athletic League about high school girls playing on "boys'teams and "girls'teams. The Therapeutic Council devoted their session to Holly Wilson, one of the few female Certified Athletic Trainers in the U.S., who spoke on women athletic trainers or the needs of female athletes for training personnel and services. The College and University Administrative Council devoted their session to "The Past, Present, and Future of Women's Intercollegiate Athletic Programs." They assembled the people who were most instrumental in the formation and direction of women's collegiate athletics today, Lu Magnusson, Jo Thorpe, Carole Oglesby, and Anita Aldrich. Our gratitude goes to those area Vice-Presidents and Chairmen-Elect who assembled this fine array of knowledgeable speakers. Women's athletics is a timely topic, the "now" problem for many in athletics. As the role of women in our society is changed, so is their place in athletics changed. This publication includes what is being said about women's athletics by knowledgeable athletes such as Olga Connolly, coaches such as Nell Jackson, and researchers such as Margaret Dunkle and Mary Roland Griffin. The women athlete, what does she want? Why does she want it? How is she going to get it? These are just a few of the questions answered in this publication. Barbara J. Hoepner Contents Overview Women's Rights Equal Opportunity for Women in Sports Margaret C. Dunk le 9 Women's Rights in Athletics Marvin He lling 20 The Emergence of Women in Sport Betty Spears 26 From Glide to Stride: Significant Events in a Century of American Women's Sport Richard A. Swanson 43 Women's Intercollegiate Athletics Past, Present, Future The Development of Programs Lucille Magnusson 55 The Relationship of DGWS to AIAW JoAnne Thorpe 59 Future Directions and Issues Carole Oglesby 64 Reflective Thoughts Anita Aldrich 69 The Olympic Games Past Olympic Reflections Nell C. Jackson 73 Looking Forward to Montreal Olga Connolly 76 Women in Athletics The Masculine Obsession in Sports Jack Scott 83 The Full Court Press for Women in Athletics Jan Felshin 89 The Environmental Effect on the Woman in Athletics Charlotte West 93 Welfare of Women in Sports Anxiety Levels Experienced by Women in Competition Mary Roland Griffin 99 Sociological Aspects of Women in Sports Betty Menzie 104 Women Athletic Trainers Holly Wilson 111 ( 0 Overview: Women's Rights r-- J .., Equal Opportunity for Women in Sports Margaret C. Dunk le MARGARET C, DUNKLE is a Hysearch Associate for the Association of American Colleges' Project on the Status and Education of Women. She follows the maze of federal legislation that pertains to discrimi- nation against female:: in athletics and physical education, and suggests preventive action. Perhaps all women athletes should be mountain climbers because the plight of women in sports programs is clearly an uphill struggle. Athletics is a sensitive issue for many people. Athletics both reflect and perpetuate the ideas people often have about what is right for boys to do and what is right for women to do, Sex stereotypes are often deeply ingrained and confronting them head-on can he difficult, Boys are supposed to be strong and aggressive, both physically and emotionally. Women, on the other hand, are supposed to be weak and passive, both physically and emotionally. So the myth goes, and myths die hard. Often, because these stereotypes or myths are so deeply ingrained, they may even be difficult to identify. When in doubt, a good rule of thumb is to substitute the word "black" for "girl." For example, when "I wouldn't want to compete against a girl" becomes "I wouldn't want to compete against a black," the discrimination becomes obvious. Similarly, "Women don't have what it takes to compete;" "Blacks don't have what it takes to compete." "Nothing is more humiliating than to be beaten by a girl;" "Nothing is M07,: nimiliating than to be beaten by a black." "No one will take a woman coac'i seriously;" "No one will take a black coach seriously." "Women coaches need less pay;" "Black coaches need less pay." When these changes are made, the discrimination sticks out like a sore thumb. Why aren't women encouraged in athletics? Perhaps, in part at least, because the traits associated with athletic excellenceachievement, aggressiveness, leadership, strength, swiftness, self-confidenceare often seen as being in contradiction with the role of'omen. For example, a judge in a 1971 Connecticut court case denied women the right to participate on a cross-country team, saying that: The present generation of our younger male population has not become so decadent that boys will experience a thrill in defeating girls in running contests, whether the girls be members of their own team or an adversary team.... Athletic competition builds character in our boys. We do not need that kind of character in our girls, the women of tomorrow.... 9 Now, women in educational institutions have the same protection against discrimination because of their sex as minority group members do because of their race. Now women in educational institutions, both employees and students, have legal protection against discrimination. Employment Legislation In January 1970, when the Women's Equity Action League filed the first charges of sex discrimination against universities and colleges, there were no laws that prohibited sex discrimination against women in education, faculty or students. Only the Executive Order applied, which forbade contractors from discriminating in employment. It was not enforced with regard to discrimination on the basis of sex. Sex guidelines had not been issued, and Order No. 4 which details the requirements for affirmative action plans did not include women; it applied only to minorities. Women have come a long way in the past three years, but there is much still to be done. The Executive Order forbids all contractors fromdiscrimination in employment.It doesn't affect students unless a student is also an employee. It is not law, but a series of rules and regulations that all federal contractors must follow.

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