Athletic director

Transcription

THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS A SPECIAL PRESENTATION OF THE BIG 10 NETWORK PRODUCED IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS. PEOPLE ASK ME INITIALLY, YOU KNOW, DIDN'T GRASP THE SCOPE. IT'S BECOME ABOUT SPORTS. FOR ME, IT’S EDUCATION. GOING TO GET THE GIRLS NOW. ON JUNE 23, 1972, PRESIDENT NIXON SIGNED AN AMENDMENT TO PREVENT SEX DISCRIMINATION IN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. ALTHOUGH SPORTS WERE NOT SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED, THE AMENDMENT WAS PERMANENTLY ALTER THE COURSE OF WOMEN'S ATHLETICS. IT BECAME KNOWN AS TITLE IX. PEOPLE INITIALLY DIDN'T GRASP THE SCOPE OF THAT. IF AN INSTITUTION IS RECEIVING THE FEDERAL FUNDS, THEY HAD TO COMPLY. WELL, THAT WAS A WAKEUP CALL. THE FIRST DIRECTOR OF WOMEN'S ATHLETICS AT ILLINOIS. I CAME TO ILLINOIS TO TEACH AND COACH. I WANTED TO BE. WHEN CAROL STARTED AT ILLINOIS IN THE LATE 1960s, THERE WERE 11 MEN VARSITY SPORTS AND NONE FOR WOMEN. MALE ATHLETES RECEIVE SCHOLARSHIPS AND PLAYED IN FRONT OF SELL-OUT CROWDS. FEMALE ATHLETES JOINED TEAMS AND PAID FOR ALL OF THEIR OWN EXPENSES. WE HAD INTERMURALS. WE HAD SOME PLAY DAYS WHERE YOU GATHER UP 15, 20 PEOPLE AND WENT AND PLAYED. CAROL WANTED WOMEN AT ILLINOIS AND ACROSS THE BIG TEN TO HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITY AS MEN. TITLE IX, YOU KNOW, IS WHEN PEOPLE WERE STARTING TO PLAY ALL OVER. AND SO I REMEMBER ONE OF THE THINGS THEY ASKED ME WHEN I WAS THINKING ABOUT TAKING THE JOB IS I MAKE FRIENDS EASY AND I SAID I ALWAYS HAVE. THEY SAID THEY'LL CHANGE HERE. MAY NOT LIKE YOU VERY MUCH. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES YOU DIDN'T HAVE AND YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD A PROGRAM HERE THAT YOU COULD BE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT. AT ILLINOIS, CAROL HAD TO BUILD A COMPETITIVE WOMEN'S SPORTS PROGRAM FROM THE GROUND UP. WHEN SHE STARTED, WOMEN'S ATHLETICS WERE PART OF THE P.E. DEPARTMENT. I THOUGHT THAT I HAD BEEN GIVEN A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY AT AN INSTITUTION THAT WAS VERY BRAVE. STARTED IN '74, THE BALL WAS ROLLING. AS ILLINOIS PREPARED TO HOST THE NCAA WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS, THESE ATHLETES ARE FOCUSED ON WINNING. BUT 40 YEARS AGO, THEY COULD NOT EVEN COMPETE. WHEN CAROL STARTED AT ILLINOIS, FEMALE ATHLETES WERE GIVEN NO SUPPORT. IN ORDER TO COMPETE WITH THE COLLEGE LEVEL, THEY NEEDED COACHES, UNIFORMS, AND ACCESS TO SPORTING FACILITIES THAT HAD REVIOUSLY BEEN FOR MEN ONLY. THEY ALSO NEEDED TO