{"id":403,"date":"2018-05-03T13:46:44","date_gmt":"2018-05-03T13:46:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/2018\/05\/03\/201853just-let-them-play\/"},"modified":"2020-09-05T19:43:22","modified_gmt":"2020-09-05T19:43:22","slug":"201853just-let-them-play","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/2018\/05\/03\/201853just-let-them-play\/","title":{"rendered":"Just Let Them Play"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>By Andrew Weiss<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">Connecticut sports fans see April 13, 1997, as the day pro sports died in the state. It was the final time the NHL&#8217;s Hartford Whalers would play before heading south to North Carolina.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">But that perception is wrong, Pro sports are thriving in Connecticut, just not in the way a casual sports fan may see.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">Women\u2019s professional and collegiate sports teams have leapt up to fill the gap left behind. From the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.brakettes.com\/history.htm\">history of the Raybestos Brakettes<\/a> to the growth of the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ncaa.com\/news\/basketball-women\/article\/2018-01-09\/uconn-womens-basketball-huskies-pursuing-history-100th\">University of Connecticut\u2019s women\u2019s basketball team<\/a> to the expansion of hockey, soccer, and basketball in the state has proven that Connecticut is growing women\u2019s sports.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Congratulations to <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/UConn?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#UConn<\/a> Womens&#39; <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/basketball?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#basketball<\/a> team! Celebrating their <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/NationalChampionship?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#NationalChampionship<\/a> win in <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Hartford?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Hartford<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WTNH?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@WTNH<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/7IEhe0vZ4K\">pic.twitter.com\/7IEhe0vZ4K<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Renee Chmiel (@ReneeChmiel) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ReneeChmiel\/status\/719220205960982533?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 10, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">So how has this passed by some fans? Pro sports evolved as a largely male activity in the United States, with the role of women restricted to sideline activities such as cheering, even though they participated in leagues of their own.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">An act of the United States government was the first step in growing sports for women. In 1972, the United States Congress sought to provide steps forward in the battle for civil rights. As part of a larger bill, Title IX was given power to prevent discrimination based on sex. This law was not enacted with sports in mind, but has since grown to assist participation among women in sports.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nwlc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/2011_8_battle_in_college_athletics_final.pdf\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">Per the National Women\u2019s Law Center<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">, \u201cThere is no shortage of interest by women and girls in participating in athletics. Since 1972, when Title IX first opened up opportunities for women and girls, female participation in high school athletics has skyrocketed by almost 900%, disproving claims made by opponents of Title IX that the lower numbers of female athletes are due to lack of interest as opposed to lack of opportunities.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">Since the law was passed in 1972, female participation in high school sports has grown an astonishing 1,018 percent, compared with 23 percent for men.<\/span><\/p>\n<div\n        class=\"\n          image-block-outer-wrapper\n          layout-caption-below\n          design-layout-inline\n          \n          \n          \n        \"\n        data-test=\"image-block-inline-outer-wrapper\"\n    ><\/p>\n<figure\n            class=\"\n              sqs-block-image-figure\n              intrinsic\n            \"\n            style=\"max-width:1079.0px;\"\n        ><\/p>\n<div\n              \n                style=\"padding-bottom:92.67840576171875%;\"\n              \n              class=\"\n                image-block-wrapper\n                \n          \n        \n                has-aspect-ratio\n              \"\n              data-animation-role=\"image\"\n              \n  data-animation-override\n\n          ><br \/>\n            <noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screenshot-2018-04-26-11.36.19.png\" alt=\"Screenshot 2018-04-26 11.36.19.png\" \/><\/noscript><img class=\"thumb-image\" data-src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screenshot-2018-04-26-11.36.19.png\" data-image=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screenshot-2018-04-26-11.36.19.png\" data-image-dimensions=\"1079x1000\" data-image-focal-point=\"0.5,0.5\" alt=\"Screenshot 2018-04-26 11.36.19.png\" data-load=\"false\" data-image-id=\"5af06d4888251bd9ff655129\" data-type=\"image\" \/>\n          <\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">However, despite the growth, women continue to look for equal footing among the sports world. The NWLC has found that \u201cwomen in Division I colleges, while representing 53 percent of the student body, receive only 45 percent of the participation opportunities, 34 percent of the total money spent on athletics, 45 percent of the total athletic scholarship dollars, and 32 percent of recruiting dollars.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">That bottom line? Equality in sports is within reach, yet continues to be pushed to the side. The fault, however, is traced among many lines.