A headline in the February 4 issue of The NCAA News ("Wrestling coaches wage legal challenge on Title IX") characterized the National Wrestling Coaches Association lawsuit as being against Title IX.

On the contrary, the suit actually uses the language and philosophy of Title IX to challenge the U.S. Department of Education's writing of the regulations (both the 1979 interpretation and the 1996 clarification) and its enforcement of the regulations.

Yes, the suit does bring into question the proportionality test, but that test was never part of Title IX. Yes, it does bring into question the capping and cutting of teams to achieve proportionality, but again that is not part of Title IX. It can be and is argued that both proportionality and capping and cutting teams were clearly not intended, and in fact not even mentioned in Title IX.

Title IX has correctly been characterized as championing the cause for women in sports. Any language that indicates that someone is for or against Title IX prompts people to take sides for or against women. (Your characterization) has created a zero-sum game. By stating in your headline that the NWCA is against ("wage legal challenge on") Title IX, you create controversy instead of clarity.

The NWCA suit states that the regulatory agencies (Health, Education and Welfare and the Department of Education) overstepped their authority and that the agencies' regulations (1979 interpretation and 1996 clarification) reflect neither Title IX's philosophy nor the intentions of the lawmakers who crafted it.

The question of how to continue the growth of women's opportunities without destroying Olympic sports is one that will define the NCAA and its member institutions in the 21st Century.

The language used in discussing that question can create sides (men against women, revenue sports vs. nonrevenue sports, school administrators vs. national governing bodies, sports as entertainment vs. sports as self discovery, etc.) or it can help create a forum that fosters decision-making that reflects what is best for all of sport.

The NCAA News is a vital part of that forum and the language used in the publication should help lead to solutions instead of controversy. Thank you for keeping this issue in the News and helping us reach decisions that are best for all.

Bob Groseth
Men's Swimming Coach
Northwestern University