----- Forwarded Message ---- From: G.R. <[email protected]> To: GR omni <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, April 2, 2009 3:59:08 PM Subject: Title IX - Death of Wrestling, Swimming, Tennis, Gymnastics?
----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Tommy News <[email protected]> To: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; ! <[email protected]>; afterlance <[email protected]>; azsportsrufftuffbuffjocksstudz <[email protected]>; hunks-at-excersise <[email protected]>; alliance_wrestling_guys <[email protected]>; a <[email protected]>; [email protected]; hardcoreamateurfighterswrestlers <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, August 9, 2008 10:10:05 AM Subject: [AZSportsRuffTuffBuffJocksStudz] Title IX - Death of Wrestling, Swimming, Tennis, Gymnastics? ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Greg Date: Sat, Aug 9, 2008 at 8:53 AM Subject: [Fight_planet] Title IX - Death of Wrestling, Swimming, Tennis, Gymnastics? FIGHT PLANET To: Fight_planet@ yahoogroups. com This news article was posted in the group AmateurWrestlingFan Addictson 08-08-08. Since we have been discussing the net effects of Title IX on wrestling here in FIGHT PLANET, this article sheds new light on the disastrous effects it is having on Olympic sports and USA's chances at future Olympics. Thanks to AmateurWrestlingFan Addictsfor bringing it to our attention. Title IX's Assault on Swimming by Allison Kasic As the Olympics kick off this Friday, all eyes are firmly set on one athlete: Michael Phelps. Not only does Phelps have the chance to win a record eight gold medals in a single Olympics, he is also practically assured of passing Jenny Thompson's mark of twelve career medals to become the most decorated Olympic athlete in American history. Not bad for a 23 year old. Luckily for Team USA, Phelps isn't the only star in the swimming pool. In the few events that Phelps doesn't swim, the United States will be represented by world class swimmers such as Aaron Piersol and Brendan Hansen. And, of course, the women's team has stars of its own, including Katie Hoff and Natalie Coughlin, who are expected to take home multiple medals. With Team USA poised for greatness in Beijing, one might assume that the state of swimming is strong on college campuses. After all, many of America's Olympic swimmers are either college students or train on college campuses. But such an assumption would only be half right. Like many women's sports, women's swimming has thrived on campus in the post-Title IX era. Only 3,038 women competed at the Division I level in 1981. By 2004 that number was up to 4,899—a 61.25% increase. Such an increase is no doubt a positive development. Unfortunately, men's swimming is a different story. Only 3,568 men competed at the Division I level in 2004, down from a 1984 high of 4,372—a -18.39% decline. It's not just the men who don't have the opportunity to compete who suffer when these programs are cut; women swimmers also lose their teammates, training partners, and biggest supporters. Why have so many men's swimming teams been cut? A primary reason is Title IX. Title IX supporters will tell you that the statute makes no requirements for gender quotas; it simply bans sex discrimination in schools receiving federal financial assistance. Yet the trouble lies in how Title IX has been interpreted by bureaucrats and the court system. In 1979, a Policy Interpretation from the newly formed Office of Civil Rights outlined the infamous "three-prong test," allowing schools different options to comply with Title IX. While three options were presented, only one option—proportionali ty—provided a quantitative measure that could shield schools from Title IX lawsuits. It is no surprise then that colleges overwhelmingly seek to achieve compliance through proportionality. Proportionality is essentially another term for a quota. To achieve "proportionality" a school's gender breakdown among athletes mirror the gender breakdown of students. For example, if 57% of the study body is female, 57% of the athletes must also be female. With women now taking almost 6 in 10 undergraduate spots nationally, schools often struggle to meet proportionality' s demands. To meet proportionality' s gender quota, schools can add women's programs or cut men's programs. All too often, once other considerations, such as the budget, are taken into consideration, schools opt to cut men's programs. Men's swimming has been one of the hardest hit, along with other non-revenue sports such as tennis, wrestling, and gymnastics. Even when entire teams are not eliminated, schools often institute roster caps that limit the number of male players that can participate on a team. The female equivalent teams rarely have such limits. In either circumstance— cuts or caps—schools are taking away valuable opportunities from their students in the false name of gender equity. A better approach would be to move away from proportionality' s one-size-fits- all system and allow schools more flexibility in how they meet the interests and abilities of their student body. A simple starting point would be to institute interest surveys and ask the student body if they are interested in playing athletics. Schools could then take that information and craft a customized athletic program that fits their school's needs. So this August, when the spotlight is on Michael Phelps and the rest of the elite athletes on Team USA, let us not forget about the thousands of other talented athletes who have been robbed of the opportunity to compete through the misapplication of Title IX. Title IX's enforcement mechanisms are long overdue for commonsense reforms. What better time than the Olympics to bring this conversation to the forefront. FIGHT PLANET -- Together, we can change the world, one mind at a time. Have a great day, Tommy __._,_.___ Messages in this topic (1) Reply (via web post) | Start a new topic Messages | Files | Photos | Links | Database | Polls | Members Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required) Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch format to Traditional Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe Recent Activity * 3 New MembersVisit Your Group Moderator Central Yahoo! Groups Join and receive produce updates. Family Photos Learn how to best capture your family moments. Y! Groups blog The place to go to stay informed on Groups news! . __,_._,___ --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "omnisport" group. 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