In addition to working to maintain a strong Title IX and a comprehensive public policy agenda, the Women's Sports Foundation responds to hundreds of calls and e-mails asking for help with specific gender equity situations. Read about some of the people we have helped.
Published: November 15, 2007
Coach Seeks to Overcome Budget “Hurdles” (Va.) A coach contacted the Foundation regarding funding for his track and field teams. At his school, each sport has its own booster club to raise money. The football also receives money from concessions and raffle tickets sales, which enables it to purchase shoes, t-shirts and warm-ups for its players. When the track coach asked for additional funds for warm-ups, the school refused because it stated it did not fund those items. This coach wanted to know if this denial was a violation of Title IX and if budgets and funds for women's and men's teams must be equal. The Advocacy Department explained to him that under Title IX schools have an obligation to ensure that overall benefits and amenities provided to women's and men's teams are equal, regardless of the funding source for those amenities (such as booster clubs). We sent him
Playing Fair, a resource that explains Title IX rules and regulations to help athletes, coaches, parents and others better analyze their school's athletic programs, and
Steps to Take to Get Gender Equity, a resource that gives activists a detailed, step-by-step plan for achieving gender equity. We also referred him to our Web site to fill out our online assessment tool to see if his school is in compliance with Title IX. This situation is pending.
Parent Searches for Solutions to Daughter's Abusive Coach (Va.) A parent contacted the Foundation regarding her concerns with the verbal abuse of her daughter's volleyball coach. This volleyball player is a captain and one of the top two players in the conference. This fall she was diagnosed with mono and told she needed to rest and not play. The coach was very upset that this player went to the doctor and informed her it was her fault she had mono and took her status as captain away. He told her that she was a disappointment to the team, as a leader and a player, and was selfish for her actions. The coach said that she let the team down because, now that she could not play, they would not win the conference championship. This coach also stated that he was going to take her scholarship away and she would never play volleyball again. The Advocacy Department advised this parent that verbal abuse in sports should not be tolerated and that she should bring the issue to the attention of the athletic director and other administrators to protect her scholarship and prevent future abuse. We also suggested getting support from other players, parents and the community to try to stop this abuse from continuing. We sent her
Addressing the Issue of Verbal, Physical and Psychological Abuse of Athletes: The Foundation Position, a paper that explains what constitutes verbal and psychological harassment and how athletes and parents can stand up for the athletes' rights and
Steps to Take to Get Gender Equity. This situation is pending.
Father Concerned With the Verbal Abuse From Daughter's Coach (S.D.) A father contacted the Foundation regarding problems that his daughter is having with her volleyball coach. This coach has left her out of meetings and camps, made comments about her being the worst player on the team and made her wear a different jersey than the other girls. She has been assigned a libero jersey, which means she can only substitute for a player in the back row. However, only one libero is allowed per game, and his daughter does not start at this position. Therefore, if another girl is playing that position, his daughter has no chance to play. Most teams only have one girl wear this jersey and have the second-string libero wear a regular jersey. However, his daughter was not assigned a regular jersey and feels discriminated against because everyone knows that she will not play. This father met with the principal, superintendent, coaches and school board, but nothing was resolved. He feels that his daughter is being verbally abused. The Advocacy Department informed him that the best way to approach this situation is to try to get support from teachers, players, parents and community members; and educate them on why this is wrong; and try to address the athletic department and school board again. We also sent him
Addressing the Issue of Verbal, Physical and Psychological Abuse of Athletes: The Foundation Position and
Steps to Take to Get Gender Equity. This situation is pending.
Parent Challenges Discriminatory Funding (Calif.) A parent contacted the Foundation regarding the funding that the school provides for his son's team. A couple of years ago, the school started an independent program, Pay to Play. This program collects fees from all athletic participants and then distributes the funds to the booster clubs that sponsor each sport. The booster clubs then allocate the money to the team's coaches to provide for their budgets. Since this has occurred, the cost of playing has increased and is causing a decrease in female participation. In 2003-04, 3% more boys were participating in sports than girls, but now the gap is 17%. The parent thinks this change is because of the high costs to play the sports. Additionally, a few years ago, the school eliminated all freshman teams, except for three boys' teams. The Advocacy Department informed this parent that a Pay to Play system is not an excuse for gender discrimination. A school still has an obligation to comply with Title IX and provide comparable participation opportunities to boys and girls and provide access to equal quality amenities and benefits. We sent the coach information on filing a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights (OCR),
Playing Fair and
Steps to Take to Get Gender Equity. This parent has since filed a complaint with the OCR. This situation is pending.
