They were warned.
They were given an explanation.
Nevertheless, they persisted.
Meet the ‘kick-ass’ Muslim sporting pioneers
We were fortunate to meet an inspiring few who never saw their uniqueness as a barrier to achieving top-level success. Yet the overriding sense was that in order to reach that higher level, the onus was on them to adapt to their environment.
First up was the Muslim Women’s Sport Foundation’s new trustee and former rounders international, Dana Abdulkarim.
This is a beautiful poem by basketball player and poet, Asma Elbadawi
Also:
Also: Liberty become first New York sports team to have float in city’s pride parade
Also: WNBA Team Causes Storm of Interest with Planned Parenthood Partnership
And: Are Women Equal in America? A Look At Title IX’s Impact 45 Years Later
For those of us born in the years since, it’s easy to overlook the fact that the basic, fundamental fairness of the law wasn’t always a given. “When I was a kid, I couldn’t figure out why we didn’t have any woman lawyers and doctors,” says tennis champion and feminist icon Billie Jean King. “But then I found out later the classroom quotas in those graduate programs only allowed for five percent to be women. Without Title IX, we’d still have those quotas.”
And oh, by the way: New reports find little progress on 45th anniversary of Title IX
According to the report, which was commissioned by the NCAA’s Committee on Women’s Athletics, the Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee, and the Gender Equity Task Force, the numbers of female head coaches and athletic directors have actually declined in the last 45 years.
For some, this finding may come as a surprise. Although Title IX was not explicitly designed to increase female participation in athletics, that has been one of its most visible effects. But at the same time, it seems likely that these increases in female participation have also driven more men towards coaching women’s teams.
Forbes: How Title IX Inspires Former WNBA Players To Pay It Forward
In 2001, Catchings and Riley entered the WNBA as first-round draft picks – being selected by the Indiana Fever (3rd overall) and the Miami Sol (5thoverall) respectively. Cash followed in 2002 and was drafted 2nd overall by the Detroit Shock.
While charting new territory as professional athletes, they quickly discovered that the equitable treatment and benefits afforded to collegiate athletes under Title IX do not extend to professional sports; keeping their fledgling league afloat would mean doing more than excelling on the basketball court.
As a result, Catchings, Cash, and Riley set out to learn the business side of professional basketball by becoming strong advocates within the players’ union – because that is where change could happen.
Flashback: Title IX: Sharing the Wealth – May 2007
Scanning the 35 years that separate the passage of Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 and Don Imus’ insulting remarks about the Rutgers basketball team, you can hear echoes of women’s basketball’s history. For instance, in a recent profile for the Women’s Sports Foundation, Rutgers coach C. Vivian Stringer admitted she never envisioned being a coach. “I wanted to play,” said Stringer. “I would have played the rest of my life.” But, continued the piece, in the mid-’60s, organized basketball for girls in her hometown of Edenborn, Pa., did not exist. Instead, girls were expected to be cheerleaders. “You were a second-class citizen,” recalled Stringer. “Not that you weren’t able to [play basketball]. You weren’t allowed to. I remember this one grandmother telling her daughter that girls would have knots in their legs if they played. That’s a shame, because it made you ashamed to play.”
Imagine that. Ashamed because you wanted play.
Also: Kyrie Irving after WNBA game: ‘I cannot wait for my daughter to grow up and idolize’ them
Take that, “Stick to Sports” people.
Speaking of persisting, as Sue notes, “Slowly, all of these persistent players are being profiled.” From the NY Times: For WNBA’s Oldest Rookie, a Lot of Persistence Goes a Long Way
Stockton Record: Chelsea Gray: St. Mary’s grad healthy, busting out
Really, I should get teams/players to play me to express concerns about them: Inside the W with Michelle Smith: Sun On the Rise
From The Day: Sun remain a constant in an arena that continues to thrive
This is exciting – and must be a huge relief for Diggs to finally bust out: Skylar Diggins-Smith hits franchise record 7 3-pointers to lift Dallas over San Antonio
Watch out: Maya Moore is rediscovering her scoring touch.
