WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH PKG 03-27-21

In one of the biggest months of the year for sports ?

"*?

"* month is about honoring the women in history who have paved the way for all of us ?

"*?

"*especially in sports.

M peters joins me now with the story.xx there's been a lot of talk this week about the ncaa tournament and the difference between the men's and women's bubble.

This month is where we celebrate women in history ?

"*- who have paved the way for all of us... including women athletes.

I decided to take a stroll down memory lane with one local high school coach.xx growing up, there wasn't a lot of female athletes that were highlighted.

When we had the olympics coming around, i can remember watching jackie and just being amazed.

On june 23, 1972, women's sports were changed forever ... president richard nixon signed a law known as title nine.

If a school was federally funded, equal opportunities were required for males and females.

Amy olson says she looked up to a local athlete who participated in three sports, but still had time for others.

She knew the sport.

She was good at it.

But then off the court, she would come over to us little fifth and sixth graders and see if we enjoyed the game, how we were doing.

She was just this kind, genuine person, so for me, it was really those local athletes growing up that really inspired me to want to be part of something bigger than myself.

Now ?

"* forty nine years after the passing of title nine... we have many women to thank for paving the way for female athletes.

According to female tennis phenom billie jean king ?

"* since the passage of title nine, girls participating in high school sports rose 1 thousand fifty seven percent.

At the college level, it increased by six hundred fourteen percent.

Olson participated in many sports growing up and wants to continue inspiring young women to get involved.

She says the previous high school dance coach for the komets set the right tone for the program.

She embodied eveything that i wanted to be.

She knew the sport.

She knew how to motivate kids.

And she knew how to make them better people.

And so for 15 years, i've been focusing everything that i do on just that.

I all the females participating in sports at any level are why young girls have a