Dr. Laurie Mabry:

 Trailblazer of the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW)

Sometimes you have to fight for what you know is right—regardless of what the authorities tell you. Dr. Laurie Mabry knows this sentiment well. During Mabry’s time with the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW), she was scheduled to speak before a congressional committee regarding Title IX implementation and interpretation. Upon picking up the prepared remarks from her attorney, Mabry noticed something that seemed odd. Part of the speech discussed the fact that men’s football and basketball would be exempt from consideration in Title IX issues. Mabry balked. The attorney and others expressed concern that there was a possibility of losing all benefits associated with Title IX if concessions weren’t made for popular established sports like football and basketball. Mabry stood her ground, refusing to give the remarks unless the policies of Title IX were applied to all sports. Her stubborn persistence paid off—not just for her or the AIAW, but for all future generations of American women.

The best outcome of Title IX says Mabry is that “it’s okay to be a girl and be athletic.”¹ This was not the case when Mabry was growing up, although she did participate in softball, basketball, and golf. Formal sports opportunities were few and far between, but Mabry’s father encouraged her by helping to manage a summer softball team. Later in life, these early experiences with sport would help shape Mabry’s path. Mabry, like her AIAW colleague Dr. Peggy Burke, didn’t go to college with intentions of studying physical education. After entering Northwestern University, Mabry discovered that physical education was her calling and quickly changed her major. A profound and powerful career was born.

After graduation, Mabry found a home with Illinois State University athletics, helping to elevate its women’s programs from recreational status to the level of competitive college teams. During Mabry’s 20 year tenure with the university (1960-80) as director of women’s intercollegiate athletics, she significantly impacted opportunities for women at Illinois State and beyond. Part of her professional duties included being involved with the AIAW at the state level. Mabry eventually served the organization as commissioner before being elected AIAW president for the 1975-76 term. In that position, Mabry had an opportunity to influence women’s athletics at a national level.

Like many others within the AIAW, Mabry felt that the greatest challenge facing the organization was the impending fight with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) over governance of women’s sports. This was also her greatest point of pride. Slowly but surely, the NCAA’s interest in undertaking the oversight of women’s intercollegiate championship competitions increased. During her presidency, Mabry fought off their encroachment while actively promoting the need for women’s equality within sports. Though Mabry didn’t like it, she had the foresight to see that all intercollegiate athletic governance would eventually have to fall under a single organization. In anticipation of this inevitable conclusion, Mabry championed an “equal voice” structure for national athletic governance in order to preserve opportunities for women in coaching, officiating, and athletic administration.

Unfortunately, this “equal voice” model was not to be. In 1982, governance of women’s athletics officially switched to the NCAA and the AIAW was forced to close its doors. Although some of the AIAW’s top female administrators made the transition to roles within the NCAA, Mabry’s prediction about decreased professional opportunities for women largely held true. In looking back, Mabry comments that although the AIAW “lost, we accomplished a lot.”² Her observation is certainly true, considering the organization’s absolute focus on achieving equal opportunities for women through sport.

In addition to her involvement in the AIAW, Mabry also had plenty of responsibilities at her own university. Outside of her role in overseeing women’s athletics at Illinois State, Mabry also taught in the physical education department. As director of women’s athletics, Mabry organized and hosted the first women’s national basketball tournament held in 1972 at Illinois State. Her service to the university and to the community of directors of athletics earned her the honor of being inducted into the National Association of Collegiate Athletic Directors’ Hall of Fame. Mabry is particularly proud of her work with the university in hosting those early women’s basketball tournaments and in her professional achievements with the AIAW. ³ Like a pebble thrown into a pond, the ripples of Mabry’s influence continue to affect female athletes today.

With all of these experiences behind her, Mabry has a wealth of knowledge to share with young women. Her advice is simple and powerful. “You have to stand up for what you believe is right and fair and equal. Things aren’t quite equal yet across the board. Fight for it.”⁴ During her career as an athletic administrator, Mabry was unafraid to practice what she preaches now. Laurie Mabry’s ability to stand up for what she felt was right and equal has positively impacted generations of women, within sports and far beyond.

Notes

[1] Dr. Laurie Mabry, telephone interview with author, May 28, 2008.

2 Dr. Laurie Mabry, telephone interview with author, May 28, 2008.

3 Laurie Mabry, biography, Illinois State Athletics website.

4 Dr. Laurie Mabry, telephone interview with author, May 28, 2008.

 This excerpt was written by Catherine Lahey.