From Sue: What retirement? Alana Beard burning up the court in her 12th season
Truth: WNBA legend Sue Bird: Athletes who don’t embrace sports tech are idiots. (BTW: VERT Adds First Women’s Basketball Program Mississippi State)
I wonder what she thinks about a league that can’t effectively manage its social media? Though, there are some hits: From sleek graphics to hilarious video, WNBA All-Star voting brings out the best in promotions. And, in case you were wondering: Imani Boyette ranks WNBA team social media accounts.
But don’t forget: UConn’s Chris Dailey On Social Media: ‘You Have One Reputation’
Have you listened to-supported “Burn It All Down.”?
Listen up! Basketball legend Tamika Catchings
Howard Megdal is joined by Tamika Catchings, whose number will be retired by the Indiana Fever on June 24. The two take a stroll down memory lane, through Tamika’s favorite moments from a truly incomparable career.
About the fabulous Catch:
- Tugs and tears: Tamika Catchings’ jersey retired in emotional ceremony
- Fever retires Tamika Catchings’ “24” during halftime ceremony
- Tamika Catchings went from scared to be at home in Indy, now she’s being honored
- Tamika’s Next Move
- Retirement doesn’t slow former WNBA standout Catchings
More Listen Up! LaChina Robinson is joined by WNBA’s Devereaux Peters
to discuss Diana Taurasi’s historic moment, if Taurasi is the GOAT (greatest of all time) and Tamika Catchings’ jersey retirement.
Which, of course, means ESPN asks: Rank ‘Em: The best women’s basketball players of all time
I don’t have a problem with this: Now the WNBA’s scoring leader, is Taurasi women’s basketball’s best ever? Why? Because Being the best teammate possible is more important to Diana Taurasi than WNBA scoring mark
There’s no question mark here: Brewster: Chino’s Diana Taurasi is the best women’s basketball player ever in US (and I appreciate the qualifier) Also, she’s inexorably linked with another great: Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird, WNBA Stars, Keep Longtime Friendship
Soooooo…Who’s got next? Who will challenge Diana Taurasi’s scoring record?
For folks who don’t remember the history of players in the W: I lived in fear.’ Former WNBA star Ruthie Bolton says she escaped a violent marriage
‘Tonight may be the night he kills me,” Ruthie Bolton remembers thinking as her husband called to her from their living room.
“Get in here,” he said. “I’m not going to ask you again.”
From the kitchen, she could see him sitting with a gun in one hand and a beer in the other.
International
*Musical lede* “Where ya going? Barcelona. Oh.” (No, I haven’t purchased flights yet… but I will!) FIBA: Europe’s five FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup qualified teams confirmed
Belgium, France, Greece, Latvia and Turkey became the first countries to qualify for the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2018, joining tournament hosts Spain and Olympic champions USA.
Fan Rag: How EuroBasket Women is currently affecting the WNBA BTW: Overseas Report: Meesseman, Lyttle Dominating EuroBasket
NCAA:
Yup, that timing was sure a surprise: Diamond DeShields not returning to Lady Vols Who knows what her future holds. It’s hard to predict, considering her talent and track record…
Illinois State: Reinhardt: Gillespie’s early efforts foster optimism
Gillespie had 10 players back from last season’s Illinois State women’s basketball team. The rub was that team won only eight of 31 games before the former Lewis University coach was hired to revive the downtrodden Redbirds.
“We were not going to just add bodies,” said Gillespie. “We were going to make sure if we signed anyone late, they would live up to our character standards and be impact players. We were not looking for someone to develop.”
Schedule: MTSU, Vanderbilt women to meet in opener thanks to coaching change
More schedule: UConn women’s basketball returning to MLK Day, will play Texas
Quack? Shouldn’t it be meow? Women’s basketball freshmen are ‘little ducklings’ as they adjust to life as Arizona Wildcats
And: Arizona women’s basketball recruiting: 5-star forward Valeria Trucco commits to Wildcats
Also: Arizona women’s basketball: Wildcats add Washington transfer Aarion McDonald
Rebuilding is tough: Women’s basketball: Nebraska lands top 100 post for 2017 recruiting cycle
Change is tough: University of Delaware women’s basketball loses highly regarded recruit
Reflection entering KBA’s sixth year: Michigan moments 60-56: NCAA championship run, women’s basketball’s first All-American
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