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">Laura Burton, an associate professor at the University of Connecticut, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/edlr.education.uconn.edu\/2017\/04\/28\/wisw-burton-wants-to-make-a-difference\/\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">linked growth issues in women\u2019s sports to the very top of the ladder<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">\u201cThere are very few women in leadership positions in sports organizations across all domains, from interscholastic, intercollegiate, professional or international sport. Women are really underrepresented in leadership,\u201d Burton said. \u201cHalf your participant population is women, or girls, (so) why don\u2019t we have an equal number of people at the leadership table?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">Burton believed the connection between sports and masculinity created stereotypes that hold women back from administrative roles.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">\u201cWe don\u2019t perceive women to be capable of and\/or do we want them in leadership positions in general. In sport organizations, because we think it\u2019s a real male domain, we don\u2019t think that women can run a football program or an athletic department. There\u2019s a lot of stereotyping that&#8217;s influencing women, both trying to get into those positions and how we evaluate them when they\u2019re in it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">The presence of women\u2019s sports in the media also plays a role. Per the University of Minnesota\u2019s Tucker Center for Research on Girls &amp; Women in Sport, women\u2019s athletics receive only about 4 percent of all sports media coverage.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">Amanda Ottaway. a former college basketball player at Davidson and now a journalist, delved into that study. Her work with women\u2019s sports has seen publication in The Washington Post and ESPNW among others. She <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thenation.com\/article\/why-dont-people-watch-womens-sports\/\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">pinned the issue solely on media portrayal<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">\u201cOther studies have put television time as low as 1 percent,\u201d Ottaway said. \u201cYet, 44 years after the passage of Title IX, women and girls in the United States are playing and following sports in unprecedented numbers.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">today is a good day to support <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TheKimWallFund?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@TheKimWallFund<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/IWMF?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@IWMF<\/a> and other groups that back smart, independent, important journalism, especially by women &amp; nonbinary reporters. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/KimWall?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#KimWall<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Amanda Ottaway (@amandaottaway) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/amandaottaway\/status\/989149395999391744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 25, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">The numbers, Ottaway says, backs that thought.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">\u201c40 percent of all sports participants are female, according to the Tucker Center, and roughly a third of fans of major sports are women. The evolution of women\u2019s sports over the last four decades has been dramatic; the media coverage, not so much. All these statistics beg the question: Would we have more reporting on women\u2019s sports if more sports reporters and editors were women? And would the quality of that coverage be better?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Women in Sports: Anya Battaglino Carries the Confidence of a Hockey Player Day In and Out &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/EvoRa7MCQH\">https:\/\/t.co\/EvoRa7MCQH<\/a> &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/CTWhale?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#CTWhale<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/NWHL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#NWHL<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/battaglinoa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@battaglinoa<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/sportsjackie?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@sportsjackie<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CTWhale_NWHL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@CTWhale_NWHL<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/womeninsports?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#womeninsports<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/wf9uytmvHV\">pic.twitter.com\/wf9uytmvHV<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Double G Sports (@DoubleGSports) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DoubleGSports\/status\/971385244157992960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 7, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">Rebecca Carlson, a three-time national champion as the women\u2019s rugby coach at Quinnipiac University, uses a trip to the ice cream parlor to best describe the issue. Picking a sport to watch on television is like picking a flavor, and every sport with men is just another bowl of strawberry ice cream.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">\u201cI have two choices for you, and I want you to try them and then you tell me which one you like more,\u201d Carlson said. \u201cHere\u2019s some strawberry ice cream, and then also some strawberry ice cream. If I\u2019m not given anything else, I guess I\u2019ll take the strawberry.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">Carlson explained that data shows viewers prefer to watch men\u2019s sports, but only because they are given more men\u2019s sports than any other option, including the women.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">\u201cIf you hate it you&#8217;re not going to watch it, but there\u2019s going to be people that will be like \u2018It\u2019s what\u2019s on, I\u2019ll watch,\u2019 or \u2018it\u2019s there, I\u2019ll eat it.