CHANGE PEOPLE'S MINDS. CAROL KNEW IT WOULD NOT BE EASY. WHEN ILLINOIS HIRED ME, STUDENTS STARTED COMING TO ME AND SAID WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT GETTING ATHLETICS. WORK FOR THIS PROGRAM, YOU WORK FOR THIS WOMAN. NOT SURE -- I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW SHE'S ONE OF THE LEADERS FOR TITLE IX. A LOT MAYBE COURTNEY. CAROL'S INTEREST IN SPORTS STARTED WHEN SHE WAS A YOUNG GIRL GROWING UP IN GEORGIA. MY DADDY DIED WHEN I WAS 10 AND MY MOTHER HAD TO GO TO WORK FULLTIME. SO I HAD TO BE ON MY OWN. I HAD A LOT OF FREE TIME.THEY KNEW WHERE I WAS AND WHAT I WAS DOING. GEORGIA HAD A LOT OF HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS FOR WOMEN. VOLLEYBALL, BASKETBALL, TRACK AND FIELD. EVERYTHING ABOUT SPORT, I JUST LOVED. AND I NEVER KNEW UNTIL I GOT TO ILLINOIS THAT THAT WAS NOT THE SAME EVERYWHERE. ILLINOIS AND THE STATE OF UTAH, I BELIEVE, FOR THE LAST TWO STATES I HAVE COMPETITIVE HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS FOR GIRLS. UNBEKNOWNST TO ME WHEN LAURA HIRED ME, SHE WAS REALLY LOOKED TO GET A FLAVOR OF INTERCOLLEGIATE SPORT IN ILLINOIS. SHE THOUGHT THAT WOMEN OUGHT TO HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY. AND I SPOKE TO A LOT OF GROUPS WHEN I FIRST CAME, PRINCIPALS OF HIGH SCHOOLS AND THAT KIND OF STUFF. AND THEY DIDN'T WANT FEMALES DOING SPORTS. WOMEN WERE SECRETARIES. NURSES. LIBRARIANS. AND TEACHERS. THAT WAS IT. IT'S JUST AMAZING. THEY THOUGHT IT WAS NOT HEALTHY. THEY THOUGHT WOMEN WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO HAVE CHILDREN. SHE IS ENGAGED, NEWLY MARRIED.. I HAVE A BUILT-IN OVEN A NEW REFRIGERATOR AND A PHONE IT WASN'T CONSIDERED LADY-LIKE.THAT WOMEN HAD A COMPETITIVE NATURE. FOR ME, I STYMIED THAT COMPETITIVE NATURE TO FIT IN WITH THAT LADY-LIKE EXPECTATION. I THINK OVER TIME THEY REALIZED THERE WERE COMPETIVE WOMEN AND SENSITIVE MEN AND THAT GENDER DIDN'T NECESSARILY DEFINE ALL OF THOSE QUALITIES. HEY, COME ON! PASS THE BALL! THAT'S RECKLESS. THAT’S THE SECOND TIME WE HAVE SEEN THAT, BUT WE -- WE HAVEN'T SEEN A CARD WE BROUGHT AN ATHLETES FROM THE '60s TO TALK TO OUR GIRLS. THEY TALKED ABOUT THAT THEY WEREN'T ALLOWED TO PLAY, ILLINOIS VERSUS PURDUE OR ILLINOIS VERSUS INDIANA. THEY HAD TO GO -- THEY WOULD GO ON THE TRIPS TOGETHER AS THE ILLINOIS VOLLEYBALL TEAM. AND THEY WOULD SHOW UP AND THEY WOULDN'T COMPETE AGAINST EACH OTHER. THEY THOUGHT IT WOULD BE BETTER TO TAKE TWO PLAYERS FROM ILLINOIS, TWO PLAYERS FROM INDIANA, TWO PLAYERS FROM PURDUE, PUT THEM ON THE TEAM. SO THEY WOULD MIX THE TEAMS SO THEY WOULDN'T BE TOO COMPETITIVE. IN THE LATE 