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I consider myself extremely lucky to be an athlete in the 1990s. The evolution of women’s sports since the inception of Title IX in 1971 has been remarkable. Although initially there appears to have been a burst of popularity for women’s athletics in the ’90s, this is simply a manifestation of the struggles through the previous two decades. With the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, and the vast new opportunities in college sports, women have been given experiences that never before existed. The unforgettable memories I have from both the Harvard hockey team and from our Olympic gold medal run in 1998 are a direct result of the countless pioneers that forged the way before us. Women like Billie Jean King and Donna DeVarona allowed athletes like myself to have the chance to compete on the Olympic stage in women’s hockey and to capture the collegiate national championship for Harvard.
Competing in the ’98 Olympics in Nagano, Japan, was an incredible experience. Following the historic final game between Canada and USA, we received the first-ever Olympic gold medals awarded in women’s hockey. Beyond this, however, the Olympics represents so much more to my teammates and me. For the first time, we were given the chance to compete at the highest level in our sport, and we were respected for our dedication and drive to be the best. Although most of the world did not tune in until February of 1998, we had been training separately for years, and had traveled together for months before the Games. Every one of us sacrificed time with friends and family, school, and work to travel exclusively with the team from August 1997 until the Olympics the following February.
I had a unique perspective on women’s college hockey through my career at Harvard. I took two years off to train full-time for Team USA, so my four years of eligibility actually spanned six years. From my freshman year in ’93-’94 to my senior year in ’98-’99, I witnessed vast developments in college hockey. As opposed to the domination of the League by only a handful of teams as we saw during my freshman year, this past year’s League was incredibly competitive between most of the teams. USA Hockey showed remarkable foresight in 1998 in establishing the American Women’s College Hockey Alliance National Championship and the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, presented to that season’s top player. These developments embody the ever-changing landscape of women’s hockey.
The history of Ivy League women’s athletics has evolved tremendously. Starting in the 1970s, when women had very few resources and limited opportunities, the Ivy League has grown so that today women across the League are competing for national championships and Olympic gold medals. The establishment of the WNBA and the country’s excitement about the USA women’s soccer team and their incredible World Cup victory have had a tremendous effect on the world of women’s sports. Society has embraced women athletes, and little girls can now look up to female role models and aspire to play college sports, compete in the Olympics, or play professionally. Throughout the 25-year history of Ivy League women’s athletics, there have been many golden moments for these female athletes, and with the continuing growth, there are many more to come in the future.
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