Kentucky Sports Equity Project, 1984-2013 | Eastern Kentucky University - Special Collections and Archives

By Neil R. Kasiak

Printer-friendly |

Collection Overview

Title: Kentucky Sports Equity Project, 1984-2013

Primary Creator: Kentucky Sports Equity Project (1986-2013)

Other Creators: Citizens for Sports Equity (1984-2013)

Extent: 1.75 Cubic Feet

Arrangement: Unless noted, all materials are arranged chronologically. When possible duplicates are included if they contain handwritten notes that add an additional layer of content to the collection. Although correspondence is arranged and foldered first by organization and then by level of involvement (i.e. board, committee, etc.), some correspondence remains with the original document sets in which the collection was received.

Date Acquired: 11/02/2013

Subjects: Athletics., Citizens for Sport Equity, Scholarships., Title IX., Women's sports., Women's Sports Foundation (WSF)

Languages: English

Abstract

The documents in this collection represent the dedicated grassroots movement that local girls and women's sports advocates developed in response to the sports equity component of the Title IX Statute of the Educational Amendments of 1972. The Kentucky Citizens for Sports Equity (KCSE), as the organization came to be known after an August, 1992 name change, helped to raise awareness for local Kentucky girls, coaches, officials, and administrators. The KCSE also attempted to organize and highlight girls sports participants and volunteers in order to address equity concerns. KCSE recognition events networked members and participants with other sports equity proponents, and, more specifically, they underscored the performance of Kentucky's girls sports participants, officials, advocates and volunteers. The KCSE quickly organized prominent local women into leadership roles, and their subsequent actions helped to advance and institutionalize sports equity in Kentucky. KCSE goals and efforts are reflected in the numerous banquets and events that recognized female participants and volunteers. The organization's regular events attempted to sync local Kentucky equity programs with other state and national sports equity movements. In particular, the KCSE collection captures the numerous conferences, awards banquets and grant programs that were promoted and offered in conjunction with a healthy working relationship with both the Kentucky Education Department (KED) and the Kentucky chapter of the Women's Sports Foundation (KWSF). The KCSE and KWSF promoted equity and opportunity in female sports in Kentucky through recognizing individual performance and leadership abilities.

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The following collection contains correspondence, documents, and publications from the Citizens for Sports Equity Project, a United States Department of Education funded program that initially functioned under the Women Educational Equity Act (WEEA). The collection also contains materials from the Kentucky Women's Sports Foundation (KWSF), a subsidiary of a nationally recognized foundation that sought "to improve the physical, mental and emotional well-being of all females" through instituting educational services that addressed women's athletics and other relevant social issues.

More than ten years after the organizing board signed off on the original articles of incorporation, Brigid DeVries, the acting KCSE President, explained the KCSE's goals best when she detailed how the organization was "designed to recruit, train, motivate, and promote women to fill leadership positions in sports and athletics." [2013-020-b.1-f.1] During the same year, Dr. Agnes Chrietzberg commented that "the purpose of the organization [was] to provide a network for [the] promotion of sports for girls and for [the] advancement of women in sports leadership." [2013-020-b.1-f.2]

Based on the evidence in the following collection, KCSE fulfilled DeVries' stated goals by sponsoring numerous awards luncheons and conferences that provided Kentucky women with an opportunity to network with like-minded individuals, as well as other equity organizations. In general, the collection reflects how the Title IX ruling resulted in grassroots efforts that continued well beyond 1972.

Collection Historical Note

The documents in this collection underscore the public maneuvers that girls and women's sports advocates took to overcome the male dominated fields of coaching and organizing women's sports programs in Kentucky. In addition to focusing attentions on stimulating local citizenry participation in Title IX compliance, Kentucky Citizens for Sports Equity (KCSE), with the help of the Kentucky Women's Sports Foundation (KWSF), also emphasized relevant programs and strategies that attempted to remove the rampant disparities between men's and women's sports programs at the high school and, to a lesser extent, collegiate levels. All the related materials capture the outstanding efforts that local Kentucky women put forth in their attempts to raise public and private awareness.