1960s, THERE WERE OVER 35,000 UNDERGRADUATES ENROLLED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS WITH 1/3 BEING WOMEN. MOST WOMEN MAJORED IN EDUCATION AND LIBRARY SCIENCE, BUT VERY FEW IN ENGINEERING AND BUSINESS. THE EXPECTATION WAS THAT WOMEN CAME TO COLLEGE TO FIND A HUSBAND, NOT A CAREER. BUT CHANGE WAS COMING. ON CAMPUSES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, THERE WAS GROWING UNREST DUE TO THE CONFLICT IN VIETNAM. IN MAY OF 1970, ILLINOIS STUDENTS ORGANIZED A CAMPUS-WIDE STRIKE. THE ANTI-WAR PROTEST GREW INCREASINGLY VIOLENT. THE NATIONAL GUARD WAS CALLED IN AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED. REALLY A VERY UNSETTLING TIME. BUT I DIDN'T LIKE IT WHEN I GOT BOXED OUT OF GOING TO TEACH YOUR CLASSES BECAUSE THEY'RE HAVING A RIOT ON THE FRONT STEPS OF THE BUILDING THAT YOU'RE TEACHING. I THINK I HEARD LOTS OF THINGS ABOUT IT. I WAS A LITTLE ISOLATED FROM IT GOING OFF TO HIGH SCHOOL. AS THE VIETNAM WAR BEGAN WINDING DOWN, SO DID THE PROTEST. BUT THE STRATEGY OF CAMPUS ORGANIZING REMAINED A POTENT WEAPON FOR CHANGE IN AMERICA. OUT OF THE ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT, GREW THE WOMEN'S RIGHTS MOVEMENT. WOMEN WANTED TO CHANGE HOW THEY WERE TREATED UNDER THE LAW AND HOW THEY WERE SEEN BY SOCIETY. BUT CHANGE WASN'T EASY.WOMEN WERE JUDGED BY THEIR BEAUTY, NOT BY THEIR ACADEMIC INTEGRITY OR ATHLETIC ABILITY.IN 1972 MOST PEOPLE DIDN'T REALIZE THAT TITLE IX WOULD FORCE UNIVERSITIES TO GIVE WOMEN A CHANCE TO SUCCEED IN NEW WAYS. WHEN I FIRST HEARD IT BEING PROPOSED THAT I THOUGHT OH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO THINK ABOUT THIS. I THINK IT PROBABLY WASN'T REALLY UNTIL I REALIZED THERE WAS A GROUNDSWELL OF THINGS THAT WERE REALLY WORKING IN MY FAVOR TO GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY THAT MAYBE WOMEN BEFORE ME HAVEN'T HAD. TITLE IX PASSED, STUDENTS WERE EXCITED TO COME AND BE A PART OF THAT, VERY APPRECIATIVE.DIDN'T ASK FOR A LOT.DIDN'T WANT A LOT.JUST WANTED AN OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY AND COMPETE. ILLINOIS WANTED TO GIVE WOMEN THE OPPORTUNITY, BUT THEY WEREN'T SURE HOW TO DO IT. UNIVERSITIES HAD TO BE IN COMPLIANCE OF TITLE IX BY JULY OF 1978. ONE STEP WAS MOVING WOMEN'S SPORTS THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION THROUGH THE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT. THE OTHER WAS HIRING CAROL. ALTHOUGH HER TASK WAS GREAT, SHE WAS NOT GIVEN MUCH DIRECTION. IT WAS KIND OF FUZZY FOR A WHILE ACTUALLY AT WHAT LEVEL YOU WERE GOING TO TRY TO COMPETE THEN ONE DAY IN A BOARD MEETING, I SAID WHAT IS