Women in Sports — The Need for Equal Access and Respect
by Karley Richards
The Women’s Club Hockey Team’s (1996) short displays a limited scoreboard and opportunities for women on the ice.
Women’s Hockey in Concord, NH
Women’s sports have been changing since they began. There used to be a point in time where it was believed that women could not participate in sports, let alone create and be a part of a team. In 1996 at Concord High School (Concord, NH) women’s hockey was a relatively new and exciting thing. Despite finally including women’s hockey to Concord High School’s programs it was only a Club Sport and not Varsity like the men. They played a limited number of teams, all local, and barely had enough money for jersey’s and other essential equipment. My Aunt Stacia was a senior on the Women’s 1996 Club Hockey Team. Her classmate Tara Mounsey played on the Men’s Varsity Team and went on to be on the United States Women’s National Hockey Team, winning a gold and silver medal. This would not have been possible if she had simply played on the Women’s Club Hockey Team at Concord High School.
Pictured above is my cousin Ayva Walsh. She currently plays youth hockey in Concord, NH, on a boy’s hockey team, for greater competition and opportunity. Next year she will play for the Concord High School Women’s Varsity Hockey Team. Her opportunities will be much more fruitful and plentiful than her mom’s in her athletic career. Credit: Sports Photographer.
Title IX
Until 1972, public schools could offer more athletic opportunities for male students than for female students. Although the federal act known as Title IX does provide more equity in athletics, it also assists those who are subjected to gender discrimination, sexual harassment and more. Unfortunately, recent attempts have been made to weaken Title IX, and the public should pay close attention to the changes to this important federal act.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) enforces, among other statutes, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. According to the OCR, “Title IX protects people from discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities that receive Federal financial assistance. Title IX states 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 Men’s Varsity scoreboard (1996) which is much longer and more extensive. Indicating a longer season with greater funds, and more ice time than the women.
My Aunt’s Story
My Aunt talked about the lack of recognition the women players on the club team received. It is very different then the attention her daughter, my cousin Ayva (seen above), will see as she joins the Women’s Varsity Hockey Team at Concord High School next school year (2020-2021).
Ayva talks about how while she does feel recognized and acknowledged as a female athlete, it is nowhere close to the attention male athletes still get over women.
“Today, there are more than 79,355 women registered with USA Hockey. What's even more noteworthy is the rate of growth in girls registering with USA Hockey. There are 33,236 girls 10 and under who are registered with USA Hockey.”
— The Ice Garden, Women’s Hockey News