\u2019 How do we change that? (Connecticut) gives us a clean slate because the airwaves aren&#8217;t cluttered with (mens sports). That opportunity is there\u2026 because of our state. What else do they talk about in Connecticut?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">Carlson joins a handful of coaches that face a unique situation in Connecticut. A lack of men\u2019s professional sports, combined with a hungry fan base, has given women\u2019s sports open ground to thrive. Given the state\u2019s history with women\u2019s sports, this shouldn&#8217;t come as a surprise.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Donna Lopiano<br \/>1966, 1971 and 1972. She led the 1972 Women\u2019s Fast Pitch  she led the Brakettes in hitting, 1970 (.316) and 1972 (.367) <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ZC0UQ3p7Zh\">pic.twitter.com\/ZC0UQ3p7Zh<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Faron Hierholzer (@HierholzerFaron) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/HierholzerFaron\/status\/850107509104881664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 6, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">In 1947, before Title IX or most of the half-hearted attempts to grow women\u2019s sports emerged, William Simpson had an idea. The chairman of Raybestos-Manhattan, Inc. founded a fast-pitch softball team, sponsored by his factory. The team, named the Raybestos Bracketts to publicize the company&#8217;s motor vehicle brake linings, set the standard for women\u2019s sports in Connecticut. Donna Lopiano, a national champion with the Brakettes, joined in 1962 when she was only 16 years old.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">\u201cPrior to the 1970s, prior to Title IX, girls sports were relatively nonexistent,\u201d Lopiano said. \u201cIf they existed at the high school level, a high school\u2019s idea of a girl\u2019s basketball team might be five or six games in the season. It might not even be head to head competition against another school. It might be four or five schools getting together and having a play date with two kids from every school on each team.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">Lopiano lamented the lack of opportunities for young female athletes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">\u201cThere were no scholarships. Postseason play was nonexistent. Those things didn&#8217;t exist. As a result, if you were good at something, you had to turn to open amateur sport, or be satisfied with terrible opportunities at the high school or college level.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<div\n        class=\"\n          image-block-outer-wrapper\n          layout-caption-below\n          design-layout-inline\n          \n          \n          \n        \"\n        data-test=\"image-block-inline-outer-wrapper\"\n    ><\/p>\n<figure\n            class=\"\n              sqs-block-image-figure\n              intrinsic\n            \"\n            style=\"max-width:1079.0px;\"\n        ><\/p>\n<div\n              \n                style=\"padding-bottom:92.67840576171875%;\"\n              \n              class=\"\n                image-block-wrapper\n                \n          \n        \n                has-aspect-ratio\n              \"\n              data-animation-role=\"image\"\n              \n  data-animation-override\n\n          ><br \/>\n            <noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screenshot-2018-04-26-12.03.07.png\" alt=\"Screenshot 2018-04-26 12.03.07.png\" \/><\/noscript><img class=\"thumb-image\" data-src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screenshot-2018-04-26-12.03.07.png\" data-image=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screenshot-2018-04-26-12.03.07.png\" data-image-dimensions=\"1079x1000\" data-image-focal-point=\"0.5,0.5\" alt=\"Screenshot 2018-04-26 12.03.07.png\" data-load=\"false\" data-image-id=\"5af06d60f950b7ef05543571\" data-type=\"image\" \/>\n          <\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">Open amateur sport was the only option for Lopiano, who wanted to prove her skill years after being kicked out of Little League baseball for being a girl.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">\u201cFortunately, the Raybestos Brakettes were a nationally successful women\u2019s softball team,\u201d said Lopiano. \u201cThey had the same reputation of being at the top of the game.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">With that history in mind, Lopiano claimed Connecticut was ready for professional women\u2019s sports.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">\u201cThere was a fertile garden for (women\u2019s sports in Connecticut) to grow, and a lot of it was whether or not there were competing plants. (There are no) weeds that will take over. It\u2019s still true today.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Brakettes won 3500th game in 65 yr softball team history tonight.  Overall record is 3500-380 for a winning percentage of .901<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Hal Baird (@musicalhal) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/musicalhal\/status\/91695084642377728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 15, 2011<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">In the 1970s, the Brakettes went on to form the core of the Connecticut Falcons of the international women&#8217;s pro softball league. The Falcons played in Meriden, Connecticut, and drew over 2,000 fans per home game. The team featured one of the greatest athletes of all time in pitcher Joan Joyce, <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.espn.com\/espnw\/news\/article\/6833700\/best-ted-williams-ever-faced\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">who once faced Ted Williams in an exhibition game in Waterbury, Connecticut<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">. The Falcons were owned by Joyce, Billie Jean King and Jane Blalock, and helped grow recognition of both the sport and the athletes, all women.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">The Brakettes prepared the ground for an even more popular team, one that is now considered to be a dynasty in women&#8217;s sports.