By Shaniah Taylor

From the strong legacy of Venus and Serena Williams to the rising stardom of the WNBA with athletes like Paige Buekers, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, and the wide-reaching social media presence of rugby star Ilona Maher, the world is increasingly recognizing the brilliance of female athletes. These icons have been shaping a generation of girls who can now see a place for themselves out on the field or court.

Yet, even with progress, these women face significant challenges in our society. Athletes like Maher and Williams have faced criticism for being “too strong” or “too masculine.” Players in the WNBA are often told they look too masculine while playing, as if appealing to men should be their top priority. There is also a disparity in the funding that goes to men’s sports as opposed to women’s sports, whether nationally or on a smaller local scale.

An official report from the NCAA released in 2022 titled “The State of Women in College Sports” lists disparities such as 25 percent of all head coaching positions belonging to women, as well as a breakdown on the resources given stating, “Division I continues to have the greatest gap in spending between men’s and women’s programs. An analysis of total expenses indicates that Division I athletics departments are generally spending twice as much on their men’s programs than on their women’s programs.”

This week, The Collegian sat down with women’s athletes and Jena Miller, Athletics Department Administrator and Senior Compliance Administrator, to ask: What have their experiences been like? Does our community do a good job at supporting our female athletes? And what is the true importance of women’s sports?

So, right now you may be asking, “What does an Athletics Department Administrator and Senior Compliance Administrator actually do?” For Jena Miller, it means being the behind-the-scenes problem solver for athletics in jurisdictions that do not require an athletic director. Her work includes managing logistics like bus schedules and budgets, connecting athletics with other parts of campus, and ensuring all athletics comply with NCAA regulations – essentially, she is one part that keeps the department functioning.

Beyond her job here, Miller’s commitment to women’s sports is personal. Having been a Greensboro College athlete and later a coach, she has a uniquely informed perspective. In discussing challenges in the field, Miller stated there was a gap between the number of female coaches in comparison to male coaches.

“I saw how important it is for women in college to have women to look up to, but also to speak to,” she said. “Sometimes it is not always easy for females to talk to their male coaches.”

This is one of the reasons women’s sports are vital. They can provide a women-centered community where students can express themselves and discuss things freely that they may not have outside of sports. This also highlights a need for more female coaches.

Miller believes sports shape individuals in ways that differ from a typical college experience; they can instill skills in leadership, collaboration, discipline and accountability that are invaluable in both college and life outside of it. She also highlighted that coaches create a unique support and accountability system for academic success that other students may not have.

This brings us to another – glaringly obvious – reason women’s sports are important: it is a matter of equity. By providing female athletes the same opportunities for success as their male counterparts, it can increase their likelihood of persisting and graduating or at least reaching further success in life.

The things outlined by Miller aren’t just ideas coming from administration; they are the current lived realities of GC’s athletes. Senior volleyball player Taylor Cotie, who has played volleyball for 11 years, embodies this.

Cotie stated that her athletic career has been foundational to her growth as a person.

“Being an athlete has taught me several important life lessons, most importantly the value of teamwork, perseverance and determination,” she said. These skills proved practical, as the time management she developed was a big reason she could handle multiple clubs and get accepted into a Doctor of Physical Therapy graduate program.

Beyond her personal gain, Cotie sees a broader societal impact.

“I believe the importance of women’s sports extends far beyond just the field or court,” she said. “Women’s athletics provides opportunities for female athletes to show the leadership and dedication they put into their athletics. It also helps promote equality and breaks down the stereotypes on what women can achieve in sports.”

Similarly, sophomore softball player Erica Chaney stated, “I think it is important for women to be in the sports world because it gives them the opportunity to inspire a younger generation of girls.”

Without women showing young girls this is an avenue that is achievable for them, athletes like Chaney may not have committed herself to softball for 15 years of her life. Without Logan Eggleston, former outside hitter for the Texas Longhorns, Cotie may not have aspired to be the leader she is today.

The other themes highlighted by Miller are further refined by senior lacrosse player Carly Walton. Walton, who has played lacrosse since 2016 and is currently ranked 4th in program history for saves, like Cotie also credits her sport with honing her time management skills. However, her path is certainly unique compared to others interviewed.

“When I started playing, I was on a team full of boys,” Walton said. “My coach at the time taught me that I was going to be treated the same as all the guys.” She also recalled the sports camps in her home state of Oklahoma where they’d be listed as “boys/sons,” requiring her mother to inquire about her inclusion.

These experiences taught her the value of representation. “Women’s sports give us someone to look up to,” Walton said. “Younger girls can relate to women athletes, and that representation matters for the younger generation.”

Shifting focus to more social and structural benefits, junior Keira Fenyo exemplifies a well-rounded collegiate athlete. As a dual-sport athlete in lacrosse and cross country, she says the biggest advantages to being an athlete are the structure it adds to her schedule and the closeness she has developed with her teammates.

For Fenyo, the importance of women’s sports is self-discovery.

“I would say that women’s sports are important, not only of the various physical and mental health benefits, but it would be that it teaches you a lot about yourself and the way you respond to adversity,” she stated. “Sports also teach you how to be a leader and to embody that self-discipline you need to thrive in other areas of your life.”

When The Collegian asked athletes about GC’s support of women’s athletics, the answers provided a more nuanced answer that mostly depended on the sport. While the consensus is that support is present, it is the intensity and effectiveness that varies.

Cotie expressed strong satisfaction.

“I do feel that women’s athletics here at Greensboro College are well supported,” she said. “We have a great and talented group of female athletes on campus, and I believe that not only the athletic staff, but also the Greensboro College faculty do an excellent job of attending games and showing their support. I am grateful to be a part of a program that is so supportive and wants to see us succeed both on and off the court.”

In contrast, Walton believes there is room for growth.

“I feel when it comes to women’s sports at GC that there is support. However, it is not like the support that football gets,” Walton noted.

This is a sentiment shared by a lot, as both the NCAA study mentioned before and Miller in her interview stated that most collegiate sports funding and resources go to football.

“I feel like when playing women’s sports that we must prove ourselves more than all the male sports,” Walton continued. “We have some amazing talent here at GC in all of the different women’s sports that GC has to offer.”

This difference in opinion is likely rooted in the differences of their programs. Volleyball is not only one of the most popular and successful sports at GC but also globally, ensuring a constant well of athletes. Women’s lacrosse, however, has faced instability as a program, cycling through part-time coaches who struggled to do any recruitment, causing the team to dwindle and placing it at risk to be cut like so many women’s sports due to “lack of interest.”

The conversation about women’s sports is ultimately about opportunity – the opportunity to lead, to build community and to discover female athletes’ inner strengths. Experiences from athletes locally and globally – collegiate and Olympic – show that the work that goes into women’s athletics is both personally and institutionally vital. We are one step in building a legacy that supports women in sports right here on campus.

Clubs like the recent formation of the GC Golf Club is a way people on campus can contribute to the strength of GC’s women’s athletics. The club is available for all, but it mainly serves to spark interest for a GC women’s golf team. These clubs and intramural sports show that the future of Greensboro College athletics is not something we are just hoping to stay; it is a reality the students and staff are helping forge one swing, one goal and one team at a time.