This coming Wednesday, February 6th marks the anniversary of National Girls and Women in Sports day (NGWSD). Title IX Education Amendments were enacted by Congress almost 35 years ago as well, and according to the timeline published here, the work continues today in assuring equality for women’s sports.

I hadn’t thought that much about the significance of this piece of history, until I spoke to a fellow and much more seasoned Girls on the Run leader from another chapter. She told me about playing on her high school boys’ soccer team with her hair wrapped in a bandana. She successfully stayed a part of the team until one game when an opposing team member tore the bandana from her head. I pondered what could have possibly motivated that young woman to break the rules and participate in something where she wasn’t generally welcome. It was through her sheer determination that she was made to live that moment in time and evolve in it. That determination continues today as she introduces athletics to hundreds of girls each year.

I didn’t realize the significance of Title IX even for myself. Growing up in Portland, Oregon I had access to just about any sport imaginable. Conversely, a friend of mine of the same age moving from Southern California to the Wood River Valley as a freshman in High School was mortified to learn that her love of dance would not be able to continue. Her options were now limited to skiing (Southern California didn’t provide the opportunity to start skiing at the age of three like many who grew up here) volleyball or softball. Title IX played its part here in the Wood River Valley as well, but due to the ruralness of our area it took a bit longer to ‘come of age.’ Today however, young girls growing up in the valley have even more access to not only world class alpine and nordic skiing, but all expressions of dance (supported by two different dance companies), nationally and internationally competitive soccer clubs, hockey, gymnastics, ice skating, basketball, golf, tennis, track, cross country, and swimming.

One woman raised in the Wood River Valley, who developed a love for running and won many accolades was Holly Hobson. During her years at Wood River High she won State in the 800 meters, and still holds the 800 meter record today. She went on to Concordia University, Irvine on a full scholarship for track and cross country. There she was a four-time All American and held two school records. In the last three years she has qualified for the USA Cross Country Nationals as well as the USA Track Nationals. Currently, she is training for the 2008 Olympic Trials to compete hopefully in the 800 meter. She shared with me what running has brought to her life:

“I started running when I was 10. I remember my parents signed me up for track outside the elementary school in Hailey and we used to run around the soccer fields for practice! Being a part of a team always gave me so much confidence. I learn a lot through my running and that carries over to help me with relationships, school, work… etc. I think it’s so important for young girls to have that confidence.”

Statistics show that If a girl does not play sports by the time she is 10 years old, there’s less than a 10% chance she’ll be playing when she’s 25. According to NGWSD, The Department of Education has made a major change to Title IX policy that threatens to reverse the progress women and girls have made in sports. The Department’s latest “Clarification” ignores longtime policy and years of court rulings by telling our daughters they have to prove they are interested, while male athletes have never had to prove their interest in order to receive athletic participation opportunities.

Start local, give your time and your heart to young girls of the Wood River Valley! Do what you can with your time, as a parent, a coach, educator or youth leader, to help girls grow up to be strong, confident women.

Girls on the Run coaches just being girls!