Shortly before 1:30 Saturday afternoon, The Convo's main lobby was filled to capacity.
But the Ohio Athletics Department was not selling more O-Zone tickets (though good seats are still available), nor were former Bobcats and current NBAers Gary Trent or Brandon Hunter returning for an afternoon of autographs and meeting-and-greeting. No, the reason for the sheer mass of people was something even bigger: You Go Girl day.
You Go Girl day is just one of nearly 100 nationwide events planned to celebrate the upcoming 18th annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day, which falls on Wednesday, Feb. 4. It also remembers Title IX, passed in 1972, which opened the doors of sport to women. Before its passing, one out of 27 high school-aged women participated in a competitive sport; today, that number is one in three.
Title IX's effect was seen clearly inside The Convo yesterday, where more than 100 young girls congregated with their friends, parents and, yes, even a few brothers who were dragged along for the ride. During the 90 minutes immediately preceding the Ohio women's basketball game against Toledo, those in attendance had the chance to meet and hear from Ohio assistant coach Shanele Stires, who played professionally for nearly a decade, as well as to interact with nearly every Ohio women's intercollegiate team.
The cheerleading squad gave away green-and-white pompons, the volleyball team bumped and set balls for nearly an hour, and members of the field hockey team introduced their game to girls who might have never before heard of the sport.
Many of the athletes were also met with requests for autographs - a situation that might not usually present itself to a college athlete who has never appeared on SportsCenter.
Coming off a Mid-American Conference championship, an appearance in the NCAA Tournament and the most successful season in its history, the volleyball team was, perhaps, the most popular at the event. Lines of young girls snaked around tables for autographs and the chance to hit a ball with the team. When asked how many autographs she had signed, outside hitter Holly Schetzsle said she could not remember, adding that she had even signed a few upside-down.
You Go Girl day gives girls something more, though, than an afternoon of autographs and a free basketball game - it gives them female role models.
When I was growing up in Illinois, my role models were the Cubs' Ryne Sandberg and the Bulls' Michael Jordan. The same went for most of my friends, including the girls. Had those same friends grown up in 2004, rather than 1989, they might have chosen Lisa Leslie, Cheryl Ford, or even Ohio guard Andrea Gay, who joined her teammates in signing autographs for a long line of girls after Saturday's game. Despite having just lost to Toledo, 67-49, the players smiled as they inked their names on posters and basketballs.
For one day, at least, Ohio's women athletes were given the appreciation they work so hard to receive.
They deserve it.
Send him an e-mail at matthew.lawell@ohiou.edu.
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Matt LaWell