THE UNIVERSITY EXPECTING. THEY SAID WE WANT TO BE REPUTABLE AND WANT TO WIN OUR FAIR SHARE. BUT WE REALLY HAVEN’T THOUGHT ABOUT IT. THERE WAS A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY IN BEING IN COMPLIANCE.THAT WAS THE WAKEUP CALL. CAROL HAD A BUDGET OF $82,000. BUT IT WAS A SMALL AMOUNT TO FUND SEVEN WOMEN'S TEAMS. THE BUDGET FOR MEN'S SPORTS WAS OVER $2 MILLION. BUT THEY ALSO HAD TWO REVENUE-GENERATING SPORTS, FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL. CAROL'S FIRST PRIORITY ON THE JOB WAS MAKING SURE FEMALE ATHLETES HAD EQUAL ACCESS TO TRAINING FIELDS AND EQUAL FUNDING FOR TRAVEL.AT FIRST, THERE WERE NO SCHOLARSHIPS.GIVING FEMALE ATHLETES SCHOLARSHIPS REMAINED CONTROVERSIAL. IN 1975, FEMALE ATHLETES STARTED TO GET TUITION WAIVERS. BUT UNLIKE THE MEN, WOMEN WERE ONLY ELIGIBLE FOR THREE YEARS.AND THEY ALSO HAD TO MAINTAIN A HIGHER GPA. ANGERED BY THE DOUBLE STANDARD. TWO FEMALE TRACK ATHLETES THREATENED TO SUE. FIRST DAY ON THE JOB MESSAGE CAME UP FROM CAMPUS SAYING YOU NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THIS.OH, MAN. THE LAWSUIT AT ILLINOIS WAS PART OF A NATIONAL TREND OF FEMALE ATHLETES PUSHING THEIR SCHOOL TO BE IN COMPLIANCE.COMPLAINTS WERE FILED AGAINST THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, WISCONSIN, AND MINNESOTA.THE MAIN GRIEVANCE OF THE ILLINOIS ATHLETES WAS THAT THE UNIVERSITY WAS SPENDING FOUR TIMES MORE ON MEN'S SPORTS THAN ON WOMEN'S SPORTS. THEY WANTED TO MOVE IT ALONG A LITTLE FASTER.YOU KNOW, THEY WANTED EVERYTHING OVERNIGHT.THEY WANTED FULL SALARIES FOR THE COACHES.THEY WANTED FULL DOLLARS FOR THE PROGRAMS TO RUN.THEY WANTED THE BEST SCHEDULES THAT ANYBODY COULD BUY. AND WE WANT IT NOW. WHEN THE ILLINOIS LAWSUIT WAS SETTLED OUT OF COURT, THE BUDGET FOR THE WOMEN'S SPORTS WAS TRIPLED. AS A RESULT OF THAT, I IMMEDIATELY HAD THREE COACHES THAT WENT FULL TIME. TO SUSTAINED THE INCREASED FUNDING FOR WOMEN'S SPORTS, SOMETHING WOULD HAVE TO GIVE THE BATTLE FOR TITLE IX WAS FAR FROM OVER. AS SOON AS TITLE IX TOOK EFFECT, LAWMAKERS ON CAPITOL HILL TRIED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO IMPLEMENT A NEW LAW, AN INSTITUTION TRIED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO PAY FOR WOMEN'S SPORTS. , IT WAS SOMETHING ALL THE TIME.COMING DOWN THE ROAD AND TRYING TO CHANGE WHAT IT WAS.THEY WANTED TO PROTECT FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL. THEY GOT NERVOUS WHEN ALL OF THE MONEY THAT'S GOING TO BE INVOLVED BRINGING IN WOMEN'S SPORTS IN A COMPARABLE WAY OF MEN'S SPORTS. IN AMERICA, FOOTBALL IS KING. FROM GRADE SCHOOL TO HIGH SCHOOL TO COLLEGE. IT MAKES