The Kentucky Sports Equity Project Collection underscores the methods that community members developed in response to the Title IX ruling. The collection also highlights local advocates' volunteer driven approach to resource allocation, such as funding opportunities and potential protocols for measuring Title IX compliance. KCSE organizers, such as Teresa Ann Isaac, Dr. Martha Mullins, and Brigid DeVries, maintained a steady focus on achieving sports equity in Kentucky. The materials in this collection also highlight the volunteer driven dedication that many women depended on when they began challenging the relatively weak public and political support that girls and women experienced in sports. The numerous conferences, luncheons, and awards ceremonies that are documented in the collection allows researchers to reconstruct a clear narrative for the unwavering efforts that Kentucky women put forth in pursuing equity in all fields of girls and women's sports.

In addition to the KCSE records that are housed in this collection there are also numerous folders that contain Kentucky Women's Sports Foundation materials. The KWSF worked closely with KCSE under many circumstances. The KWSF shared membership and sometimes held awards luncheons in conjunction with KCSE events, mainly due to the inclusive and grassroots nature of the two organizations. In respects to developing an accessible grant program for young female athletes, the KWSF served as the main financial resource for KCSE grant program connections, and both organizations worked together to promote common interests. The KWSF records that are housed in this collection compliment the KCSE materials in such a way that researchers may have trouble distinguishing between the two organizations. Perhaps the least represented in the collection, but nonetheless important, are the roles that Wendy Poore and Mary Marshall of the Kentucky Education Department played in organizing the appropriate funding opportunities that each organization promoted and utilized.

Of special local interest are the records addressing a Montgomery County sports equity investigation that took place in 1993-94, and the KWSF and KCSE materials that trace their involvement with the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council. The collection consists primarily of documents that relate to unique conferences, awards ceremonies, and luncheons. The organizations day to day functions are captured in the newsletters and minutes that detail how volunteer dependent and grant supported groups mobilized vigilance and action committees to improve potential outcomes for a growing Kentucky girls and women's sports culture.

*Special Note: There are many other organization records housed in the EKU Special Collections and Archives that relate to this collection. For instance, Drs. Mullins and Chrietzberg are both prominent in a variety of collection such as, but not limited to, the Kentucky High School Athletics Association (KHSAA) Records (1981-024), KWIC Records (1981-038), AIAW Region II Records (1983-010) and the EKU Women's Gymnastics Program Records (2002-038), and Ms. DeVries's public presence and longstanding career in prominent leadership roles is reflected in both the KCSE and Kentucky High School Athletics Association collections.

Biographical Note

The Kentucky Sports Equity Project developed into the Kentucky Citizens for Sports Equity (CSE), an organization that worked closely with the KHSAA and Women's Sports Foundation, as well as other organizations that addressed equity in athletics and other social issues.

Subject/Index Terms

Athletics.
Citizens for Sport Equity
Scholarships.
Title IX.
Women's sports.
Women's Sports Foundation (WSF)

Administrative Information

Repository: Eastern Kentucky University - Special Collections and Archives

Acquisition Source: Mullins, Martha

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Box:

[Box 1: KCSE Main Materials],
[Box 2: KCSE Main Materials (cont.), and Conferences and Luncheons],
[Box 3: KWSF Main Materials],
[Box 4: Publications and Miscellaneous Materials],
[Box 5: Miscellaneous (cont.) and KCSE Financials],
[All]

Box 2: KCSE Main Materials (cont.), and Conferences and Luncheons

The folders that are found in this box contain both KCSE and KWSF materials. Of special interest are the KCSE "The Full Court Press" newsletters in folder one. The remaining folders in box two relate to the numerous awards luncheons and conferences that the KCSE sponsored and promoted (sometimes in conjunction with the KWSF).

