Indiana Fever and Indiana Humanities to Celebrate 40th Anniversary of Title IX
Published on May 29, 2012 under Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Indiana Fever News Release
INDIANAPOLIS - The Indiana Fever and Indiana Humanities will celebrate the 40th anniversary of Title IX with several awareness initiatives beginning June 1 and continuing through the 2012 WNBA season. Title IX, the historic federal legislation which was co-authored by former Indiana Senator Birch Bayh, ensured equality for women across all educational platforms, including sports. It was signed into law June 23, 1972.
The Fever and Indiana Humanities will partner to reflect on, and recognize, the progress that has been made in the last 40 years for women and girls in sports, education, law and politics. Through its two-year initiative called Spirit of Competition, Indiana Humanities seeks to encourage Hoosiers to think, read, and talk about the role competition plays in our lives.
A Title IX microsite will be launched on FeverBasketball.com to feature Title IX pioneers with video segments and personal stories. It will include analysis and a "scholar's view" from Indiana University Law School professor Julia Lamber. The site will include an interactive section inviting fans to share comments and win tickets to the Fever's Title IX 40th Anniversary Salute on Thursday, June 21 when the Fever hosts the Connecticut Sun (7:00 p.m.).
"The dramatic sports growth for girls has been the signature metric of the Title IX legislation the past 40 years, but we also wanted to highlight the other educational opportunities that were afforded to women such as law, medicine and even politics," said Fever Chief Operating Officer and General Manager Kelly Krauskopf. "This landmark legislation opened many new doors for women and we wanted to take this opportunity to tell the story."
Krauskopf, herself, was an early beneficiary of Title IX legislation, playing basketball at Stephen F. Austin and Texas A&M universities as a part of programs funded during the first decade of Title IX reform. Fever coach Lin Dunn, unable to play college sports because varsity programs weren't offered, actually began her coaching career at Austin Peay in 1970 - prior to the passing of Bayh's federal legislation.
Krauskopf, Dunn and the Fever will honor Bayh during a June 21 pregame reception and speakers panel along with other key women who have helped shape the landscape in many different fields. Local trailblazers being honored are Judge Sarah Evans Barker, the first female federal judge in Indiana, appointed by Ronald Reagan in 1984; Katherine Davis, the 48th lieutenant governor of Indiana and the first woman to serve in that office; Sue Anne Gilroy, Indiana's first secretary of state; and Myra Selby, the first female and first African-American to serve as an associate justice on the Indiana Supreme Court.
Honored from the world of sports that night as one of the nation's first and most prominent women to directly benefit from Bayh's legislation will be Ann Meyers Drysdale. The current vice president of the Phoenix Mercury, Meyers will be featured with Bayh during pregame activities and at halftime of the game. Meyers broke ground by signing an NBA free agent contract with the Indiana Pacers in 1979 and was the second woman to receive a 4-year athletic scholarship at UCLA (1976-79). She led the United States to a silver medal at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal as women's basketball made its Olympic debut. She has been the NBC Sports women's basketball analyst at the Summer Olympics since 2000 and will cover this year's tournament from the 2012 Olympics in London. She recently authored a book entitled, "You Let Some Girl Beat You -
As part of the Title IX 40th Anniversary Salute event, the Fever will conduct a pregame seminar from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m, featuring Meyers, Fever Head Coach Lin Dunn and each of the four local honorees. A networking reception takes place at 6:45. A special Title IX ticket package for the game, seminar and reception on June 21 includes a copy of Meyers' book and a ticket for a young girl from Girls Inc. of Greater Indianapolis to attend a future Fever game. Meyers will conduct an autograph session to sign copies of her book. Title IX ticket packages including the seminar and reception cost $59 per person. A table of 10 costs $550. Packages may be purchased at FeverBasketball.com or by calling the Fever tickets hotline at (317) 917-2528.
Also taking place during the June 21 salute event will be a silent auction to benefit the Women's Fund of Central Indiana, the key funding organization designed specifically to improve the lives of women and girls in Indiana. Available for auction will be nine different items including autographed items courtesy of Lin Dunn, Ann Meyers, Pat Summitt, Lisa Leslie, and a Tamika Catchings photo with First Lady Michelle Obama. Items will be featured on FeverBasketball.com prior to the game.
The Women's Fund of Central Indiana will sponsor Section 9 during the Title IX Salute, sending 125 girls from area outreach youth centers to experience a WNBA game.
The Fever and Indiana Humanities will honor inspiring stories surrounding Title IX throughout the summer on the FeverBasketball.com microsite and IndianaHumanities.org. The Fever's annual Inspiring Women Night, to be conducted September 9, will be themed to honor the Title IX celebration, too. Section 9 tickets for Inspiring Women Night on 9/9 will be available for $9.
A WNBA playoff participant in seven straight seasons and eight times since 2002, the Indiana Fever has advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals three times in the past five years. The Fever continues its 2012 season by hosting the New York Liberty at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Saturday, June 2 (7:00 p.m.), in a rematch of last year's conference semifinals. For single-game and season ticket information, visit FeverBasketball.com or call (317) 917-2500.
Women's National Basketball Association Stories from May 29, 2012
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- Fever's Catchings and Sparks' Parker Named Players of the Week - WNBA
- Go Green Night Presented by Waste Management, Friday June 8 at Staples Center - Los Angeles Sparks
- Indiana Fever and Indiana Humanities to Celebrate 40th Anniversary of Title IX - Indiana Fever
- Phoenix Mercury Re-Signs Krystal Thomas - Phoenix Mercury
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