UNIVERSITIES MONEY. IT MAKES TELEVISION NETWORKS PROFITABLE. AND IT HELPS PRESIDENTS GET ELECTED. IN 1974, SENATOR JOHN TOWER OF TEXAS INTRODUCED AN AMENDMENT WHICH WOULD EXEMPT REVENUE PRODUCING SPORTS FROM TITLE IX COMPLIANCE.THE TOP FOOTBALL COACHES IN THE COUNTRY WENT TO WASHINGTON, D.C. TO TESTIFY IN FAVOR OF THE TOWER AMENDMENT. THEY INCLUDED ILLINOIS'S BOB BLACKMAN, NEBRASKA'S TOM OSBORNE AND MICHIGAN'S BO SHEMBLECKER. IT WAS SUPPORTED BY THE NCAA AND THE BIG 10 CONFERENCE. EVEN WITH POWERFUL SUPPORT, THE POWER AMENDMENT FAILED TO GET OUT OF COMMITTEE. TO FIGHT WITH TITLE IX. THE NUMBER OF FOOTBALL SCHOLARSHIPS IN ILLINOIS WAS REDUCED AND MORE WERE GIVEN TO WOMEN.BUT MONEY WAS STILL AN ISSUE. ATHLETES AND COACHES IN MEN'S NONREVENUE SPORTS WONDERED IF THEIR BUDGETS WOULD BE CUT TO MAKE WAY FOR WOMEN'S SPORTS. I'M THE LITTLE GUY. I'M 5'2". THERE ARE FEW SPORTS WHERE A LITTLE GUY CAN PARTICIPATE.AND IF SPORTS ARE GOOD FOR BIG GUYS, THEY'RE EQUALLY GOOD FOR LITTLE GUYS. TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMPETE. WOMEN'S BASKETBALL, VOLLEYBALL. THEY GET FULL SCHOLARSHIPS. MEN GET PARTIAL SCHOLARSHIPS WHEN I WAS AT BYU IN MEN’S VOLLEYBALL WE DROPPED MEN’S WRESTLING AND GYMNASTICS. AND BLAME WAS PLACED ON WOMEN'S SPORTS. MEN'S SWIMMING AND DIVING HERE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AND FENCING WERE ELIMINATED. FENCING REPORTED TO ME AND I HAD TO TELL THE TEAM ART SHANKIN HIS SPORT WAS CANCELLED., IT WAS VERY, VERY DIFFICULT. IT WASN’T BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T SUCCESSFUL. FINANCES HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT. ANOTHER THING, FENCING DIDN'T HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL TEAM IN THE STATE. IT WAS ALL CLUBS. > ILLINOIS KEPT ALL OF THE MEN’S SPORTS UNTIL 1993. IT WAS UNFORTUNATE THAT TITLE IX GOT THE COMPLAINTS OF CUTTING DOWN MEN'S SPORTS AND THAT KIND OF THING, IT REALLY WASN'T TRUE.IT REALLY DIDN'T HAPPEN THAT WAY. TITLE IX DIDN'T FORCE ANYONE TO TAKE AWAY FROM MEN'S SPORTS.WHAT IT FORCED THEM WAS TO LOOK AT THE BUDGET DECISIONS AND MAKE SURE THEY WERE PROVIDING THE SAME KIND OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN AS THEY WERE PROVIDING FOR MEN. I WAS ON THE FIRST WOMEN'S TEAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA.WE TRAVELLED WITH THE MEN'S TEAM.WE HAD THE SAME COACH. WE WOULD TRAVEL.THE MEN WOULD STAY TWO TO A ROOM AND THE WOMEN WOULD STAY FOUR TO A ROOM. WE WOULD BE AT THE TOURNAMENT ATTHE END OF THE SOPHOMORE YEAR IN COLLEGE AND YOU CAN IMAGINE THE HOW THESE UNIFORMS FIT ON A GROUP OF MUCH SMALLER WOMEN. BACK IN