Barcode: 31234014044778

Folder 1: "The Full Court Press", 1986-99

"The Full Court Press" was the KCSE newsletter. Their newsletters' topics included organization news, national Title IX developments, and articles about leading equity proponents and girls sports participants. The newsletters in this folder are most valuable when attempting to reconstruct the KCSE's approach to achieving equity in girls sports programs.

Folder 2: "The Full Court Press" Correspondence, 29 Oct 1987 - 4 May 1998

The correspondence in this folder contains direct references to 'The Full Court Press" newsletters that are housed in box one, folder one of this collection. Generally, the correspondence underscores funding issues and solicitations for future assistance and involvement with the publication. It should be noted that Eastern Kentucky University picked up the tab for publishing the newsletters after the initial project grant cycle expired; see grant applications in box two folder two for more details. All materials are arranged chronologically.

*NOTE: other references to the KCSE newsletters can be found in previous correspondence folders, however, those particular communications contained pertinent information about other topics, and, consequently, they were filed in the appropriate folders in box one.

Folder 3: Sports Equity Awards Materials

The materials in this folder reflect the atmosphere the KCSE sought to create for girls sports participants and enthusiasts in Kentucky. Included in this folder are a variety of documents that highlight different aspects of the KCSE awards program. There are nomination lists, awards nomination forms and correspondence that relates directly to the CSE awards committee and/or program. It should be noted that this folder is understood best when viewed in conjunction with the KWSF awards program materials that are found in box three.

Folder 4: Outstanding Female Athlete Recognition Luncheon Programs and Invitations, 1991, 1993-2000

The programs and invitations that are contained in this folder represent KCSE public imagery. The available programs reflect the outstanding efforts of female athletes and their accomplishments.

Folder 5: KWSF Outstanding Female Athlete Recognition Luncheon Materials, 1998-99

This folder contains correspondence and minor publications that relate to the 1998-99 KWSF awards luncheon. The 1998-99 awards year marks a divergence from the short lived combined awards ceremonies that the KWSF and KCSE sponsored between 1996-97.

Folder 6: KCSE Awards Luncheon Photographs, 1999, 2000

The photographs that are contained in this folder document the 1999 and 2000 KCSE Awards Recipients. The photos include both the nominated and the individual representative that presented each particular award.

Folder 7: Colorado Department of Education Equity Program Materials

The materials in this folder all relate to the Colorado Dept. of Education sports equity movement. The folder's contents include correspondence about the Colorado program, a packet of relevant Title IX related articles published in Colorado, and "The Relay" publications (the Colorado version of "The Full Court Press"). Researchers may find the Colorado materials valuable when trying to determine whether or not the KCSE adopted outside practices and policies. Generally, this set of documents confirms the KCSE's direct involvement with other state equity programs. During a personal interview, Teresa Ann Isaac shared that the Colorado equity strategies and personnel inspired the early KCSE approach to pursuing sports equity.

Folder 8: Kentucky Women's Sports Leadership Conferences, 1987-92

As defined in a grant proposal in this folder, "the Kentucky Sports Leadership Project [was] organized" in, "1987, and [it] operated under the Citizens for Sport Equity organization," during the years that followed. The grant proposal also detailed how the "CSE proposes to assist local communities around the state in organizing Women's Sports Foundation Committees" in the hopes of promoting women into advanced leadership roles in girls sports programs. The materials in this folder reflect the efforts of both the KCSE and KWSF organizers. The documents in this folder include a statewide contact list of women's sports leadership networks, and programs from the 1988-90 conferences. It also includes conference organizer correspondence and memos that highlight relevant operational procedures. Organizational materials for the multifaceted 1991 Sports Leadership Workshop, and the 1991 grant proposal for the 1992 KCSE Leadership Conference are also included. When possible, handwritten notes accompany the documents.

