California Golden Bears Athletics
Kat Brown’s Grandma, who grew up before the enactment of Title IX, loved sports and had a big impact on the former Cal volleyball player.
Grandma's Love, Generations Of Work Still To Do
3/13/2023 10:45 AM | DEIBJ
As I thought about Women's History Month and topics for a BeLOnG Blog, I found myself continuing to reflect on the life of a woman who had a profound impact on me - my Grandma. My Grandma absolutely loved sports. I have memories of her watching all kinds of sporting events - football, basketball, baseball, golf, whatever was on TV. When I played volleyball at Cal, she would watch our matches on TV or she would call my mom to try to figure out how she could watch them on her computer. She was never more locked in though than during the Olympics. My Grandma would become sleep deprived when the Olympics were on because she would stay up so late to watch as much as she could.
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Originally from Minnesota, my Grandma was an all-around athlete and she participated in all kinds of activities. When she was growing up, there weren't many opportunities for girls and women to play organized sports, but that did not stop her. She played softball and basketball in high school, and she also played tennis, golfed, bowled, skied and ice skated. She even square danced while she was a student at the University of Minnesota. After she graduated from Minnesota in 1953, she started teaching high school PE. She got pregnant with my mom in the early 1960s, and once she started showing, the high school would not let her teach anymore.
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My Grandma's love for sports permeated throughout our whole family. My Grandma and Grandpa had six kids, and all of them played sports growing up, some of them in college. This trickled down to her grandchildren too. I attribute the love that my family has and that I have for sports to my Grandma.
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As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Title IX this year, I thought about what it was like for my Grandma when she was growing up. She went to college about 20 years before Title IX was enacted. She certainly did not have the same opportunities to participate in sports that I had. Although a lot has changed since she was in college, it is important to acknowledge that there is still progress that needs to be made regarding women's equity in sports.
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According to an NCAA report from June 2022, women hold about 25% of all NCAA head coach and athletics director positions and 30% of conference commissioner positions across all NCAA divisions. Out of the 65 Power 5 athletic directors, just six are women. So, while about 47% of student-athletes are now women, those numbers are not reflected at leadership levels in athletic departments or conferences. There continues to be systemic inequities and bias that impact women moving into leadership positions.
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I am so grateful to have grown up in a family that appreciated and encouraged participation in sports so much. My Grandma's love for sports undoubtedly influenced me and set the foundation for my love of sports as well. We've come a long way in creating opportunities for women and girls to thrive in athletics since my Grandma's day, but there is still work to do.
Kat Brown is a former Cal volleyball player, who graduated from Cal in 2013. Following her graduation, she attended law school at the University of San Diego. She currently works in the Cal Athletic Department as an Assistant Athletics Director for Compliance.
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Originally from Minnesota, my Grandma was an all-around athlete and she participated in all kinds of activities. When she was growing up, there weren't many opportunities for girls and women to play organized sports, but that did not stop her. She played softball and basketball in high school, and she also played tennis, golfed, bowled, skied and ice skated. She even square danced while she was a student at the University of Minnesota. After she graduated from Minnesota in 1953, she started teaching high school PE. She got pregnant with my mom in the early 1960s, and once she started showing, the high school would not let her teach anymore.
Â
My Grandma's love for sports permeated throughout our whole family. My Grandma and Grandpa had six kids, and all of them played sports growing up, some of them in college. This trickled down to her grandchildren too. I attribute the love that my family has and that I have for sports to my Grandma.
Â
As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Title IX this year, I thought about what it was like for my Grandma when she was growing up. She went to college about 20 years before Title IX was enacted. She certainly did not have the same opportunities to participate in sports that I had. Although a lot has changed since she was in college, it is important to acknowledge that there is still progress that needs to be made regarding women's equity in sports.
Â
According to an NCAA report from June 2022, women hold about 25% of all NCAA head coach and athletics director positions and 30% of conference commissioner positions across all NCAA divisions. Out of the 65 Power 5 athletic directors, just six are women. So, while about 47% of student-athletes are now women, those numbers are not reflected at leadership levels in athletic departments or conferences. There continues to be systemic inequities and bias that impact women moving into leadership positions.
Â
I am so grateful to have grown up in a family that appreciated and encouraged participation in sports so much. My Grandma's love for sports undoubtedly influenced me and set the foundation for my love of sports as well. We've come a long way in creating opportunities for women and girls to thrive in athletics since my Grandma's day, but there is still work to do.
Kat Brown is a former Cal volleyball player, who graduated from Cal in 2013. Following her graduation, she attended law school at the University of San Diego. She currently works in the Cal Athletic Department as an Assistant Athletics Director for Compliance.
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