With the 50th anniversary of Title IX in June, the Cascade Collegiate Conference takes a look at how it has impacted those in the CCC.
CORVALLIS, Ore. – On June 23, 1972, President Richard Nixon signed a civil rights law called Title IX into effect that states, “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.”
While Marisa Hagerty might not have been born yet, it was a law that would shape her life before she even knew it.
Growing up, Hagerty played sports, something that
wasn’t so common 50 years ago.
“My parents have always valued being active and a big part of that has been sports,” said Hagerty. “As a kid, they allowed me to try a lot of different sports and see what I enjoyed. I started playing golf in high school. My mom really encouraged me towards it, as she has loved playing it, and has a group of friends she plays with every week. I took to it quickly and spent an entire summer really focusing on growing as a player and practicing every day. I really liked being able to see my progress clearly in my scores, and that I was able to grow as an individual player and was not completely dependent on a team.”
Hagerty’s love for golf grew and as her high school days were winding down, she didn’t know getting an education while playing was an option until her coach started the conversation.
“I started later than many people do, I had not fully considered that there would be an opportunity to play golf in college,” said Hagerty. “My senior year, my coach and a few other players and I started discussing it. I realized that there were many more opportunities than I had realized. I began looking around at schools, but I wanted to be close enough to home to visit for major family milestones, because I am very connected with my family.
Hagerty decided on Walla Walla University, which was 200 miles away from her hometown of Coeur D’Alene, Idaho, and became the first collegiate athlete in her family.
“I am the first to play at the college level,” said Hagerty. “My parents have been very supportive and encouraging. They are thrilled that I can continue to play and pursue both golf, and academics at the same time. They attend tournaments when possible and have been very supportive in any way they can be.”
“My biggest inspiration is my mom,” added Hagerty. “She always pushed me to continue in sports and encouraged me to work hard and do my best. I have seen her work hard to be where she is today, and she has always been an amazing role model.”
While 50 years ago was just the beginning of opportunities for women to compete in college sports like the men – and
there was still room for growth – Hagerty loves being a woman in sports.
“I think it is about being able to grow and thrive in something you are passionate about,” said Hagerty. “Having the opportunity to compete in something you have worked hard at and demonstrate your efforts and time. I think that many women have just as much passion for sports and it is a great thing to be able to compete and work hard to grow within the sport.”
However, Hagerty,
like others before her, recognizes there are still challenges women face.
“I think that biggest challenge women face in sports is that it is not as talked about or recognized as men's sports,” said Hagerty. “Many young women don't fully realize the opportunities that are available today in their sports, because it is not as openly discussed. There are more and more sports and teams for women in college and as it grows there are so many opportunities that need to be more readily recognized and discussed with younger athletes.”
Hagerty hopes to see that conversation continue to grow and see more and more women in sports, to continue seeing progress on Title IX.
“My advice [to young girls wanting to play in college] would be to work hard and focus on your love of the sport,” said Hagerty. “If you love it and are willing to work hard, you can get so much further in your sport. And, that there are so many more opportunities than you realize and while they may not be obvious, if you begin looking and talking to people there are so many options available. My biggest tip for these discussions is ask lots of questions, you never know what answer you will receive, and sometimes new people will have insights you might not have expected.”
There has been a lot of change for the better in collegiate sports thanks to Title IX over the past 50 years, but there is always room for more.