Mother “Digs” Into Equity Issues A mother contacted the Foundation regarding her daughter being cut from her volleyball team. Her daughter had been playing volleyball for years on various teams, including her current high school team. This year, the coach cut her and another senior from the team because of space and uniform issues. This mother stated that no other team cuts its players and currently, the football team is able to uniform and support more than 100 players. The Advocacy Department explained that under Title IX a school cannot operate a different cut policy for boys and girls sports. We suggested that she discuss this situation with the athletic director, principal or even the superintendent and find out the reasoning behind cutting players and the school's policy on the situation. We also sent her
Playing Fair and
Steps to Take to Get Gender Equity and directed her to our online assessment tool to evaluate her school's compliance with Title IX. This situation is pending.
Sister Challenges Verbal Abuse (Va.) A sibling contacted the Foundation regarding her sister's assistant coach and the comments she makes to the girls on the squad. As an alumni of the squad, this sibling wanted her sister to have the same experience as her, but instead, she has experienced verbal abuse from the coach. This coach has told the girls that they need to lose weight because they are not able to perform the same stunts as they did before gaining weight. This comment upset the cheerleader and her family, and they would like to see this coach stopped or even removed so that she cannot continue to promote unhealthy self-images in the girls. The Advocacy Department advised her to meet with school officials to make them aware of this situation and try to pursue change in the school on a policy for screening, selection and ultimate employment of coaches to avoid this in the future. We also informed her that getting support from members of the squad, their families and community members can be very important and helpful. We sent her
Addressing the Issue of Verbal, Physical and Psychological Abuse of Athletes: The Foundation Position and
Steps to Take to Get Gender Equity. This situation is pending.
Mother Combats Verbal Abuse (Ill.) A mother contacted the Foundation regarding the treatment of her daughter on the cheerleading squad. This past summer her daughter missed some non-mandatory practices, but did participate in camp and all practices that she could. At the first football game, the coach punished her and informed her she could not cheer because she missed those practices. Further, during homecoming week, the coach did not tell her daughter of a change in the practice schedule so she had to miss practice because of a work conflict. The coach blamed the daughter for the conflict and told her that she needed to choose which activity was more important. This daughter has also been yelled at for wearing a letter jacket and needing to use the restroom during games. The coach usually disciplines the cheerleaders in public, in front of the crowds. The mother is worried that this bullying will cause her daughter to quit the cheerleading squad. The Advocacy Department sent her
Addressing the Issue of Verbal, Physical and Psychological Abuse of Athletes: The Foundation Position and
Steps to Take to Get Gender Equity. We explained that these actions could be considered harassment and abuse by not allowing the girls to use the restroom and by publicly embarrassing them. We explained that meeting with the athletic department and expressing concerns is the first step. We also suggested getting support from other squad members, parents and the community who may have witnessed these events. This situation is pending.
Father “Tackles” Unequal Funding (Calif.) A father contacted the Foundation regarding the funding that his daughter's team receives. He explained that each person must pay to participate in the athletic program. Most sports receive money from booster clubs, but all the money goes in a general fund, and the athletic director disburses the funds to where he sees fit. However, this athletic director is also the football coach, and this father believes that football is receiving a disproportionate amount of funding. Recently, parents of other sports have been informed that there is no budget to support travel for away competitions. However, the football team has a budget that supports its transportation. Also, the father is concerned because the coach for the team has no coaching experience and hardly attends practices and cancels them for other things. Other sports have qualified coaches who practice on a regular basis. This father wanted to know how to determine if his school is in compliance with Title IX. The Advocacy Department explained to him the three basic parts to Title IX: participation, scholarships and other benefits. We then informed him that he must compare the treatment of the boys' athletic program as a whole to the girls' athletic program to see if the benefits they receive are equal. We also explained that Title IX requires schools to provide both its girls' and boys' teams with coaches of equal experience, quality and comparable training. We sent him
Playing Fair and
Steps to Take to Get Gender Equity. This situation is pending.
For a full copy of the Advocacy Monthly Report, contact the Advocacy Department.Please help fund our advocacy work.