Q: What led or motivated you to play sports?

A: I attended a small, all-girls school before matriculating at Princeton in 1972. I was a "lifer" at The Shipley School (attending from kindergarten through senior year). Beginning in third grade, we participated in team sports and we started to play field hockey and basketball in 4th grade and lacrosse in 5th grade. During the 1960-70's, sports participation was mandatory at Shipley, and every afternoon when classes ended, we were required to "play sports" for over an hour. When I came to Princeton, I continued to play on a team, as sports had been part of my daily routine for years. I know that I was extremely lucky to have come from such a "friendly" organized sports background, as it quickly became clear to me at Princeton that not all women had the opportunities or exposure to athletics that I had.

Q: What adversity did you encounter, if any at your school to play your sport(s)?

A: Princeton was welcoming to the women in the sports in which I participated (field hockey, squash and lacrosse), so I will speak only for them. It's true that we had some lousy, ungroomed playing fields at times, and that our locker rooms, when we had them, were teeny, and far from the fields. At times, when we asked for improvements (equipment the men received, or fields that were mowed, and lined, regularly) the pace at Princeton was glacial. I realized that after almost 225 years of "men only", Princeton wasn't going to change overnight, but it was important that women's teams make noise and bring attention to our needs.

Q: What was the most memorable experience for you?

A: I have lots and lots of memorable experiences of playing on teams at Princeton, but what remains most important to me are the friendships I formed with other women teammates. The student body was still predominantly male in the 1970's, with only about 600 women undergraduates. In fact, I had lots of classes and precepts in which I was the only female. As it turned out, playing on a team was a great way to meet other women. My 2 best girlfriends today are, in fact, teammates from the Princeton Field Hockey team on which we played 25 years ago.

Q: What is your hope for the future of women's sports?

A: I think it is incumbent on all women athletes, whether currently active or not, to encourage young girls to participate in sports. There are the obvious health benefits that physical activity provides, but it is also important to recognize the camaraderie that sports provide. And there is much to be said for an all-girl sports setting, as that environment encourages, and enables, girls to make life long friendships.