The language of Title IX does not include any mention of sports. It does not include any mention of women. It does not include any mention of athletics, the NCAA or any other athletic institution.
But sports, women and the NCAA are what Title IX it is all about. It is also something that Long Beach State had embraced long before the law passed.
Since Congress made Title IX into law 40 years ago as a part of the Education Amendments of 1972, high school and college sports have been revolutionized. Federally funded schools are required to provide equal opportunities for men and women on and off the field.
The law faced strong resistance nationwide, as the NCAA claimed that it was illegal and many lawsuits followed. That was not a problem in Long Beach, however, where the city and university were years ahead of the country in promoting equality among the sexes in sports.
In 1962, a full decade before the passing of Title IX, LBSU fielded its first women’s basketball team. Two years later, female volleyball players were representing the 49ers on the volleyball court.
In 1965, when LBSU put together a women’s tennis team, the school had six men’s teams and three women’s teams. This was unheard of during a time when the NCAA held a championship for women in only one event – skiing.
Fast-forward 47 years to 2012. LBSU currently fields ten women’s teams and seven men’s teams. The softball team just won its seventh Big West title and the sand volleyball team advanced to the NCAA finals in its inaugural season.
Men’s basketball and baseball get most of the attention, but LBSU’s women’s sports have arguably been more successful – of the eight national championships won by LBSU since 1972, seven were won by women’s teams.
“Our university and our administrators do a great job of staying compliant and keeping things fair and equal,” softball head coach Kim Sowder said. “We get what we need to be competitive, and we’re always doing our best to improve the facilities.”
Sowder has been affected by Title IX not only as a coach, but as a player. She was a star shortstop for the 49ers between 1989 and 1992 before returning as head coach in 2007.
“It’s given myself and a lot of others opportunities they wouldn’t have otherwise had,” she said. “When I was playing, there was only one assistant coach [for the softball team]. Positions have grown. Now more women are able to make a living coaching.”
The softball team now has three assistant coaches, two of which are women.
The biggest and most profitable sports are still those played by men. But Title IX has had so much influence on United States athletics that for the first time in history, the USA Olympic Team is comprised of more women than men.
Without Title IX, LBSU’s football team may have avoided being cut back in 1991. But with Title IX, LBSU was able to develop star volleyball talents like Misty May-Treanor and Tayyiba Haneef. Both will be representing the United States and the 49ers in London this year.