Folder 9: Parents, Daughters and Sports Project Materials, 11 Jun 1990 - 13 Dec 1991

The materials in this folder cover "Parents, Daughters, and Sports Project" (PDSP) activities. The project culminated with a workshop that was held on 28 Sep 1990, as a part of the KCSE Leadership Conference that is represented in the previous folder in this collection. The PDSP, as outlined in a memo to the KCSE board, prepared "special programs for PTA groups" that were then disseminated in order to "promote sports for girls in a most effective way." The PDSP sought to fulfill high school parents' "need[s] and want[s] for information about their daughter's participation in sports." The PDSP underscores how the KCSE and KWSF organized conferences and workshops within larger conferences in the hopes of initiating female participation in girls sports leadership positions. Of particular interest in this folder is the "Parents, Daughters, and Sports Project Leaders Handbook" and the actual 1990 PDSP grant proposal, which underscores a major KCSE emphasis on raising girls sports program awareness and, simultaneously, increasing parental participation.

Folder 10: Montgomery County, KY Equity Case Study, 1993-94

The materials housed in this folder all relate to an apparent equity issue that was raised within the Montgomery County Athletics program. As outlined in a handwritten note that accompanied the document set upon donation, "the complaint alleged that the district [was] failing to provide equal opportunity for females with respect to accommodating the interests and abilities of female athletes, equipment and supplies, and travel and per deim allowances." The documents include a survey of Montgomery school athletics programs, a set of correspondence regarding the eventual decision in the case, and, relevant news clippings. When considering the outcome of the case it appears that the investigation records are incomplete and lack conclusive results.

Folder 11: Sports for Life Career Day, 21 Apr 1995

The "Sports for Life- CSE Career Day" was held on 21 Apr 1995, and featured 13 professional speakers who exemplified KCSE goals. The materials in this folder include a list of the featured speakers, a detailed recommendation and evaluation questionnaire that was distributed to participants, and a conference evaluation report that addressed the invited speakers' effectiveness. The documents in this folder represent a relative culmination of KCSE efforts and strategies.

Folder 12: National Girls and Women in Sports Day, 1987-92, 1994-98, 2000

The materials in this folder all relate to the nationally recognized Girls and Women in Sports Day, which celebrated girls and women's sports with activities like "a celebrity volleyball game...with [U.S.] Senators, Representatives and top women athletes and a luncheon [that brought] together women's sports activists in Los Angeles." The documents are predominantly from the WSF and they cover multiple Girls and Women in Sports Days. The materials consist of memos, correspondence, handouts, pamphlets, posters (broadsides), and press releases.

Folder 13: "Moving Toward 2000: How to Access Power Seminar", 5-7 Mar 1990

The materials in box two folder thirteen are similar to box two folder eight's content since they both address events that looked into the available strategies that women could employ to gain leadership roles and learn strategies that accessed available power structures within girls sports programs. The "How to Access Power Seminar" was held in Pheonix, AZ, and was led by Pauline Lyttle, a nationally renowned speaker who was concerned with developing an efficient model for women to access the power structures and incentives that men had enjoyed for centuries. The materials in this document set are limited, however, the content does personify the combined goals of the KWSF and KCSE. Further research into Lyttle's model for accessing power may shed light on the future strategies that KWSF and KCSE members utilized in their efforts.

Folder 14: KWSF and KCSE Forms

The materials in folder fourteen consist of blank forms and evaluation materials from both the KCSE and KWSF. These materials primarily address awards nominations and grant applications for female athletes.

Folder 15: Announcements

The materials in this folder consist of press releases and organizational announcements for the KWSF, KCSE, and other related state, national and federal equity organizations.

Folder 16: Women's Sports Leadership Conferences (MI and ND), 1991, 1993-94, 1996-2000

The conference materials that are found in this folder are associated with the Michigan and North Dakota Sports Leadership Conferences that were held in each respective state. The documents include programs and schedules of events for multiple years in the Michigan materials, and only 1996 for the North Dakota content. The KCSE and the KWSF membership and executives used these materials to examine how other states developed effective equity strategies that promoted women into sports leadership positions.