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Awesome job UCONN Womens Basketball team on their victory last night!! <a href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/zYySvQEUn1\">pic.twitter.com\/zYySvQEUn1<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; W.J. Irish Insurance (@WJ_Irish_Ins) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WJ_Irish_Ins\/status\/453883887697944576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 9, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">The rise of the University of Connecticut women&#8217;s basketball team from obscurity in Storrs, Connecticut, to national prominence stands as an example of how state fans stood ready to rally behind women&#8217;s sports. The UConn men&#8217;s basketball team was earning its national reputation at the time, but the UConn women had something the men&#8217;s team did not have: local television coverage. UConn women&#8217;s basketball drew record ratings and would dominate the local market when it played, eventually leading to higher volumes of fans at the games.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">\u201cIn 1989, &nbsp;the University &nbsp;of Connecticut\u2019s &nbsp;women\u2019s basketball &nbsp;team played before just &nbsp;287 fans in the front half of a doubleheader shared with the men. During the 2009-10 season, UConn women set the NCAA record for invincibility by earning a 90-game winning streak, supported by a total of 357,627 fans attending Connecticut\u2019s 39 games,\u201d the NWLC stated.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">Amber Cox, the vice president of the Connecticut Sun, has a special name for it. Her Sun play in the Women\u2019s National Basketball Association, and find their home in the Mohegan Sun casino.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">\u201cI think what\u2019s interesting about this state\u2014 and specifically what I would call the \u2018UConn effect\u2019\u2014 is that there is less bias when it comes to women playing basketball,\u201d Cox said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">\u201cYou don\u2019t get as much resistance when you call somebody up and say \u2018Hey, would you like to buy a season ticket to the WNBA, (to) the Connecticut Sun.\u2019 The resistance is never that it\u2019s women playing basketball, and I think it\u2019s accepted in this state, probably more so than other parts of the country.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I&#39;m a big fan of the Connecticut Sun&#39;s intros <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/F7p6bHfJwe\">pic.twitter.com\/F7p6bHfJwe<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Daniel Connolly (@DanielVConnolly) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DanielVConnolly\/status\/893609586892132352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 4, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/sun.wnba.com\/news\/5-dumb-reasons-dislike-wnba\/\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">Her colleagues with the Sun agree<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">, and the attendance figures support that perspective.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">The WNBA attracted a record attendance of 1.5 million in 2017, with teams averaging 7,716 fans per game, the most since 2011, according to Ben York of the Connecticut Sun. The Sun&#8217;s attendance grew 15.3 percent, he said. On social media, the WNBA broke records with more than 679 million impressions, a growth of 59 percent, and over 140 million video views, which was a growth of 233 percent.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">The reach of the \u201cUConn effect\u201d extends beyond basketball. Connecticut harbors growing amounts of women\u2019s sports teams, at both the collegiate and professional levels. The National Women\u2019s Hockey League features only four teams, including three in major markets such as Buffalo, Newark, and Boston. However, they also found a home for a team in Stamford, with the Connecticut Whale.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/TeamNWHL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#TeamNWHL<\/a> Forward <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/kelly_babstock?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@kelly_babstock<\/a> <br \/>2-4-6 in 7 games this season for the <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CTWhale_NWHL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@CTWhale_NWHL<\/a>! <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/0NbD4sFuHF\">pic.twitter.com\/0NbD4sFuHF<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; NWHL (@NWHL) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NWHL\/status\/946079499527118849?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 27, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">Kelly Babstock, a forward for the Whale, set a Quinnipiac record with 203 career points before joining the NWHL.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">\u201cPersonally, playing professional sports in Connecticut connects with me more because I went to school at Quinnipiac,\u201d Babstock said. \u201cI have had fans that followed me at Quinnipiac who follow the Whale now. I think that is amazing to have their continued support.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">\u201cConnecticut has become my home away from home and I love every minute playing in this state as it provided me with great memories. It was a perfect fit to continue my professional career.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<div\n        class=\"\n          image-block-outer-wrapper\n          layout-caption-below\n          design-layout-inline\n          \n          \n          \n        \"\n        data-test=\"image-block-inline-outer-wrapper\"\n    ><\/p>\n<figure\n            class=\"\n              sqs-block-image-figure\n              intrinsic\n            \"\n            style=\"max-width:480.0px;\"\n        ><\/p>\n<div\n              \n                style=\"padding-bottom:56.25%;\"\n              \n              class=\"\n                image-block-wrapper\n                \n          \n        \n                has-aspect-ratio\n              \"\n              data-animation-role=\"image\"\n              \n  data-animation-override\n\n          ><br \/>\n            <noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/IMG_1587.gif\" alt=\"Babstock is prominently featured on social media with the Whale, including this gif here.