Author: Michael Ursu
A recent New York Times article discussed a series of studies concerning how high school and varsity athletics impact young women. The correlation was largely positive. The article states, “A large body of research shows that sports are associated with all sorts of benefits, like lower teenage pregnancy rates, better grades and higher self-esteem.” The results of this research are particularly significant given the difficulty some colleges have had complying with Title IX.
Title IX is a law which states that no one be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of or subjected to discrimination under any education program on the basis of sex. Enacted over four decades ago, its implementation continues to be a problem at universities throughout the nation, including Oxy. Just six years after the law’s enactment, the percentage of women participating in team sports rose from four percent to 25 percent. Now, with the release of the aforementioned studies, the importance of Title IX compliance continues to escalate.
Betsey Stevenson, an economist at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, recently conducted state-by-state study to discern whether the positive effects of sports are the result of direct athletic involvement or an innate characteristic in women who later demonstrate an interest in athletics. Subsequently, Stevenson found that an increase in sport participation due to Title IX is directly correlated to women’s educational advancement and a 40 percent rise in employment for women 25-34 years old.
The beneficial effects of Title IX are widespread among female athletes at Oxy. Women’s soccer player Charlottle Bromley (first-year) believes that participation in athletics has directly contributed to her academic success as a college student. “Sports do increase my abilities as a student in some ways because it forces me to learn good time management and how to work with people,” she said. “And that will most likely be helpful later on in jobs . . . It also gives you self confidence, which always helps.”
Amber Fandel (senior), member of the women’s rugby club team on campus, also believes that sports are a stress outlet that can ultimately lead to professional and personal growth. “[Sports are] definitely a release, a sort of less intellectual, more physical type of release,” she said. “But the skills learned in athletics can be used in a professional and intellectual setting for sure.”
Other female athletes feel that playing team sports not only leads to better cooperation with others, but also instills in them a sense of perseverance and motivation – an invaluable skill in the acquisition and retention of a career. Volleyball player Elke Teichmann (first-year) believes that this “gung-ho” attitude instilled in her by her athletic coach has increased her ability to “work efficiently and slack less.”
Given the role athletic involvement plays in the lives of women, the enforcement of Title IX gains gravity. Title IX compliance at Oxy has, in the past, posed a problem for the athletics department. In June 2005, Occidental received an “F” in Title IX compliance and since then, the college has been working toward better female representation in the athletics department. The adoption of new women’s varsity sports and an increase in monetary commitment toward these sports has brought the campus closer to Title IX compliance. In addition, Oxy now offers 11 varsity sports for females in comparison to the 10 offered for men.
Jaime Hoffmann, head of the athletics department, is optimistic about Occidental’s ability to effectively implement Title IX. “We are consistently moving toward compliance,” she said.
“We have added opportunities for female participation by sponsoring new varsity programs in women’s lacrosse and golf and enhancing the female rosters in other sports through active recruitment of female prospects.”
Benefits of the enforcement of Title IX spread across the board of the educational spectrum, and the college is steadily increasing gender parity in terms of athletics. “We are mindful of Title IX and compliance with each opportunity to improve the athletic department,” Hoffmann said. “We are committed to the quantity, quality and equity of opportunities that we offer all of our student athletes.”
Additional reporting by Lizeth Castillo.
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