Belles and Irish celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day
By KATIE McVOY
Assistant Sports Editor
Today isn't about being Division I or Division III or about being nationally ranked or unknown. Today women on the Saint Mary's campus and women on the Notre Dame campus have something very important in common. Today, all the women athletes of the nation are being recognized for their contribution to the world of sports. Today is National Girls and Women in Sports Day.
Girls and Women in Sports Day exists to highlight the current and past careers of high school, college, and professional women athletes. Established by the Women's Sports Foundation, the day celebrates women in athletics and encourages gender equality in sports.
The national celebration began in 1987 in remembrance of Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman, whose career and work towards the equality of women in sports showed that women are major playes in the athletic world.
In a world that has been dominated by men's sports, both in the media, and in financial circles, women's sports have been making more and more appearances in recent days. The Women's Sports Foundation came into existence to make sure those appearances keep happening, and chose Feb. 7 to highlight the place of women in sports.
The celebration will be spotlighted in Washington D.C. and high schools and universities across the nation will join in presenting the accopmlishments of their athletes.
Tonight, both Saint Mary's women athletes and Notre Dame women athletes can come together in a mutual celebration of women in athletics.
"This is a great way to call attention to all women in sports," Saint Mary's athletic director Lynn Kachmarik said.
The Saint Mary's athletic department has prepared a special half time presentation during tonight's basketball game against Hope College. Vice President for Student Affairs, Linda Timm, will lead the ceremony that is aimed to reward athletes for academic and athletic success.
The Belles volleyball team will be honored during the celebration, along with several individual Saint Mary's athletes.
The Saint Mary's spikers earned a team GPA of 3.69 during the first semester. This presentation will highlight the importance of academics and athletics.
Joining the volleyball team during halftime will be any woman who made an all MIAA team. This includes women from several teams, including this fall's golf and volleyball teams.
"This gives us a chance to recognize our athletes," Kachmarik said.
This is the first time that Saint Mary's has planned events to help celebrate this day. As the athletic director at an all women's college, however, Kachmarik believes that highlighting women atheltes is important. She hopes that this will be only the beginning.
"This is the first time we've done this," Kachmarik said. "Each year we'd like to see this grow."
The Notre Dame athletic department does not have plans for a special celebration or any presentations. However, the No. 1 ranked Lady Irish will take the court against Pitt at home.
The hoopsters have epitomized the importance of women in athletics as they took the No. 1 spot this year, boosting fan attenance and keeping the program in the national spotlight.
Although the Irish are a nationally ranked, Division I program, and the Belles are a lesser known, Division III program, both teams are looking to showcase the aspirations of women athletes in America.
By 7:30 tonight, 10 women will be on the court showing fans why women in athletics have recieved so much attention in recent years.
All Sports Stories for Wednesday, February 7, 2001
