grrrls and sports

REMIGINO-KNAPP, center, the athletic director for West Hartford schools, stands with other female coaches for the district: Pam Moffo, from left, Susan Startzman- Daly, Sue McAuliffe Curnias and Kathy Walling. Remigino-Knapp was a student at Hall High School when female coaches staged a boycott in 1971 to fight to be paid for their work in the West Hartford schools. A year later, Title IX would help pave the way for further equality for girls and women in athletics. (MARC-YVES REGIS I)

i went to hall. i went around that time period as well. i hated sports (and to this day i hate MOST sports exept for my beloved red sox. oh ok, i like hockey too and perhaps the celtics in their heyday) in high school. i hated them with a passion. i did play field hockey and was good at it. goalie. as far as i can remember, that's about all we played among other schools. i don't think we played basketball or baseball, or similar sports. there is no reason GRRRLS can't play competitive sports in high school if they want to. they SHOULD have every equal opportunity boys do. we're MORE than cheerleaders.

i was quite the rebel when i was in junior and high school. i know i was SICK of playing golf in high school (to this day i HATE it so much i cannot even express it accurately). i don't remember if i was a sophomore or junior (i don't think i was a senior) but i decided to do something for me and all the other grrrls in all of the other high schools. i tried out for the boys basketball team. i was NO good. that was NOT the point. i didn't want to make the team. i wanted THEM to know i should have the SAME chance of playing on a team that competed against other schools as any other student. penis or not.

even back then i was a rabelrouser. of course they kicked me out of the gym but i felt good and i think i made THEM feel more uncomfortable (i'm good at that).

(oh and i remember ms rosenkrans too! a shout out to her)

Female Coaches Played Hardball A Year Before Title IX, Boycott Led To Wages

By LORI RILEY, Courant Staff Writer

Betty Remigino-Knapp's father won the gold medal in the 100-meter dash at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki. Her mother grew up with a tennis court in her backyard and played football and baseball with the boys in her neighborhood. Lindy and June Remigino encouraged their four daughters to play sports, but there was little offered for girls in West Hartford in the 1960s.

When Betty entered Hall High School in the fall of 1969, she played some field hockey and basketball and ran track. But the sports were a far cry from girls high school sports today. The schedules and travel were limited. The girls wore the same uniforms for all three sports. There was a "girls gym" - smaller, no bleachers, no scoreboard - and a "boys gym" - bigger, with bleachers and a scoreboard.The girls didn't complain. They were just happy to be able to participate........