Tommy Tuberville: “in my 40 years as a coach and mentor, I have witnessed the immeasurable value that sports plays in the lives of young…”

“in my 40 years as a coach and mentor, I have witnessed the immeasurable value that sports plays in the lives of young adults. The lessons learned on the field contribute to an athlete's success off the field. For example, there is the value of discipline and hard work, how to deal with success and failure, how to be a leader, and the importance of putting the interests of the team ahead of the individual's. But many of these lessons are only realized when there is a fair and level playing field, and that is why title IX protections have been so transformational for women's and girls' sports. I began my career as a high school coach, coaching boys' basketball and football, as well as girls' basketball. This was just a few years after Congress expanded title IX, ushering in a new era of opportunities for women and girls in sports. Title IX provided women and girls the long-denied platform that had always been afforded to men and boys. It ensured female athletes had the same access to funding, facilities, and athletic scholarships. Before title IX, female athletics received less than 2 percent of the college athletic budgets, and athletic scholarships for women were virtually nonexistent. Since it was enacted, I have witnessed firsthand how the expanded provisions in title IX have changed the game for female athletes at every level. Today, 43 percent of high school girls participate in competitive sports.…”