\" \/><\/noscript><img class=\"thumb-image\" data-src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/IMG_1587.gif\" data-image=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/IMG_1587.gif\" data-image-dimensions=\"480x270\" data-image-focal-point=\"0.5,0.5\" alt=\"Babstock is prominently featured on social media with the Whale, including this gif here.\" data-load=\"false\" data-image-id=\"5aeb26afaa4a99c5ca34e818\" data-type=\"image\" \/>\n          <\/div><figcaption class=\"image-caption-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-caption\">\n<p>Babstock is prominently featured on social media with the Whale, including this gif here.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">Soccer has found a way into the Constitution State as well, with growth at youth levels reaching its way into a team with United Women\u2019s Soccer. The impact of having professional players nearby to serve as role models is not understated to JP DiTommaso, the head coach of the Connecticut Fusion in the UWS.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">\u201cThis is an opportunity for girls who have worked tirelessly over the years, putting in work to perfect their trade,\u201d DiTommaso said. \u201c(Young female athletes can) go on to play in college and have (soccer as) an outlet in college. After college they can showcase the hard work and dedication they&#8217;ve put in (by going pro).<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">We&#39;d like to welcome Molly Socha, Rachel Morrier and Anna Cronin who are set to join our squad this coming season! <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/connecticutfusion?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#connecticutfusion<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/unitedwomenssoccer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#unitedwomenssoccer<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/fsafc?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#fsafc<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/uhart?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#uhart<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/umasslowell?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#umasslowell<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/duaVidGmak\">pic.twitter.com\/duaVidGmak<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; CT Fusion (@thectfusion) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/thectfusion\/status\/983452844912193536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 9, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">\u201cIt\u2019s a great opportunity for these young girls to look up and say \u2018Hey, I want to be there some day\u2019 and it would be at this next stage. For the girls, they can say this is possible, this is achievable.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">DiTommaso also serves as a coach with youth soccer for girls, working with a club in Farmington. He sees the UConn effect growing in his backyard.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">\u201cYou have people of all ages and all backgrounds coming out to support (UConn women\u2019s basketball). I think that\u2019s a tremendous trickle down effect to not only other schools and other programs across Connecticut, but down to all ages. It\u2019s helped to create an environment that can foster growth in women\u2019s athletics.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">Work remains in creating equality for women in sports. At Quinnipiac, Carlson has hurdled through media hoops repeatedly trying to get attention for her team, which has set an example across the nation for how to grow a women\u2019s rugby program.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">3-PEAT COMPLETED! QUINNIPIAC RUGBY DEFEATS DARTMOUTH 29-20 TO WIN THE 2017 NIRA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Quinnipiac Rugby (@QU_Rugby) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/QU_Rugby\/status\/932317285116796928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 19, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">Like many coaches in women\u2019s sports, she has faced challenges head on. She founded TheFearlessCoach.org after dealing with Title IX issues herself, and lends support to other coaches facing discrimination or lack of administrative support.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">Connecticut&#8217;s history with women&#8217;s pro sports that started with the Raybestos Brakettes in the 1940s will persist as the 21st century deepens, giving the state a unique place in modern sports history as one whose fans love a winner regardless of gender.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">\u201cYou change (women\u2019s sports) by the next generation being exposed to it where it becomes the norm,\u201d Carlson said. \u201c(Any) little girl has access to watch women on television. That exposure, now you see it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\">&#8220;Women&#8217;s sports&#8221; are on the way to becoming, deservedly, just &#8220;sports.&#8221; Soon, the casual sports fan will see it, too.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\">Connecticut has seen a rise in women\u2019s sports throughout the years. This shouldn\u2019t be a surprise considering the history of female athletes in the state, as well as the growth of the \u201cUConn effect\u201d in the area. The only question remaining is whether or not Connecticut can be an example for the rest of nation when it comes to women\u2019s sports.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":404,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[66,6],"tags":[183,11],"class_list":["post-403","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-capstone-projects","category-quinnipiac","tag-sports","tag-women-empowered"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/403","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=403"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/403\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2682,"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/403\/revisions\/2682"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=403"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=403"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=403"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}