TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — We have came a long way, though many will say there's still a long way too go.
Today marks the 50th anniversary of Title IX, the law that evened the playing field for women in sports.
At a panel on the University of Arizona campus Thursday, June 23, five former Wildcat athletes shared how 37 words, signed into law in 1972, granted equality to women in college sports.
"I was playing with women who wanted to play baseball when they were little but told no," said Arizona All-American and ESPN softball analyst Jenny Dalton-Hill.
And for Arizona Sports Hall of Fame inductee Kathy Krucker, who played sports before Title IX, today is a day to be celebrated.
"It was disappointing that we didn't get to take competition to the national level," said the former Arizona swimmer, volleyball player and softball player. "We just didn't know what we didn't have."
And while we've come a long way, there's still work that needs to be done.
"As an assistant coach I was making 11 thousand dollars and it didn't cover childcare to coach to do my job, so it wasn't the matter of if I wanted to coach, I couldn't coach," said Hill.
Arizona Women's Basketball Coach, who also played for the Wildcats from 1994–1998 and was name Pac-10 player of the year in 1997-98 said, "I hope that in 50 years my daughter can make as much as her male counterpart."
But until that day comes, Title IX has provided 50 years of steps in the right direction.
"If it wasn't for their sacrifices and them pushing to still play and finding ways, we wouldn't be doing what were doing today," said Barnes.
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Heidi Alagha is an anchor and reporter for KGUN 9. Heidi spent 5 years as the morning anchor in Waco where she was named the best anchor team by the Texas Associated Press. Share your story ideas and important issues with Heidi by emailing heidi.alagha@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