THE OLD DAYS, THE FACILITIES WERE NEVER UP TO SNUFF.I I HAD 18 PEOPLE GET THAT DEAL OUT THERE TO MOW THE GRASS ON THAT FIELD OUT THERE BECAUSE YOU COULDN'T PLAY ON IT. FIRST VOLLEYBALL MATCH THE COACH HEBERT HAD HAD 25 PEOPLE. AND THEY WERE MOSTLY WORKER BEES. KENNY GYM DIDN'T HAVE BLEACHER SEATS. HUFF DIDN’T HAVE BLEECHER SEATS AND I NEEDED THEM, I HAD TO HAVE FANS SIT SOMEWHERE. I MADE IT MY BUSINESS TO MEET AS MANY PEOPLE AS I COULD RIGHT AWAY. I WENT TO ALL THE ALL OF THE SOCIAL EVENTS. I HAD TO HAVE A GROUP OF 120 YEARS, RUN TRACK, CROSS-COUNTRY DURING THOSE YEARS. WE MADE IT A PRACTICE NOT TO OVEREMPHASIZE WINNING. WE REALLY DID NOT HAVE AN IDEA WE WOULD BE THAT GOOD OR NOT GOOD. BUT I KNEW THAT WE COULD BE. KAROL WANTED ONE OF THE BEST FOR HER SPORTS. SHE FOUGHT LIKE A TIGER TO GET EVERYTHING SHE COULD FOR WOMEN'S ATHLETICS. I ADMIRE HER FOR THAT. ANY PROGRAM THAT DEVELOPS THINGS THAT START HAS GROWING PAINS. THE WORLD OF COLLEGE ATHLETICS HAS THOSE THEMES. IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE A PIONEER, IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE PUSHING TO CHANGE THINGS, YOU HAVE TO RUSTLE SOME FEATHERS. YOU HAVE TO PUSH. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE TOUGH. I DIDN'T LIKE PEOPLE TO SAY YOU CAN'T DO THIS .YOU WON'T BE ABLE DO IT. NOBODY IS GOING TO SUPPORT YOU NO ONE WANTS TO SEE THAT. BUT ALL OF THOSE THINGS INVOLVE CHANGE AND SOMETHING NEW. OVER TIME, AS YOU WOULD EXPECT, CHANGE DOES OCCUR. IN THE 1980s, THE BIG TEN CONFERENCE AND THE NCAA STARTED INCLUDING WOMEN'S SPORTS. BUT THEY WEREN'T AS POPULAR. CAROL KNEW SHE NEEDED TO GET MORE PEOPLE TO THE GAME. STARTED SOME THINGS THAT INTRODUCED PEOPLE. PEOPLE BECAME EXCITED. GETTING AN AUTOGRAPH FROM THE PLAYERS, LITTLE KIDS LOVE THAT. ONE TIME ON CAMPUS SO PEOPLE WOULD KNOW WHO THE STUDENT ATHLETES WERE, GIVE THEM A NAME TAG THAT HAD THEIR SPORT ON IT AND THEIR NAME. SO WHEN THEY WENT TO CLASS, OTHER PEOPLE COULD KNOW WHO THEY ARE. DR. KAHRS WAS SUCH AN INNOVATOR. VOLLEYBALL IS A SPORT THAT YOU DON'T THINK A LOT ABOUT PUTTING ON THE RADIO. THE INTENSITY OF A MATCH, IN OLD KENNY GYM WHERE PEOPLE ARE PILED ON TOP OF EACH OTHER IT WAS A UNIQUE EVENT, SPORTING EVENT. IT WAS NEW, DIFFERENT. WE NEEDED TO HAVE THE MEDIA. NOBODY ELSE HAD IT. SO I WENT TO THE RADIO STATION AND TALKED TO THEM AND THEY WERE NOT INTERESTED. AND I SAID WHY ARE YOU NOT INTERESTED. AND THEY SAID, WELL, IT'S NOT WORTH THE MONEY. I SAID WELL, HOW MUCH MONEY IS IT WORTH? HE SAID, WELL, ABOUT $8,000. I WENT AND TALKED TO TWO PEOPLE. HAD $8,000, GOT IT ON THE RADIO. NOT TO ANYONE APPRECIATION DOWN