Equity campaign for high schools

While Title IX has been on the books for 28 years, it never has been enforced in high schools in Georgia -- a situation that has drawn the attention of the college athletics community in the state.

Prompted by a series in the Atlanta Journal and Constitution that showed just how drastic the problem was, Agnes Scott College athletics director A. Page Remillard has assisted two state legislators in drafting a bill now before the Georgia legislature. "The Sports Equity Act of 2000" would force Georgia high schools to comply with federal law. Those that do not comply could lose state funding or their teams could be barred from postseason competition.

"As a career professional who has coached men and women simultaneously, I have seen the value of quality athletics programs developed for women," Remillard said. "Yet as a parent of a female athlete, I have witnessed the disparate treatment women receive in sports. Anyone responsible for women's athletics must be actively involved in creating an appropriate environment. Such an environment just does not exist at the high-school level in Georgia today."

Sponsors of the bill are Rep. Kathy Ashe, R-Atlanta, an alumna of Agnes Scott, and Rep. Stephanie Stuckey, D-Decatur. Student-athletes from Agnes Scott are serving as interns for Ashe and Stuckey and assisting with the bill.

Ashe and Stuckey have pointed out that the legislation simply would enforce a law that is already on the books.

"We're not asking that anything that hasn't been required since 1972 happen," Ashe said. "Georgia needs to do better by our daughters."

The newspaper's investigation found that girls in Georgia had insufficient coaching support, inadequate facilities and underfunded programs. It also found that most salary adjustments go to male coaches, and nearly all legislative grants for high-school sports in Georgia benefit boys' programs.

Not everyone is expected to embrace the proposed legislation.

"There is a Title IX federal law," Tommy Guillebeau, executive director of the Georgia High School Association, told the Journal and Constitution, "I don't see why we need anything other than that."

Remillard argues that Title IX needs to be enforced for any real change to happen.

"With gender-equity legislation in place, Georgia will be a wonderful environment for our children, not just our sons, to develop their potential," Remillard said. "This bill goes a long way toward helping our sons and daughters have an experience that can lead them to higher levels on the playing field, in the classroom and in their communities."

Greensboro all tied up

The Greensboro College baseball team is fit to be tied after a weekend invitational last month. Over a five-game period, the Pride tied three times and won twice.

"This was one of the most unbelievable weekends I have ever spent around the game," said Greensboro coach Scott Rash. "One tie was worthy of a few laughs, two ties was a bit on the ridiculous side, but three ties is just unbelievable."

Methodist College tied the Pride, 7-7, on Friday, the tournament's first day. Saturday Greensboro endured a 6-6 tie with Millsaps College, and Sunday it was a 12-12 tie with Salisbury State University.

In a sport that's not supposed to have ties, it was a strange weekend. Contributing to the odd experience was a tournament rule prohibiting any new inning from beginning after three hours into the game and the fact that the Emory baseball field did not have lights.

"Do we consider ourselves fortunate because we went undefeated, or did we go undefeated?" Rash asked. "Perhaps we got one point for the ties and three for the wins. I'm going to have to go home and talk to our soccer coach so he can tell me how to react to our weekend."

Swofford takes final bow

Bill Swofford -- older brother of John Swofford, commissioner of the Atlantic Coast Conference -- died of cancer recently.

The elder Swofford, a professional singer who was known as "Oliver" and performed the 1969 hits "Good Morning Sunshine" and "Jean," had battled the disease for a year and a half. John Swofford had donated bone marrow to his brother during a transplant operation last year.

WBCA in Philadelphia

The Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) is returning to Philadelphia, not far from its founding in 1981, for the 19th WBCA national convention, held annually in conjunction with the NCAA Women's Final Four.

The convention will run from March 29 to April 2, and festivities will include the WBCA's annual all-star exhibition game, featuring many of the best college seniors in women's basketball.

--Compiled by Kay Hawes

Looking back

5 years ago: The NCAA Administrative Committee determines that prospective student-athletes who take the SAT will need to achieve a score of 820 or better to satisfy the standardized-test component of Divisions I or II initial-eligibility standards. The change is necessary because of a new scoring system adopted by the Educational Testing System. The score of 820 is approximately equivalent to a combined math and verbal score of 700 under the old scoring system. The NCAA Academic Requirements Committee had recommended a score of 830, but the Administrative Committee, after reviewing research, concluded that 820 is more appropriate for this particular use. (The NCAA News, March 15, 1995)

10 years ago: A couple of dominant teams in different divisions maintain their streaks in winter sports championships as the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, wins its seventh men's indoor track title and Kenyon College wins its seventh straight women's swimming crown. For Kenyon, the 63-point winning margin was its closest call since the Ladies' first title in 1984. (The NCAA News, March 14, 1990)

15 years ago: The NCAA Insurance Committee recommends that the current travel accident and loss-of-revenue insurance programs be discontinued and replaced by three new programs beginning in 1985-86. The new programs recommended are basic athletics accidental medical insurance, special intercollegiate all-risk accident insurance and loss-of-revenue insurance. (The NCAA News, March 13, 1985)