A TOAST TO A SPORTS MILESTONE MEASURING TITLE IX STRIDES, SHORTFALLS.Byline: Susan Abram Staff Writer Sue Enquist remembers what it was like - the jeers jeer v. jeered, jeer·ing, jeers v.intr. To speak or shout derisively; mock. v.tr. To abuse vocally; taunt: jeered the speaker off the stage. from the stands when she walked onto the baseball field as the first female in California to play on a boys team. She remembers the the spring of 1975, when she and members of her college softball College softball is softball as played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education, predominantly in the United States. College softball is played by women at the intercollegiate level, whereas college baseball is played by men. ``club'' had to wear the men's track team practice jerseys because they didn't have uniforms of their own. By the next season, the women got their own uniforms. And they were called a team. ``I'm a direct recipient of Title IX,'' said Enquist, who has been the head softball coach for UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX for 27 years. ``Being the first woman in California on a boys baseball team was controversial back then. And (in college) if it had not been for Title IX, we would not have gone from club status to being called a team.'' Women athletes will gather today in Sacramento as guests of Assemblywoman Jenny Oropeza Jenny Oropeza is the California State Senator for the 28th district which includes the cities of Carson, El Segundo, Hermosa Beach, Lomita, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, and Torrance; the Los Angeles communities of Cheviot Hills, Del Aire, Harbor City, Harbor Gateway, Lennox, Mar , D-Carson, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of California implementing Title IX, the measure that prohibits sex discrimination in education, including athletic programs. The athletes will discuss strides made under measure, how sports launched them into successful careers. But they also address issues still prevalent in female athletic programs, such as discrimination, homophobia homophobia Psychology An irrationally negative attitude toward those with homosexual orientation, or toward becoming homosexual. See Closet, Gay-bashing, Heterosexism. Cf Gay, Homosexual, Phobia. and steroid use. ``It's hoped the call for full enforcement of existing law will drive home that much remains to be done on the 34th anniversary of adoption of Title IX and the 20th anniversary of a similar state effort,'' Oropeza said in a statement. While Enquist believes female athletes are viewed differently now than when she was growing up, she still hears the horror stories about inequities on high school playing fields. ``I'm very aware that on a collegiate level, we have made excellent strides,'' Enquist said. ``But on a state recreation level and high school level, it's embarrassing. We need to start making our local governments in park and recreation accountable for the inequity that is glaring.'' One recent example includes a class-action lawsuit filed in 2004 by members of the Alhambra High School This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims. Please help Wikipedia by adding references. See the for details. This article has been tagged since August 2007. This article is about the school in Alhambra, California. softball team who claimed they were barred from using the boys facilities. ``The boys were playing in a mini-Dodgers Stadium, and the girls were playing in a small bare field with trash and rats,'' said Katie Buckland, executive director the California Women's Law Center in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. . ``It was a glaring violation.'' On Tuesday, a federal judge approved a settlement between the district and the four plaintiffs. The school must improve its facilities for girls' athletics, including developing two new softball fields and equalizing access to one of its gyms. Last year, a Santa Clarita Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, softball dad claimed the William S. Hart Union High School District was violating federal laws because the girls squad practices on a field off-campus while the boys practice on their own field. But district officials have said they are not violating Title IX laws. ``The softball fields are going to be built as part of a future modernization phase,'' said Pat Willett, spokeswoman for the district. ``The girls are practicing on the public parks field that is contiguous to the school,'' she said. ``It's not a boy or girl thing. It's not unusual for our teams to practice off-campus.'' While sports advocates say more work is needed to equalize e·qual·ize v. e·qual·ized, e·qual·iz·ing, e·qual·iz·es v.tr. 1. To make equal: equalized the responsibilities of the staff members. 2. To make uniform. opportunities for women and girls, Enquist is pleased with how much has changed since she was that San Clemente High School There are at least two schools named San Clemente High School:
``In this generation it's cool to be an athlete,'' Enquist said. ``Women athletes are no longer an outcast out·cast n. One that has been excluded from a society or system. out  cast like they were
many years ago. We now embrace the female athlete and we celebrate her
growth, but I use caution with that statement because we're still
not where we need to be.''
Susan Abram, (818) 713-3664 susan.abram(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: ``In this generation it's cool to be an athlete. Women athletes are no longer an outcast like they were many years ago.'' - Sue Enquist Head softball coach for UCLA |
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