THERE, I CAN TELL YOU. PUTTING THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS ON WOMEN'S SPORTS HERE WAS A PRECEDENT SETTER. DURING CAROL'S TIME IN ILLINOIS, WOMEN'S SPORTS GREW WITH THE ADDITION OF SOFTBALL. CAROL SECURED THE FUNDING FOR THE WOMEN'S SOFTBALL FIELD. SHE ADDED WOMEN'S SOCCER IN 1997 AND OVERSAW THE CONSTRUCTION OF ILLINOIS'S $7.2 MILLION DOLLAR BIELFEDLT -ATHLETIC ADMINISTRATION BUILDING. CAROL IS ONE OF MANY WOMEN WHO PAVED THE WAY FOR ME TO HAVE THE EXPERIENCES THAT I HAD BOTH AS AN ATHLETE AND NOW PROFESSIONALLY AS A COACH. A LOT OF PEOPLE CALLED ME A PIONEER IN WOMEN'S ATHLETICS. I HAVE TO SAY IT'S BECAUSE OF WOMEN LIKE THIS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU HAVE NOW OF THE THINGS THAT -- IT'S AN EMPOWERED GENERATION. I TELL THEM DR. KAHRS IS ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO MADE THE WORLD BETTER FOR YOU. NOW YOU NEED TO GO OUT AND MAKE THE WORLD BETTER FOR SOMEONE ELSE. I SEE SO MANY CHANGES THAT TOOK PLACE OVER MY LIFETIME. AND I KNOW THAT TITLE IX HAD AN IMPACT. COLLEGE WOMEN SPORTS IS SOMETHING THAT THE POSITIVE EXPERIENCE, NOT JUST FOR THE WOMEN WHO DO IT, BUT A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE IN TERMS OF IMPACTING OUR WORLD. TODAY'S FEMALE ATHLETES HAVE NEVER KNOWN A WORLD WITHOUT TITLE IX. THERE ARE NOW 14 WOMEN SPORTS IN THE BIG TEN CONFERENCE. THE CONFERENCE ALSO STARTED THE BIG TEN NETWORK WHICH AIRS 1,000 SPORTING EVENTS IN A YEAR. THE FIRST NATIONAL NETWORK COMMITTED TO THE EQUALITY IN COVERAGE OF COLLEGE SPORTS. BIG TEN SHOWED THE WAY, OBVIOUSLY THE BIG TEN NETWORK HAS PLAYED A HUGE PART OF THAT. IT'S CHANGED THE WHOLE GAME. I RECEIVED AN E-MAIL FROM A COACH IN ARIZONA THAT SAID ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT WE ALL GET EVERY WEDNESDAY AND WATCH BIG TEN VOLLEYBALL. IT'S EXPOSURE ACROSS THE NATION. I HAD AN ATHLETE HERE WHO'S PAVING THE WAY FOR SURGEONS. THIS IS THE SAME PERSON PEOPLE WHO NOW FEELS EMPOWERED TO PAVE THE WAY IN ORTHAPEDIC SURGURY. THE ATMOSPHERE AND ATTITUDE TOWARD WOMEN'S ATHLETICS HAVE CHANGED. IF YOU'RE A GIRL, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE JUST LIKE THE BOYS. ILLINOIS DID NOT FORGET THE CONTRIBUTION OF HUNDREDS OF FEMALE ATHLETES WHO COMPETED BEFORE TITLE IX. IN 2003, THEY WERE INVITED BACK TO CAMPUS. OVER 200 WOMEN RETURNED AND EACH OF THEM WAS AWARDED A VARSITY LETTER. FOR DECADES, THESE WOMEN HAVE PLAYED SPORTS, NOT TO BE PIONEERS, BUT FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME. THE PRECEDING PROGRAM WAS PRODUCED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE BIG 10 NETWORK.