Binghamton University Athletics

National Girls and Women In Sports Day Luncheon
Wednesday, February 1, 2006
Binghamton University President Lois B. DeFleur
 
"I want to thank you for being here and for your support of Binghamton University and its scholar- athletes.  Today, I’d like to talk about why athletics are particularly important in girl’s and women’s lives.
 
If we consider American society broadly, we know that it is permeated with sports.  Cable television systems offer dozen’s of channels devoted solely to sports and fitness programming– with entire blocks dedicated to particular sports and leagues. ESPN is a multi-billion dollar network that focuses on athletic competition and related news, and, on a typical weekend, one can watch sports round the clock.  And while this interest in professional sports and intercollegiate athletics dates back at least as far as the turn of the last century, for much of that time women were not strongly represented-- even though at Binghamton and elsewhere-- there have been many excellent female athletes.
 
Many of you know that I played basketball when I was in college– and clearly at that time there was not the support system or encouragement that we find today.  Intercollegiate female athletes did not have access to the best facilities, and there were very few athletic scholarships for women.
 
In recent decades, there has been an explosion in interest in women’s sports, particularly since 1972, when Title IX outlawed discrimination in all areas of education on the basis of sex.  For example, the numbers of female high school athletes has risen by more than 840%, and now there are more than 200,000 girls playing high school sports.  Prior to Title IX, only abut 7% of all highschool athletes were girls– now they comprise 42%.  

On college campuses, we need to achieve gender equity in sports according to three criteria--   campuses need to have a “substantial proportionality” of female athletes compared to women on campus; second, they have to show a “history and continuing practice” of support for female athletes; and third, they must “accommodate the interests and abilities” of female athletes.  We are very committed to this at Binghamton, and have worked hard to support our women’s sports.
 
But participation is only half the story.  What is really important is that these increased opportunities are helping prepare young women for a lifetime of opportunities and leadership.
 
Studies demonstrate a link between women’s athletic participation and leadership qualities.  In 2001, the insurance company Mass Mutual conducted a survey of female executives of Fortune 500 companies, in anticipation of the Winter 2002 Olympic Games.  It is titled“Game Face: From Locker Room to the Boardroom” and the results are striking-- more than 80% of these executives played sports in high school or college-- and most played team sports such as basketball, volleyball, or softball.   Other studies indicate that female athletes are more likely to gain advanced degrees and to have professional jobs in corporations, health care, or as teachers and professors. They tend to earn more than their non-athlete peers.  In my own experience, several of the women with whom I played went on to become leaders in their fields– one is a leader of a school district, for example, while another is the director of a regional social services program.
 
 
Equally important, the women in the Game Face study continued their involvement in exercise and competition long after graduation.   This is certainly important in the U.S., where there are concerns regarding healthy lifestyles and obesity.  Former women athletes participate in sports at about twice the rate of non-athletes– even when they are pressed for time in their careers and families.  So today, most of them are involved in more individual sports like swimming, exercise, running, or hiking. ( Personally– I have been an active skier, horse jumper, trekker, and kayaker, and now I’ve become somewhat of an addict for kickboxing!
 
What is it about athletics that enhances leadership?   Game Face tells us that the women they surveyed found that participation in competitive sports increased their discipline, enabled them to better deal with failure, increased their competitive edge, and made them more productive.  But most importantly, it gave them a better understanding of how teams work together to win.
 
When I talk to employers they tell me that they want to hire people with good oral and written communication skills, who have the ability to work with others and are able to solve problems quickly and creatively. They want people who are organized, quick-thinking, and don’t pull back. Which is pretty much the definition of a good athlete.  I believe that athletic participation helped develop these skills.
 
I would add  that athletic participation also helps develop a sense of vision– the ability to take in the big picture quickly, to understand who the players are and what their positions are, and to make decisions quickly, and competently. 
When I was on the basketball court, this meant knowing that the point guard will be on the wing, that the forward is there to set a screen, and that the center will be there for the rebound.  Of course, as president of the University, my vision has to be a little broader– but I still need to know who is playing for what team, whether they are going to pass or shoot, and of course, I still watch out for flying elbows.
 
I also believe that sports played an important role in broadening my opportunities, not only about what was possible in terms of my career and aspirations, but also in terms of seeing the world through other people’s perspectives.  I grew up in a small town outside of Chicago, one that was almost entirely white middle class.  Basketball gave me the chance to not only play against, but play with a broader range of people. In fact, classrooms and the playing fields involve levels of diverse interaction and understandings of working together for a common goal.   To be leader in this global era, you must be able to communicate with and work with people from other backgrounds and parts of the world.  Currently, Binghamton’s athletic teams come from a dozen different nations, so athletes have opportunities to gain these perspectives.
         
But perhaps the most important way that athletics enhances leadership ability is that it encourages girls and women to be risk takers.  For many years, our society did not encourage women to be"risk-takers." But taking risks is an important part of developing our full potential-- and it is a crucial characteristic of good leadership.

Times are changing-- and now it seems that our televisions are filled with women flying through the air in “XTREME SPORTS” or eating worms on “FEAR FACTOR.”   But I want to stress that sports encourages women to look for positive risks-- and reduces the likelihood of negative risk-taking, like drug use.  In fact, women who participate in sports  have higher self-esteem and self-confidence.
 
Participating in athletics gave me the confidence to take risks-- not only on the basketball court, but in my career.  Often these opportunities came out of the blue when someone approached me with a new undertaking or proposal which forced me to rethink my current position. Such opportunities were not without risk. For example, when I was asked to become the first female dean at Washington State University, it meant moving into an leadership area where I had no experience. Yet in the end, that decision yielded many other opportunities, and led, ultimately, to the President's Office here at Binghamton.
 
Also, I was fortunate that my father encouraged me– he was a basketball coach in a community league and I went with him to games. He actively supported my interests in sports, and I see the same thing today with many of the women on Binghamton’s athletic teams– entire families, and especially fathers, play an important role in their daughter’s success.   And of course, symbolic encouragement is also important-- we need celebrations like National Girls and Women in Sports Day, and activities like the Annual Hall of Fame which recognizes the success of both our male and female athletes. 
 
 
We are deeply appreciative of the tremendous community support our female athletes receive-- attendance figures for our Women’s basketball games are the best in the conference-- we are drawing nearly 2000 spectators per game-- 300 people per game more than Maine, which always has a strong women’s basketball program.  This played an important role in our securing the America East Conference Women’s Basketball Championship next year.  We also see great crowds for other women’s sports-- we filled the gym for volleyball last Fall, and our women’s soccer team always has a good turnout.  This is important, not only because it provides encouragement for the teams, but also because it shows we value our athletes’ efforts.
 
Of course our women’s sports also need financial support.  For example, our golf and baseball teams have received scholarships from interested alumni and community members.  Our women’s teams need similar support if we are to continue, not only to win, but to give these smart, talented women the opportunities for leadership they deserve."