As the school year gets underway in Texas, high school students there have the opportunity for the first time to compete in a statewide cheerleading competition sanctioned this summer by the state's interscholastic athletic league (the UIL) on a one-year trial basis. The four-day competition … [Read more...]
Get Ready, America - There’s Another World Cup Coming (and it really should be played on grass).
This summer's World Cup in Brazil represented the evolution of the United States' relationship with soccer - the group stage match between the USMNT and Portugal had more viewers domestically than last year's World Series or NBA finals. Tim Howard's performance against Belgium made him a national … [Read more...]
Mount Holyoke College Clarifies Admissions Policy in the Most Trans-Inclusive Way Possible
As of today, Mount Holyoke College, a women's college in Massachusetts, now clarifies on its website that it will consider applications for admission from transgender students. Specifically, the website reports that the following students may apply: Biologically born female; identifies as a … [Read more...]
Title IX, sexual assault and high schools
While the stories we have heard from college students across the country about sexual assault and sexually hostile climates on their campuses are shocking, these stories are not--unfortunately--limited to college environments.We have recently heard about a case in Seattle where a rape occurred … [Read more...]
Mud running, masochism and (some preliminary remarks on) the ethics of suffering [GUEST POST]
Tough Mudder. Spartan Race. Warrior Dash. If you yourself have not participated in one of these events I am sure that you know someone who has. Endurance mud running events have become all the rage recently feeding into our Western tradition of Protestant/Puritan work ethic … [Read more...]
High School Basketball Hazing Case May Go to Trial
Last year we posted about a lawsuit filed in federal court in Tennessee, in which the plaintiffs -- three high-school aged sisters and their parents -- sued the Rutherford County Board of Education after being hazed in a sexual manner upon joining the girls' basketball team at Siegel High … [Read more...]
Oklahoma colleges handling misbehaving student athletes
Not all of these cases are Title IX specific, but given the cover-ups and repeat offenses that happen when colleges look the other way (see the last incident below) or lightly punish student athletes who commit assault, I felt this update is relevant. The athletic and college administrators at the … [Read more...]
NCAA Reform and Title IX
Last week a federal district court judge ruled in favor of the former college athletes, lead by Ed O'Bannon, who were challenging NCAA rules that prevented them from sharing in the proceeds that their colleges and universities earned by licensing their names and likenesses for commercial purposes … [Read more...]
A sour turn for a ‘quality’ sportswriting venture
On Tuesday I write about developments in sports media, and occasionally step back in time to a different era in sports journalism. * * * * * * * * Just as Sports Illustrated was rolling out its 60th anniversary fare last week, the doors abruptly closed on a young sportswriting venture that never got … [Read more...]
Why a Woman Coach in the NBA Matters
Becky Hammon, Assistant Coach San Antonio Spurs This summer an NBA team was in the news… for hiring a women to the coaching staff. During the first week of August 2014, the San Antonio Spurs made history when they hired 16-year WNBA San Antonio Stars veteran Becky Hammon as a full-time … [Read more...]